Anasazi Heritage Center
I was greeted on my first day by head of tourism, Kelly Kirkpatrick. We discussed Mesa Verde Country and the things she felt people were drawn to, and the things that people miss. Among many attractions, we talked heavily about the Anasazi Heritage Center – and it’s no wonder. The Anasazi Heritage Center currently preserves over 3.5 million artifacts, all derived from Southwest Colorado. Within the museum you’ll find hands-on activities among the vast quantities of historical insight – for all ages, might I add. Some of the activities include corn grinding, virtual archeology, pull out draws filled with artifacts, and a walk through a recreated Pueblo pithouse. Being just 10 miles north of Cortez, it’s surprising to hear this place is missed. No doubt, Mesa Verde National Park (which is well worth a visit) sucks up most of the tourism in the area. What so many people don’t realize – what I didn’t realize – is this: there’s so much more equally bewildering history to be found all over Mesa Verde Country. Take Hovenweep National Monument, for example.
Hovenweep National Monument
Hovenweep is part of the Canyon of the Ancients, a canyon simply overflowing with history. There is also a podcast offered for download on their website. I recommend this greatly during your visit to Mesa Verde Country. Hovenweep was first sighted back in 1854, but didn’t become a preserved site until much later, in 1923. When you visit Hovenweep, you’ll immediately feel the sense that something was being protected; towers, forts, and general housing stand precariously balanced on boulders and cliff edges, perfectly positioned to watch over their prize – water. Interestingly, pollen levels, which can be used to determine quantities of trees in an area, dramatically reduced 700 years back, and this corresponds with the prompt departure of the site’s inhabitants, suggesting that the Pueblo peoples faced a harsh drought, that eventually forced them to leave. I loved Hovenweep because it felt like a secret, felt like I was discovering it. It was a Monday afternoon and around sunset, and no one could be seen. What should have been bustling with people was quiet, devoid of humankind, as if stumbled upon for the first time – and this was incredible. I have visited Mesa Verde National Park, and I know of its wonders – but now I know there is a near-found rival, just as alluring, just as inspiring.
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