The Aztec Ruins National Monument in northwestern
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
, USA consists of preserved structures constructed by the
Pueblo Indians
The Puebloans or Pueblo peoples, are Native Americans in the Southwestern United States who share common agricultural, material, and religious practices. Currently 100 pueblos are actively inhabited, among which Taos, San Ildefonso, Acoma, Zun ...
. The
national monument
A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure.
The term may also refer to a spec ...
lies on the western bank of the
Animas River
Animas River (''On-e-mas''; es, Río de las Ánimas) is a river in the western United States, a tributary of the San Juan River (Colorado River), San Juan River, part of the Colorado River, Colorado River System.
The Animas-La Plata Water Pro ...
in
Aztec
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those g ...
, New Mexico, about northeast of
Farmington
Farmington may refer to:
Places Canada
*Farmington, British Columbia
* Farmington, Nova Scotia (disambiguation)
United States
*Farmington, Arkansas
*Farmington, California
*Farmington, Connecticut
*Farmington, Delaware
* Farmington, Georgia
* ...
. Additional Puebloan structures can be found in
Salmon Ruins and Heritage Park, about south. 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 Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those g ...
.
The site was declared "Aztec Ruin National Monument" on January 24, 1923. "Ruin" was changed to "Ruins" after a boundary change, on July 2, 1928. As a historical property of the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
, the monument was administratively listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
on October 15, 1966. The
(UNESCO) listed the
Chaco Culture
Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park in the American Southwest hosting a concentration of pueblos. The park is located in northwestern New Mexico, between Albuquerque and Farmington, in a remote ca ...
as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
on December 8, 1987. That listing specifically included the Aztec Ruins.
The monument is on the
Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway, one of New Mexico's
Scenic Byways.
The property was part of a 160-acre (65 ha) homestead owned by H.D. Abrams, who supported the preservation of the ruins. The
H.D. Abrams House in Aztec is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
See also
*
*
List of National Monuments of the United States
*
List of the oldest buildings in New Mexico
This article lists the oldest extant buildings in New Mexico, including extant buildings and structures constructed during Spanish California, Spanish, Mexican California, Mexican, and Conquest of California, early American rule over New Mexico. On ...
References
External links
* "The National Parks: Index 2001–2003". Washington, D. C.,
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
National Park Service websiteAmerican Southwest, a National Park Service ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' Travel ItineraryUNESCO World Heritage site*
*
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1923 establishments in New Mexico
Ancestral Puebloans
Archaeological museums in New Mexico
Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico
Former populated places in New Mexico
History of San Juan County, New Mexico
Museums in San Juan County, New Mexico
National Register of Historic Places in San Juan County, New Mexico
Native American history of New Mexico
Native American museums in New Mexico
National Park Service National Monuments in New Mexico
Open-air museums in New Mexico
Protected areas established in 1923
Protected areas of San Juan County, New Mexico
Pueblo great houses
Ruins in the United States
World Heritage Sites in the United States
Pueblos on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico
Populated places on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico