Wupatki Ruins

-

East of Flagstaff, near Sunset Crater Volcano, are the ruins of the farming community of Wupatki (wuh-POT-kee).  Built sometime between 400 to 1700, this unique settlement was able to thrive even with the scarce water supply and harsh weather.  Wupatki was self sustaining with a mix of Sinagua, Chohonina, and Kayenta Anasazi cultures trading and working together to built a successful community.

The homes were constructed with sandstone, limestone blocks, and chunks of basalt set with a clay-based mortar.  They ranged from single-story one family dwellings to multi-level high rises with over 100 rooms in each.  These sturdy structures have withstood the test of time throughout all the vandalism and unpredictable weather for over 700 years.  Surrounding the homes are a couple of circular formations.  One of the structures was a community room where the people gathered from time to time.  The other circular structure was a ceremonial ball court.  Many believe this also served as a watering hole when their water supply had become scarce. Wupatki was full of life until the surrounding lands made it impossible to survive.













Comments

  1. A Beer for the ShowerDecember 16, 2013 at 9:40 AM

    That's just amazing that that's held up for over 700 years. I'm lucky if I can build anything that lasts more than 7 months.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sharon DayDecember 16, 2013 at 9:51 AM

    Somehow I missed this one - looks cool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Julie FergusonDecember 16, 2013 at 6:56 PM

      It is near Flagstaff, so when we stay there, we will check this place out.

      Delete
  3. GatekeeperDecember 17, 2013 at 4:02 PM

    Always a question to what happened to the people living there.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

26 Bar Ranch (John Wayne Ranch)

-
Image
Immersed in the Hereford’s history in Eagar, AZ, sits the 26 Bar Ranch.   It was first known as the Milky Way Ranch in the 1940’s with its big white show barn which housed many Hereford cattle.   The barn is now a local landmark.   In 1964 the ranch became the 26 Bar Ranch or John Wayne’s Ranch, who was one of the owners.   Wayne, along with Ken Reafsnyder and Louis Johnson, his business partners, kept the ranch until John Wayne’s death in 1979 from lung and stomach cancer.   Lately, I have heard rumors that Bigfoot has been seen near the ranch.   I don’t know if that is true or not, but it would be worth checking out.  John Wayne and Louis Johnson
Read more

Historic Downtown Payson

-
Image
Located in the northern part of Gila County is the town of Payson, Arizona.  Because of where it is located in the state, it has been christened “The Heart of Arizona”.   Payson was established in 1882 and was first identified as Green Valley.  Two years later in March, a post office was erected with the assistance of Lewis Edwin Payson.  The people showed their gratitude by changing the town’s name to Payson.  Also that same year, the first rodeo was held and deemed the “world’s oldest continuous”.   It is still held in Payson till this day.  In the 1950’s, after many complained about the trip from Phoenix to Payson taking eight to twelve hours, a new paved highway was constructed.  State Route 87 (or the Beeline Highway), made travel quicker and easier for those wanted to get away from the heat of the valley to the gorgeous, serine forests in Payson. Website:   http://paysonrimcountry.com/ GREEN VALLEY PARK THE OXBOW INN FIRST JUSTICE OF THE P
Read more

Cowboy Mummy Found in Desert

-
Image
  There are many strange stories in the Arizona files. One that is told is about the mummy found in the desert near Gila Bend nicknamed “Sylvester”. Many believe that he once was a 19th century cowboy, a con that loved to play cards. Stories are told that he finally got caught cheating and was shot in the stomach. He made a hasty exit while bleeding profusely from his wound. He got as far as Arizona’s Gila Bend desert when he fell off his horse and died face down in the sweltering heat. Shortly afterwards, he was covered by the blowing sands, which appeared to have dried his body overnight. This apparently preserved his body resulting in the mummified form he was found in. The more believable story was that he was found shortly after death and preserved in a high level of arsenic. Arsenic was used to stop the physical occurrences of a corpse rotting by killing bacteria and insects that invaded it. This custom of using arsenic was found to be poisonous by the 1900’s and never used
Read more