Plaza Blanca was made famous by the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. The artist visited the area in 1929 and was amazed by the lights and shapes she found in the New Mexico desert. She discovered the outcroppings of dark rock, which she called “Black Place” and inspired her Black Mesa Landscape piece. In 1940, she painted an oil canvas that was inspired by Plaza Blanca, which she called The White Place. She eventually made the nearby Abiquiu her home. The Dar Al Islam Education Center and Mosque, which currently contains Plaza Blanca, is privately owned but does allow visitors access.
