Salinas National Monument (Abo, Quarai, and Gran Quivira)
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·- RTMENT QF THE PARK SERVICE SALINAS NATIONAL MONUMENT (ABO, QUARAI, AND GRAN QUIVIRA) NEW MEXICO A PROPOSAL an AREA INVESTIGATION REPORT United States Department of the Interior Natiohal Park Service Southwest Region Santa Fe, New Mexico June 1964 CONTENTS Frontispiece: Quarai Mission Ruin Location Map 4 Summary 5 Introduction 6 Description 12 Illustrations 14 Existing Development and Use of Lands and Resources 18 Plat of Abo and Quarai Units Center Significance and Need for Conservation 23 Suitability 27 F ~ asibility 29 Boundaries and Acreages 35 Land Use and Possible Development 37 Conclusions 39 Recommendations 40 3 ---+-___,f------<'-.-l. -d •••• - ... ----t---·- -·-----1 --!·r·~~zono ~~ \_ T. 5 ---+--r--.··+ .. ;--!~ ""AN z ~AN 0 I -- ---r--- ... .. --1 ·-·· ·-·-1 N . SUMMARY . :] :- -- . - ... -· ·- ----+----+-------1 C_l_B-+J_O_L_Alr--. -+-.-..,.._;~ G RA N T l 36 3 6 3 1 This report discusses factors relating to the suitability _ __....._...,...__,.....·--"'·j Punta ............- - ...........- ~_,_____,.....__ __..,.._.._,........_~~-.-- De Agua : .. /! 1 6 1 and feasibility of accepting Abo and Quarai State Monuments f I · OiJARA"!- u'N1~ -- _ __, ___ .__--+---··--t-··--+---t-L-/ into the National Park System, as proposed by the State of 1-----1--+---+-.-.~1~.-t--s-Tl¥: 1 i~~3M-E+N-T--+-T----i--t---r----; .L' T New Mexico through the State Museum which now has custody 4 N. of the monuments. ----i.-+-----+-------t-.-1.:. ~.--.-:.---+-----r----- . ~f---'...__o--t----+----+-· ~ -- f NA T\ I 0 NA L · . 0 ~4 . j..' V -----+----- The Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, T 36 31 :l 36 31 ~ 36 ---,,-+---i---+--.4-----l----+~~+---+-~~___L_--L,,--1,---!,_--J-~ : 1 . s 'l 1 .,.,,,Gr MOUNTAINAIR 1 s _ Buildings, and Monuments, at its 1962 spring meeting, -'---+------l----t----..,.:":-t-T --j- ~ .. ----+---- recommended Abo and Quarai for classification as sites - -~- 1 If possessing exceptional value in the "Contact with the t-·-.. - ----1---- ._ .. _ T. F 0 JEST ... f (_y------+--..------1 ·----· ·----- ·-- 3 u N: Indians" Theme of the National Survey of Historic Sites ' .. l~L v r--+-- -t--·t--- - t-- - .. - I 0 2 5 and Buildings in commemorating and illustrating the history ~6~~---_~1-"""-·~~~-b_-+._:~~~:~~::36~~:~3~1~:~~=:~~:~~:~~~:~3~6~:_3-_,-+t--~-·---'t--·+----..--. of the United States. At its meeting in March 1963 the . (EXISTING 6 6 ~,STATE MONUMENT) Board further recommended that the two state monuments ·- I I I be accepted as donations from the State and, R.~ E. R.6E. --+---+---+---+-~-..----·- t--·-· +----+--+----+----+--+- together (!,~ T. ·---+- 2 with whatever additional land is required for proper N. ----t----+--·-1 ---+--· -+-----. -+---r----t---+---<I- administration, they be established as units in the National Park System. 31 36 31 36 LOCATION MAP 6 I 6 This report concludes that the various factors of suita- PROPOSED SALINAS bility and feasibility are favorable to the concept of NATIONAL MONUMENT ) T establishing a three-unit Salinas National Monument NEW MEXICO I ~- consisting of these two sites as enlarged by the acquisi- 1--+--+----+---+--4'"' RAN au1v1RA UNIT (EXISTING .. -+--f----+----+--+----+--+--NATI ON AL -+--- tion of surrounding private lands, and the existing Gran 0 I 2. 3 4 5 6 31 36 31 MON~UME~NT) 36 --·· TQ~RANC~. co. _.......,.__ _J_ . : . "-(i"O\- Quivira National Monument as the third unit. SOCORRO co. --+ • ~ SCALE IN MILES 6 I 41 ·r---+--+- R.8 E. 5 R.7E. INTRODUCTION it functioned as the seat of the Inquisition in New Mexico. Various Franciscans were resident here almost Historical Background: Abo and Quarai State Monuments continuously until the 1670's, during which time they lie about 11 miles apart in gently rolling, wooded valleys brought about several changes in the Indian way of life close to the eastern base of the Manzano Mountains, in through the introduction of the new religion, improved the western edge of Torrance County, New Mexico. From agriculture, new domestic animals and plants, new ideas the town of Mountainair, Abo is located about 9 miles to in architecture, and Spanish goods. the southwest and Quarai about 6 miles to the northwest. In 1641 the pueblos of Abo and Quarai were reported to The missions of San Gregorio de Abo and La Purisima have populations of 1,580 and 658, respectively. For the Concepcion de Quarai, together with that of San Buena- next two decades or so, there was considerable friction ventura de las Humanas (Gran Quivira National Monument), between the church and state officials in New Mexico served the Salinas Indian pueblos of central New Mexico ' and many events that occurred at Quarai, including an durin~~ the middle seventeenth centuT~._, 1-'rooably~ ' the abortive Indian revolt against the Spaniards, were first Spanish visitors to A"bo n_.ue-O'.i.O we~J.