Aztec Ruins
National Monument
This is my home--
This is my spirit--
This is my land--
This is my soul--
This is all that is left.
Established on January 24, 1923, the Aztec Ruins National Monument is actually a misnomer: the famous
cliff dwellings and
pottery shards (not too mention a host of other invaluable
relics), are mostly
Anasazi, rather than
Aztec, in origin. The name comes from European settlers who, all to commonly, supplied whatever name fit their misconceptions rather than reality. Not that the
Anasazi minded, having been an extinct culture (as far as modern paleontology can tell) since they left the basin Pre-1300 A.D. Perhaps they didn"t migrate at all, but simply died off (One hypothesis states that the high-mineral content of the
drinking water caused tooth and eventually eating problems).
The park stretches 319.47 (always round to the second decimal, kids)
acres, mostly of land no one would want anyways. However, this area is also the home to a host of desert life, including
deer,
lizards, and
bats (the animals are from memory only, don"t quote me). Great variety of beautiful flowering
fauna is also present.
Earl Halstead Morris was instrumental in the founding of this ancient and beautiful
park, where a city over 800 years old soars above visitors, embedded in the stone. Like so many modern visitors, he was fascinated upon first seeing the ruins and
bones at the site at the age of six. He later was in charge of the area"s
excavation and was the parks first
custodian, a life dream come true. He also rebuilt the
Great Kiva, a majestic homage to both the original
Anasazi settlers and the Mr. Morris himself, whose life grew so intertwined with their
culture.
For park information write or phone:
Superintendent
Aztec Ruins National Monument
PO Box 640
Aztec, New Mexico 87410
(505) 334-6174 (Voice)
TDD user: (505) 334-6174, then dial 30
For area information write or phone:
Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau
203 W. Main - Suite 401
Farmington, New Mexico 87401
1-800-448-1240
one of the U.S. National Parks and Monuments
Source(s):http://www.nps.gov/azru/
Actually visited the place.