 When he passed nearby Taos, New Mexico he disembarked the train and travelled overland.During his 8-day stay, he met and befriended Bert Phillips, who had established himself as a painter in Taos the previous year.Although he soon returned to St. Louis, and was married to Emelia Miller in 1900, Berninghaus was captivated by the local Indian culture and the landscape and light of New Mexico.