~" ~ *"n·~- e mer~·n··~~ ain~ " direct outgrowths of this controversy. Recurring Apache Antonio de Espejo and a few men, in 1583. For a brief attacks and the droughts of the 1660's and 1670's finally period beginning in 1598: Juan de Onate -- New Mexico;s weakened these two pueblos, and their inhabitants aban first governor -- assigned Father Francisco de San Miguel doned them around 1672 to join linguistic relatives in to minister to this and other pueblos from his headquar nearby pueblos. When the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680 broke ters at Pecos Pueblo, Thereafter known missionary work out, many of these Indians joined the Spaniards on their at Abo began about 1622, and the church is presumed to retreat down the Rio Grande and settled in the El Paso have been built by the Franciscan father Francisco de area, eventually to be absorbed by the Mexican population. Acevedo, beginning in 1629, to serve these Piro-speaking Indians. Quarai had similar origins, its mission built Surviving ruins of the massive, reddish sandstone masonry for a Tiwa-speaking pueblo people, and in the 1630's walls of both Abo and Quarai missions are among the most 6 7 / impressive in the Southwest. Those at Quarai are designation of Abo as a National Historic Site, without probably unsurpassed in grandeur of architecture and federal acquisition, through cooperation with the Museum size. In many places the walls of the two missions of New Mexico. A similar report in 1939 had reconunended stand roof-high, about 40 feet. At Abo, the church such treatment for Quarai. In 1941 Dr. Reed advanced and adjacent convento were excavated, partially restored, the proposal for a Salinas National Monument, which would and stabilized by the School of American Research and combine Abo and Quarai with the existing, and historically the Museum of New Mexico during the period 1935-1939. related, Gran Quivira National Monument into one adminis Similar work at Quarai was performed by the Museum. trative area having three detached sections with a head Federal funds were used for these projects, in part. quarters and museum in the town of Mountainair. The In each location only a small part of the associated concept stirred some interest in Washington but was pueblo has been excavated, but extensive mounds of rock largely inactive until the postwar years, and was then ani earth mark their outlines. Quarai became a state rejected during the early stages of MISSION 66. monument in 1935 and Abo in 1938, under the administra The State of New Mexico first suggested the transfer of tion of the Museum of New Mexico. all of its state historical monuments to the National Park Evolution of the Proposal: The Abo ruins were suggested Service in 1939. When the Museum of New Mexico indicated for national monument status by the General Land Off ice in October 1947 a desire to transfer the monuments at as early as 1916. An adverse report was submitted by Jemez, Pecos, Abo, and Quarai to the Federal Government, the National Park Serviee and the proposal disapproved together with the State-owned lands at Gran Quivira, the by the Director in 1933. In a 1940 report Regional matter was ref erred to the Advisory Board on National Archeologist Erik Reed opined that the Service would Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments at its continue to be interested in Abo but he doubted the need April 1948 meeting. While the Board took no formal for the Service to acquire it as a National Monwnent. His ·action on this proposal, the concensus was that the State Historic Site Survey report of that year recommended 8 9 should be encouraged to maintain these properties for commemorating and illustrating the history of the United the time being. Based upon National Survey inventory States. On the basis of these actions and discussions reports for Abo and Quarai in the "Spanish Exploration with Museum of New Mexico people during the year, the and Settlement" Theme IV, prepared in May 1958 by South Director in December 1962 requested the Southwest Regional west Region Staff Historian Robert Utley, the Advisory Office to undertake a suitability-feasibility study of the Board again had occasion to consider these two state merits of federal ownership for Abo and Quarai. monuments during its April 1959 meeting. The Board The study was conducted by Regional Chief of National did not classify Abo and Quarai as sites possessing Park and Recreation Area Planning Herkenham. On January exceptional value in the Spanish theme (as it did, 10 and 11, 1963, he and Staff Archeologist Schroeder however, Pecos State Monument). visited Abo and Quarai State Monuments to inspect the The most recent, and firm, offer regarding Abo and ruins, gather information, and take photographs. Records Quarai (as well as Pecos) was expressed in a letter to in the Torrance County seat of Estancia wer~ reviewed, the Director of the Service, dated July 10, 1961, from and Gran Quivira National Monument briefly visited.