Taylor Memorial Chapel

Taylor Memorial Chapel is a chapel in Pueblo Revival style located in Black Forest, featuring stuccoed walls, traditional wooden vigas, and a bell salvaged from a New Mexico mission church. The two-story structure blends regional building traditions with careful craftsmanship.

The chapel was designed by architect John Gaw Meem in 1929 and served as a private worship space for Alice Bemis Taylor until her death in 1942. The structure emerged during a period when Pueblo Revival style was gaining popularity in the region.

The interior showcases a hand-carved reredos with seven saints created by Eugenie Shonnard, alongside carefully crafted wooden altar, pulpit, and reading desk. These artistic elements give the space a personal and reverent character.

The chapel sits on the La Foret Conference and Retreat Center property surrounded by 400 acres of meadows and Ponderosa pines at 7,250 feet elevation. Visitors should prepare for higher altitude and cool mountain conditions.

The ceiling features a herringbone pattern created from Aspen saplings arranged above traditional wooden vigas, representing a distinctive construction method. This carefully executed detail merges craftsmanship with locally sourced materials in a subtle way.

Location: El Paso County

Inception: 1929

Architects: John Gaw Meem

Architectural style: Pueblo Revival Style architecture

GPS coordinates: 39.00662,-104.71848

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:15