Day 13 - Canyon de Chelly to Farmington NM
Highways today were south on US 191 to Ganado, east on State 264 to Window Rock and Yah-Ta-Hey, north on US 491, east on Navajo Service Route 9 to Crownpoint, north on State 371, and north-east on State 57 (Navajo Routes 9 and 14) to Chaco Culture National Historical Site. After Chaco, we turned north on Country Road 7950, then north on Indian Service Route 7061 (Road 7900) to US 550.
At Bloomfield we turned west on US 64 to the Salmon Ruins National Monument and back to US 550 continuing north to Aztec. At Aztec, we turned west on State 516, detoured north on Ruins Road to Aztec Ruins National Monument and back to State 516 where we continued west to Farmington for the night. Google Map
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site - Ganado, Arizona
When the Navajos returned home after The Long Walk, their way of life as they knew it was gone. The crop fields were destroyed. Their livestock decimated. Everything was gone. Trading for goods, already a key component of the Navajo economy, became even more important.
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| Hubbell Trading Post |
In 1878, John Lorenzo Hubbell purchased this trading post creating a link between the Navajo Nation and the rest of the U.S. Hubbell eventually created 30 trading posts in Arizona, New Mexico and California.
His descendants operated the Hubbell Trading Post until it was sold to the National Park Service in 1967. Today, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site is still situated on the original 160 acre homestead, which includes the trading post, the Hubbell family home, out buildings, a guest hogan, land and a visitor center.
The Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site is managed by the National Park Service and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966 as #66000167.
St. Michael's Mission Indian School - Window Rock, Arizona
The mission was founded in 1898 at the invitation of Reverend Mother (now saint, canonized in 2000) Katharine Mary Drexel. It was the first Catholic mission to the Navajo people. St. Michael's Indian School opened in 1902.
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| St. Michaels Indian School (Wikipedia) |
The original adobe mission and its historic interior have been preserved as a museum. St. Michael's Mission was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 1975 as #75000335.
Window Rock Tribal Park and Veteran's Memorial
Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Nation. The main attraction is the window formation of sandstone the community is named after. Tségháhoodzání (the Perforated Rock) is important in the traditional Navajo Water Way Ceremony (Tóee).
The Navajo Nation Museum is located in Window Rock and is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the rich and unique culture of the Navajo Nation. Native displays, a book and gift shop, auditorium, outdoor amphitheater, library and on-site authentic Navajo Hogan complete the center.
The Veteran's Memorial, established in 1995, is located at the base of Window Rock and was built to honor the many Navajos who served in the U.S. military.
Navajo Nation Code Talkers - Window Rock
Many Navajo soldiers are recognized in the annals of history for their role as Code Talkers, whereby they used the native Diné language to create a code that was never broken by the enemy. Historians credit the Navajo Code Talkers for helping to win World War II.
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| Bill Kirchner (Historical Marker Database) |
The Navajo Code Talker Memorial was designed and executed by famed Navajo/Ute sculptor Oreland Joe and was made possible through the Navajo Code Talkers Memorial Foundation, Inc. Navajo Code Talkers - Historical Marker Database
Chaco Culture National Historic Park
Chaco Culture National Historic Park is managed by the National Park Service. The Park is home to a cluster of more than a dozen Chacoan ruins and network of roads and irrigation systems, elaborate structures, meticulously crafted pottery and basketry indicative of a sophisticated society with wide-ranging trade. The massive buildings of the ancestral Pueblo peoples still testify to the organizational and engineering abilities not seen anywhere else in the American Southwest.
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| Pueblo Bonito (Wikipedia) |
Pueblo Bonito
We stopped at the Visitor Center and obtained a Map of the Park. Most of the stops along the 9 mile loop have short hikes to the ruins. Six major sites are located along the 9-mile long Canyon Loop Drive. These sites include Una Vida, Hungo Pavi, Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl, Pueblo del Arroyo, and Casa Rinconada. We were told Pueblo Bonito would be the best one to visit- a half mile round trip - OK we can do that.
Pueblo Bonito is the largest and best-known great house in Chaco Park. It was built between AD 828 and 1126. The massive D-shaped structure, covers 3 acres and incorporates approximately 800 rooms, two great Kivas and 30 other kivas. Some of the structures in the village were four and five stories high.
Pueblo Bonito is divided into two sections by a precisely aligned wall which runs north to south through the central plaza. A Great Kiva is situated on either side of the wall, creating a symmetrical pattern common to many of the Great Houses. Pueblo Bonito - Wikipedia
Kivas
It is possible that Pueblo Bonito is actually neither a village nor city. While its size has the capacity for a significant population, excavation at the site does not support that theory.
A common suggestion is that Pueblo Bonito was a ritual center. This is evident in not only the existence of the kivas (which are more often than not attributed to ritual function) but also the construction of the site and its relation to other Chaco Canyon sites.
The round Chaco-style kivas used by Puebloans were built underground flush with the surrounding landscape. The smaller kivas were used by individual households for ritual purposes as well as for a variety of routine daily activities such as food preparation, cooking, eating and sleeping.
