Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Encyclopedia
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is a U.S. National Monument
in the Gila Wilderness
(The Nation's First Wilderness Area) of southwestern New Mexico
. The 533 acres (2.16 km²) national monument was established by executive proclamation on November 16, 1907, by President Theodore Roosevelt
. It is located in the extreme southern part of Catron County
. Tourists can access the site by traveling from US 180
, from Silver City, New Mexico
, to NM 15.
Throughout the following years, many visitors would study the dwellings. In the next couple of years, the site became more accessible. In the 1890s the Hill brothers had created a resort at the nearby Gila Hot Springs. The Hill brothers would take guests on tours to the nearby cliff dwellings. In June 1906, Rep. John F. Lacey
of Iowa and chairman of the House Public Lands Committee introduced a bill for the regulation of prehistoric sites. The Act for the Preservation of Antiquities, also known as the Antiquities Act
, the president was authorized to set aside land that contained prehistoric and historic ruins by executive order.
These reservations were called national monuments and were to be managed by the Interior, Agriculture, and War departments, depending on which agency had controlled a particular site before it was withdrawn. In December 1906, Gila Forest Supervisor R. C. McClure reported to the chief forester in Washington, D.C. that the Gila Cliff Dwellings warranted preservation by the national government to avoid further removal of artifacts by hunters and other prospectors.
A couple of mummified bodies had been found at the Gila Cliff Dwellings location. Most were lost to private collectors. In 1912, a burial ground was found and the mummy was named “Zeke”. The body was described as an infant. This discovery gained national attention and increased visitations to the monument. This led to additional improvements in the next couple of years. This was the only mummy to reach the Smithsonian
from the site.
Administration of the monument was transferred from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
to the National Park System on August 10, 1933, by Executive Order 6166. President John F. Kennedy
signed Proclamation No. 3467 that added approximately 375 acres (1.5 km²) containing an additional archaeological site, known as the TJ site, as well as additional wilderness. In the spring of 1975, the National Park Service
and the United States Forest Service
signed a cooperative agreement whereby the Gila National Forest
is responsible for administration of the monument.
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located in the Gila Wilderness within the Gila National Forest. Within a few miles of the Cliff Dwellings, elevations range from around 5,700 to 7,300 feet above sea level. In the immediate vicinity of the Cliff Dwellings, elevations range from 5,700 to about 6,000 feet. The terrain is rugged, with steep-sided canyons cut by shallow rivers and forested with ponderosa pine, Gambel's oak, Douglas fir, New Mexico juniper, pinon pine, and alligator juniper (among others).
The monument is on a location of 553 acres (2.2 km²). The cliff itself was created by volcanic activity. The cliff contains the ruins of interlinked cave dwellings built in five cliff alcoves by the Mogollon peoples. People of the Mogollon culture lived in these cliff dwellings
from between 1275 and 1300 AD (Pueblo III Era
), which is the only location that contains Mogollon sites. Archeologists have identified 46 rooms in the five caves, and believed they were occupied by 10 to 15 families. It is not known why the dwellings were abandoned. Hopi oral tradition does say migrations occurred due to cycles of beliefs, and in response to changing climate. People also lived in Javalina House, about 1/3 mile above the main ruin, West Fork Ruin, currently under Highway 15 across from Woody Corral,Three Mile Ruin along West Fork Gila River, and Middle Fork Gila River(11 room Cosgrove Ruin).
The dwellings were a perfect place for human living. The caves provided adequate shelter, while the wooded area concealed the homes. Impressively, the wood found in these shelters has proven to be original. Dendrochronology (tree ring dating) determined that the wood used in the dwellings was cut down sometime between 1276 to 1287. The nearby area also provided for growing and finding food.
Visiting the Dwellings up close requires hiking a well-traveled, one mile (1.6 km) trail loop with several foot bridges over a stream. The entire walk takes about an hour. The hike begins at an elevation of 5695 Feet (1736 Meters) and ends at 5875 Feet (1790 Meters).
, and the National Park Service, which maintains a small museum of artifacts, Apache and Mogollon uncovered both in the surrounding wilderness, and at the main ruins themselves. The most recent artifact on display is a glycemerus clam shell bracelet, traded from the Gulf of California, etched and drilled at a Hohokam village near present Phoenix, Snaketown, then traded up the Gila River, to its headwaters, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, The Gila Visitor Center is open every day except Christmas and New Year's days. The visitor's center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day, for the rest of the year the regular hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers provide guided tours of the cliff dwellings and share information about the area's cultural and natural resources.
The park has a mild climate, with a rainy season that goes from July to August. During the spring and fall the days are moderate and the nights are cool. During the winter months the afternoons are nice with cold morning and nights.
Other nearby attractions include hot springs, more ancient sites, national forest trails and fishing along the Gila River
.
U.S. National Monument
A National Monument in the United States is a protected area that is similar to a National Park except that the President of the United States can quickly declare an area of the United States to be a National Monument without the approval of Congress. National monuments receive less funding and...
in the Gila Wilderness
Gila Wilderness
Gila Wilderness was designated the world's first wilderness area on June 3, 1924. Along with Aldo Leopold Wilderness and Blue Range Wilderness, the wilderness is part of New Mexico's Gila National Forest. The wilderness is approximately from north to south and east to west...
