Casa Grande Ruins

Tucked off the beaten path in Coolidge, Arizona is an interesting national monument. Casa Grande holds pueblo structures of the ancient Hohokam People. These people farmed the Gila Valley in the 13th century as part of the corn culture. The Sonoran Desert dwellers used irrigation to grow their crops and also had extensive trade networks.

Built in adobe fashion from muddy caliche, a mineral substance that hardens like cement, these buildings have survived longer than others would have in the extreme conditions. Although weather and the elements have taken their toll, the dry desert conditions have been kinder on the structures than some other environments might have been. With a little imagination, one can look beyond the ruins to see what the center must have been like at its height.

The first written record of the site comes from Father Eusebio Francisco Kino's journal in the 1600's. He called it a "casa grande" or great house, and that's where it gets its name. By that time the Pueblo People had already abandoned it. Archaeologists believe they left around 1450.

I enjoyed a tour of the museum and buildings and thought they were well done. Although the site isn't large, it still draws interest and is certainly worth the time.

 

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