The House That Holds Twirl

Also known as: Agama Building, The Return Gallery, Casa Espinoza
225 Camino de la Placita, Taos

The adobe building that Twirl is housed in has a long and rich history. It sits in the historic district of Taos and is a registered New Mexico Cultural Property and a National Historic Place.

 According to local historian Peter Mackaness, “This building contains remnants of the oldest and pre-columbian man-made structure in The Taos Valley. When the Spanish visited the Taos Pueblos for the first time, they were directed to set up camp at an old outpost located along the Chihuahuan trail; an outpost and rest stop on the 20,000-year-old ancient trade track called the Chihuahua Trail. The thicker the adobe walls, the older they are. The entry door on Teresina Lane and its other opposite door off of Placitas Road is a true fragment of prehistoric Taos. The adobe walls in all the rooms belie their venerable age and mass by their thickness. The two southwest rooms are the very oldest parts and have the thickest walls in the whole complex. The entrance on the east side is most likely the original Square Torreón or Watchtower, located on the western edge of the walled Puebloan village of Taos and guarded the west gate. The adjoining room just to the south and west is the Taos Pueblo outpost on the old Chihuahua Trading Trail. It predates the arrival of the Spanish colonists in 1598.

The room that is farthest to the south is most likely the second oldest part of the whole complex, given its thicker walls. The rest was built by the Espinoza family who over generations connected the oldest sections into a typical rambling Spanish Pueblo-style adobe house. The property was eventually divided into three separately owned spaces. After passing through several hands, the northernmost room became Agnes Martin’s Gallery and Studio while the southern rooms became The Old Taos Shop, The Return Gallery(1976-1984), The Milagro Learning Center, and Buddhist Prayer Center and is also known as the Agama Building. 

The building escaped the fires that burned through Taos Plaza in the 1920s and 30s and is the only part of the original town wall existing. In the 1980’s the second story was added. The building has gone through several revitalization projects that have added more charm and character to the building. Artist and Builder David Hopper (The Return Gallery) and real estate developer Tom Worrell both added eclectic and artistic features to complete the unique building as it’s seen today.

Twirl has resided in its home since 2007. The Twirl Team, along with many local artisans, have added more magic to the already spectacular space.

Enjoy this special building!