The Church of the Holy Cross was built on land donated by Mr. Frank C. Bell (father of James H. Bell) on what during the ’60’s had been the dueling ground. It was blessed on July 17, 1888, in honor of St. Alexis, the Confessor, and has always been served as a mission of St. Vincent De Paul Church in Silver City. Ever since the cross was erected on the mountain by Sr. Santiago Brito in gratitude to God for deliverance from the Indians and in honor of Saint Helena, May 3rd has been observed as Patron Saint’s Day. In the good old days miners would sneak sticks of dynamite, every now and then, into their pants or lunch buckets and hoard them for the celebration. At sunset fires would be lighted near the church and around the cross on the mountain. Blasts would rattle the windows throughout the town. This might go on all night if the miners had had a successful year. Old women told the children it was to scare the devils away. On the morning of the third, mass was said, after which a procession climbed to the cross as an act of penance. Now the day is observed as a feast day with a dinner to which everyone interested is welcome, then mass, and a pilgrimage to the cross as an act of devotion. The Protestant churches of Silver City sent their ministers to hold services in the school house or in individual homes during the ’70’s and ’80’s. Early in the ’90’s a regular Methodist minister, a Mr. Ruoff, was assigned to Pinos Altos and Central. He made his home here and succeeded in interesting the people in building a church under the auspices of the Methodist Extension Board. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bell donated a part of the Good Enough mining claim which they owned and had patented, for the site. The ladies gave box suppers, socials, bazaars to help raise money and the men promised regular contributions from their wages. The Hearst Interests were bringing in more men and more money, so a building seemed assured. Mrs. Phoebe Hearst visited the property at this time and became interested in the project, but she withheld her donation until the church board and the minister agreed to have a reading room for the miners in connection with the church, she paying the expenses. As a matter of economy, no extra room was added but the part near the front entrance was equipped with the necessary tables, chairs and stands, on which were placed local newspapers, and such magazines as the Review of Reviews, McClures, Scribners, Argosy, the old Life and Judge or Puck. Quite a diet for miners. Not one magazine for women or children. Mr. George Lincoln was in charge. At first the room was not popular. When Mr. Lincoln learned that the reason was that Catholics were not allowed to use a Protestant church, he suggested that the Ladies Aid make curtains that could be hung between the part used for the reading room and a part used for worship. This was done and the result was amazing. It was a very popular place until the Hearst people sold and Mrs. Hearst