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| Great Kiva of Chetro Ketl (Wikipedia) |
Great Kiva - Chetro Ketl
Great Kivas are much larger and always extend above the surrounding landscape and are separate from the core structures.
Great Kivas have a bench that encircles the inner space and tend to include floor vaults, which might have served as foot drums for ceremonial dancers. The staircase leading down from an antechamber is usually on the north side. Great Kivas are believed to be the first "public" buildings constructed in the Mesa Verde Region.
Chaco Canyon Ancient Roads
One of the most fascinating and intriguing aspects of Chaco Canyon is the Chaco Roads, a system of roads radiating out from many Anasazi Great House sites such as Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl and Una Vida, and leading towards small outlier sites and natural features within and beyond the canyon limits. Chacoan Roads - NPS
Through satellite images and ground investigations, archaeologists have detected at least eight main roads that together run for more than 180 miles and are more than 30 feet wide. These were excavated into a smooth leveled surface in the bedrock or created through the removal of vegetation and soil. The Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) residents of Chaco Canyon cut large ramps and stairways into the cliff rock to connect the roadways on the ridgetops of the canyon to the sites on the valley bottoms. Roads of Chaco - Wikipedia
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| Salmon Ruins (Wikipedia) |
Salmon Ruins Historic Archaeological Site
Our next stop was the Salmon Ruins (pronounced sol-mon). Salmon was constructed by migrants from Chaco Canyon around 1090.
Spread across two acres, Salmon had 275 to 300 original rooms, three stories, an elevated tower kiva in its central portion, and a great kiva in its plaza. The distinctive style of stonework used is the same as that found at Chaco Canyon (Chaco Culture National Historical Park).
Subsequent use by local Middle San Juan people (beginning in the 1120s) resulted in extensive modifications to the original building, with the reuse of hundreds of rooms, division of many of the original large, Chacoan rooms into smaller rooms, and emplacement of more than 20 small kivas into pueblo rooms and plaza areas.
The site was occupied by ancient Ancestral Puebloans until the 1280s, when much of the site was destroyed by fire and abandoned.
Salmon Ruins Museum and Gift Shop
The Salmon Ruins Museum exhibits some of the artifacts recovered during the excavations conducted in the 1970s. Temporary exhibits are also on display and changed throughout the year. The gift shop features authentic Native American arts and crafts from local Native American artisans with Navajo and Hopi jewelry, pottery, and rugs. They also have an extensive collection of books and postcards.
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| Aztec Ruins Visitor Center (Wikipedia) |
Aztec Ruins National Monument
Our last set of ruins for today are the Aztec Ruins. The Visitors Center started as the home of pioneering archeologist Earl Morris.
We picked up our NPS Brochure, toured the museum, viewed many of the artifacts, and shopped for gifts. Before heading out on the walking tours through the ruins, we watched the short video "Aztec Ruins: Footprints of the Past".
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| Aztec Ruins (Wikipedia) |
Archaeological evidence puts the construction of the ruins in the 12th and 13th centuries. The Puebloan-built ruins were dubbed the "Aztec Ruins" by 19th century American settlers who misattributed their construction to the Aztecs.
The West Ruin, open to visitors, covers two acres, stands three stories high and once had more than 500 rooms centred on an open plaza (many of which still have their original wooden roofs). Excavated artifacts offer a glimpse into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people.
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| Great Kiva, Aztec Ruins (Wikipedia) |
Reconstructed Great Kiva - Aztec Ruins
The highlight of our walking tour is the reconstructed ceremonial Great Kiva. The 48 foot diameter Great Kiva was reconstructed by Morris in 1934.
The semi-subterranean structure, over 40 feet in diameter, is the oldest and largest reconstructed building of its kind. We were able to enter the Kiva.
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| Great Kiva, Aztec Ruins (Wikipedia) |
Morris uncovered remnants of the original building, from which he built this reconstruction. Fifteen surface rooms encircle the central chamber. Their purpose is unclear - Morris found very few artifacts in them.
Each had an exterior doorway to the plaza. The colors are based on bits of reddish and white-washed plaster found clinging to the original walls.
Heritage Garden and Native Plants Walk
A refreshing part of the Monument is the Heritage Garden and the Native Plants Walk. The garden is inside the shady and historic picnic area. Traditional crops like corn, beans, squash, sunflowers, and gourds are grown by park staff and volunteers. The Native Plants Walk is located on the west side of the picnic area near the parking lot.
The Aztec Ruins are the most impressive ruins (and certainly the easiest to walk through) on our tours today. The picnic area is adjacent to the parking lot. We took the time to rest and have a cool drink before leaving the Park.
The Aztec Ruins National Monument is under the administration of the National Park Service. The Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966 as #66000484 and the Visitor Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 11, 1996 as #96001041.
Under the umbrella of Chaco Culture, along with five additional protected archaeological areas) Aztec Ruins was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List Reference No. 353 on December 8, 1987.
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| Main Avenue c1910 (Walking Tour) |
Aztec, New Mexico
The town of Aztec has a fabulous Self Guided Walking Tour plugged full of historical information and photos.