(The Nation's First Wilderness Area) of southwestern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The 533 acres (2.16 km²) national monument was established by executive proclamation on November 16, 1907, by President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. It is located in the extreme southern part of Catron County
Catron County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.8% White*0.4% Black*2.7% Native American*0.2% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.1% Two or more races*3.7% Other races*19.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. Tourists can access the site by traveling from US 180
U.S. Route 180
U.S. Route 180 is an east–west United States highway. Like many three-digit routes, US 180 no longer meets its "parent", US 80. US 80 was decommissioned west of Mesquite, Texas, and was replaced in Texas by Interstate 20 and Interstate 10. The highway's eastern terminus is in Hudson Oaks,...
, from Silver City, New Mexico
Silver City, New Mexico
Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 10,545. It is the county seat of Grant County. The city is the home of Western New Mexico University.-History:...
, to NM 15.
History
The first European contact with the Gila Cliff Dwellings was by Henry B. Ailman, an emigrant to New Mexico who was residing in Silver City at the time. In the summer of 1878, Ailman found himself, along with a bunch of friends, on a jury list. To avoid serving, they organized a prospecting trip to the Gila River where the site was discovered.Throughout the following years, many visitors would study the dwellings. In the next couple of years, the site became more accessible. In the 1890s the Hill brothers had created a resort at the nearby Gila Hot Springs. The Hill brothers would take guests on tours to the nearby cliff dwellings. In June 1906, Rep. John F. Lacey
John F. Lacey
John Fletcher Lacey was an eight-term Republican United States congressman from Iowa's 6th congressional district. He was also the author of the Lacey Act of 1900, which made it a crime to ship illegal game across state lines, and the Lacey Act of 1907, which further regulated the handling of...
of Iowa and chairman of the House Public Lands Committee introduced a bill for the regulation of prehistoric sites. The Act for the Preservation of Antiquities, also known as the Antiquities Act
Antiquities Act
The Antiquities Act of 1906, officially An Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities , is an act passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt on June 8, 1906, giving the President of the United States authority to, by executive order, restrict the use of...
, the president was authorized to set aside land that contained prehistoric and historic ruins by executive order.
A couple of mummified bodies had been found at the Gila Cliff Dwellings location. Most were lost to private collectors. In 1912, a burial ground was found and the mummy was named “Zeke”. The body was described as an infant. This discovery gained national attention and increased visitations to the monument. This led to additional improvements in the next couple of years. This was the only mummy to reach the Smithsonian
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
from the site.
Administration of the monument was transferred from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
to the National Park System on August 10, 1933, by Executive Order 6166. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
signed Proclamation No. 3467 that added approximately 375 acres (1.5 km²) containing an additional archaeological site, known as the TJ site, as well as additional wilderness. In the spring of 1975, the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
signed a cooperative agreement whereby the Gila National Forest
Gila National Forest
The Gila National Forest is a protected national forest in New Mexico in the southwestern United States established in 1905. It covers approximately 3.3 million acres of public land, making it the sixth largest National Forest in the continental United States...
is responsible for administration of the monument.
Cliff Dwellings
The monument is on a location of 553 acres (2.2 km²). The cliff itself was created by volcanic activity. The cliff contains the ruins of interlinked cave dwellings built in five cliff alcoves by the Mogollon peoples. People of the Mogollon culture lived in these cliff dwellings
Cliff-dwelling
Cliff dwelling is the general archaeological term for the habitations of prehistorical peoples, formed by using niches or caves in high cliffs, with more or less excavation or with additions in the way of masonry....
from between 1275 and 1300 AD (Pueblo III Era
Pueblo III Era
The Pueblo III Era, AD 1150 to 1350, was the third period, also called the "Great Pueblo period" when Ancient Pueblo People lived in large cliff-dwelling, multi-storied pueblo, or cliff-side talus house communities...
), which is the only location that contains Mogollon sites. Archeologists have identified 46 rooms in the five caves, and believed they were occupied by 10 to 15 families. It is not known why the dwellings were abandoned. Hopi oral tradition does say migrations occurred due to cycles of beliefs, and in response to changing climate. People also lived in Javalina House, about 1/3 mile above the main ruin, West Fork Ruin, currently under Highway 15 across from Woody Corral,Three Mile Ruin along West Fork Gila River, and Middle Fork Gila River(11 room Cosgrove Ruin).
The dwellings were a perfect place for human living. The caves provided adequate shelter, while the wooded area concealed the homes. Impressively, the wood found in these shelters has proven to be original. Dendrochronology (tree ring dating) determined that the wood used in the dwellings was cut down sometime between 1276 to 1287. The nearby area also provided for growing and finding food.
Visiting the Dwellings up close requires hiking a well-traveled, one mile (1.6 km) trail loop with several foot bridges over a stream. The entire walk takes about an hour. The hike begins at an elevation of 5695 Feet (1736 Meters) and ends at 5875 Feet (1790 Meters).
Amenities
A museum and visitor center is located at the monument. The visitor center is jointly operated by the U.S. Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
, and the National Park Service, which maintains a small museum of artifacts, Apache and Mogollon uncovered both in the surrounding wilderness, and at the main ruins themselves. The most recent artifact on display is a glycemerus clam shell bracelet, traded from the Gulf of California, etched and drilled at a Hohokam village near present Phoenix, Snaketown, then traded up the Gila River, to its headwaters, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, The Gila Visitor Center is open every day except Christmas and New Year's days. The visitor's center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day, for the rest of the year the regular hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers provide guided tours of the cliff dwellings and share information about the area's cultural and natural resources.
The park has a mild climate, with a rainy season that goes from July to August. During the spring and fall the days are moderate and the nights are cool. During the winter months the afternoons are nice with cold morning and nights.
Other nearby attractions include hot springs, more ancient sites, national forest trails and fishing along the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
.