"Sky City" Acoma Pueblo

I've wanted to visit the "Sky City" ever since I first heard about the pueblo on the mesa top. Located about an hour away from Albuquerque, an ancient pueblo village sits atop a 367-foot sandstone bluff as a sentry to past.

Originally protected by the shear remoteness of place Acoma tradition recounts that the ancients came to the sacred mesa after young scouts heard the promised echos as they called to the cliffs.

This was to be their place in the shadow of Mt. Taylor and under the expanse of the stars.

Those who found a home on the mesa top found natural cisterns to store water,

and a defense with ascent only through secret steps.

History would introduce the Spanish, soon the solitude of the Acoma people would be invaded with the persistent influence of the Conquistadors and Catholic missionaries. It was only through the building of a Mission Cathedral atop the mesa did the Acoma appease their new cultural threat.

 

Today the proud Acoma pueblo are the most gracious of hosts as they let the curious visitors like me explore and experience their traditions and culture. Certainly, "Sky City" is a wonderful place to visit.

Fort Craig and the Battle of Valverde

January 10, 2010 -- Established in 1854 as one of the largest and most impressive frontier forts in the Southwest, Fort Craig guarded the north-south routes along the Rio Grande Valley. 

Today the fort is nothing more than ruins and rubble, but at one time the fort played a critical staging role in campaigns for the expanding union and the Buffalo Solidiers to pursue Apache leaders such as Geronimo and Victorio. 

The Fort was also the home base for the New Mexico Volunteers, Kit Carson, Rafael Chacón and Captain Jack Crawford.

In it's heyday the Fort was one of the largest west of the Mississippi. 

The fort is south of the site of the Battle of Valverde, one of the most bloody civil war battles in New Mexico. For more information on the Battle of Valverde visit here.