Our poor aching feet had covered enough ground today so we decided to take a "self guided auto tour" of Aztec. From the fascinating main avenue buildings and historical churches to the intriguing "Lovers Lane Loop" we had a relaxing drive around this quaint historic town.
Aztec was established as a commercial center for the surrounding farmers and ranches in the late 1880's. In 1890 a group of citizens purchased the property for the purpose of establishing the Aztec Town Company. Aztec was incorporated as a town under the laws of the Territory of New Mexico in 1905. The mail arrived in 1900, the telephone in 1903 and the railway in 1905.
By 1910 Aztec has 30 businesses including mercantiles, grocery stores, newspapers, a bank, doctors, lawyers and dentists.
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| American Hotel c1920 (Walking Tour) |
The American Hotel
The elegant American Hotel opened in March 1907. The arrival of the railroad in 1905 increased trade and commence and necessitated a hotel to accommodate the increased number of travellers.
Guests were met at the train station and transported to the Hotel by a horse drawn buggy.
A huge Buffalo Mural on North Main Avenue depicts the July 1926 "buffalo drive" through the National Historic District.
The Aztec Main Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 21, 1985 as #85000321. It included 11 buildings, eight of them being contributing buildings. The district is a half-block area bounded by Main E., Chuska S., alley between Park and Main W., and Chaco N.
Farmington, New Mexico
The history of the Farmington area dates back over 2,000 years when Anasazi lived in "pit houses" throughout the region. They later built pueblo structures from the native sandstone rock as can be seen at Aztec and Salmon ruins, as well as many other archeological sites in the surrounding countryside.
After the Anasazi's mysterious disappearance about 1500, the area was inhabited by the Navajo, Jicarilla Apache and the Utes into the present time. Native Americans called the area "Totah," which translates as "where three river meet," the La Plata, Animas and San Juan.
Casa Blanca Inn & Suites
The Casa Blanca Inn and Suites is a Spanish Colonial Hacienda surrounded by gardens, courtyards and fountains. We are staying in the 1150 square foot Cottage.
It is a stand alone home next door to the inn. The two bedroom, two bath cottage has one king and one queen bedroom each with its own bath. The Cottage has a full kitchen with breakfast nook and a living room with sofa sleeper. There is also a comfortable patio area.
 Post Note - Day Thirteen:
Today was a big day with lots of information to read about and absorb. As for Chaco Canyon Park, it can only be accessed by driving on dirt roads - apparently miles and miles of them.
"Via Hwy 57 (Hwy 14 on some maps): This turnoff is located on Highway 9, 13 miles east of Highway 371, at the former Seven Lakes Trading Post. (20 miles of dirt). Note that the signs directing you to turn off of Hwy 371 onto Highway 9 are missing." It also warns "some of the local roads recommended by map publishers and GPS devices are unsafe for passenger cars. Please use our directions below to avoid getting lost or stuck." NPS Website
This all seems a bit ominous and I did have to wonder - if the signs are missing why not replace them? However, if we ever get there - we will definitely make sure we double check the directions posted on the NPS Website. I used the Google Map to guide us (which apparently is not recommended) and the instructions are so convoluted I wonder if we ever arrived at the Park - even virtually!
I spent way too much time in Chaco Canyon especially knowing that this was only the first of many ruins we would be visiting. The information is mostly repeated with some small differences as we tour the rest of the ruins on our itinerary. Reading about the Puebloans (Anasazi) was fascinating. Years ago Karen and I stopped at a "kiva" site but really didn't know what we were looking at. I just remember looking at a "hole" in the ground with nothing in it and wondering what it was all about. We certainly didn't know it's significance. I have no idea now where that particular site was.
All the hiking around the various ruins was a bit of a stretch. It really isn't possible for us to to do that much walking. We would be exhausted - our ankles would be swollen and our feet would be killing us. The walking tour in historic downtown Aztec seemed really interesting but was just not going to happen at the end of today, I had to turn it into an auto tour.
Kokopelli's Cave Dilemma
It was a toss-up between staying at Kokopelli's Cave or the Casa Blanca Inn and Suites in Farmington. I really wanted to "try" Kokopelli's Cave but, in the end, I opted for Casa Blanca. Kokopelli's Cave was just too unrealistic - even on our virtual trip. The 1700 square foot cave consists of a bedroom, living area, replica kiva, dining area, full kitchen and a bathroom with shower and hot tub. There are two porches with sliding glass doors one off the main entrance and the other off the bedroom. The view looks over the La Plata River valley and the Four Corners area.
 All of that seemed WOW until I read that it is 300 feet up the side of a cliff (or 70 feet down depending on your perspective). Either way, we would be climbing up and down - and rolling suitcases are not very useful on the rocky stairs. Assuming we could actually reach the door - it is just not possible that I would agree to go into the heart of a cave let alone sleep in it.
As much as I liked the "idea" of spending the night in Kokopelli's Cave on this our Trail of the Ancients tour, I just couldn't bring myself to sleep in a cliff dwelling. Kokopelli's Cave
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