South and east of Phoenix not far from Florence, AZ where we stayed for a few days, is a National Monument named Casa Grande Ruins. It is about 700 years old having been built between 1300-1350. It is a fascinating location and very well done. Our congratulations to the park service for preserving this site and for their detailed and informative displays. Lots of fascinating information is presented in the visitor center and on the grounds in plaques viewable as you walk around.
We thought this an interesting artists rendition of Casa Grande. It was stuck back in a corner of the visitor center, we thought it should have been displayed more prominently.
Casa Grande is the site named for the large multi story structure depicted in this drawing. It has a roof cover for protection and preservation from the elements.
No we don’t have a drone so we borrowed this aerial view to show Casa Grande. Additionally the following statements came from an informative plaque at the site.
Archaeologists do not know for sure why the Casa Grande was built. Its original purpose remains a puzzle.
Was It an astronomical observatory? Perhaps. Why do the walls line up north-south-east-west? We still can observe the sun and moon line up with certain holes in the wall year in and year-out
Were sacred ceremonies held here? Did a leader who oversaw the all-important irrigation canals work inside these rooms?
Did an influential family or clan call the Casa Grande their home.
The answers remain unknown. The Casa Grande likely served many purposes, many functions.
This is a view of the Casa Grande from the ground level. It is a large building. The center was originally four stories and the sides were three stories.
There is more at the site than just the Great House. It appears there were various other dwellings and courtyards. The original builders had no written history so archaeologists are dependent on what they can find and logical conclusions as to the real extent and nature of the complex.
This is a view of the Great House wall that faces north. It shows the massive side walls that are very thick.
This mural is along one of the trails at the site. It talks about the extensive canal and irrigation system that the original builders created. It seems they cultivated over 19,000 acres and raised a variety of crops. The best estimate is that there were over 220 miles of irrigation canals at the height of Casa Grande.
Here is a look back at the Great House. We are walking towards the visitor center. In some writeups they talk about the metal protective roof. It is quite a structure in and of itself.
We are walking towards the Visitor Center away from the Great House. The main parts to the Great House Complex are on the west side of the visitor center, where we are at this moment. There are other parts to the complex just north of the visitor center and there are walking trails and picnic areas associated with that area.
Around the property they have these oval clay markers adjacent to many plants and cactus identifying them. This indicates a Queens Agave that happens to be in a pot. Many of the other cactus were in the ground with their markers, identifying the cactus, lying on the ground beside the plant.
When approaching Casa Grande Ruins from the east along Coolidge Blvd there is a set of train tracks, this sign is just before those tracks. It reads “Caution Trains approach at Speeds up to 60 MPH”.
Fortunately there is a crossing gate that blocks the highway when a train approaches, but 60 MPH is fairly fast and one should use caution – look both ways.
After visiting the ruins one must partake of some sustenance. We stopped at a local restaurant and George had a bowl of Menudo which was well prepared.
With Menudo you often get a selection of accoutrements that you can use to enhance the taste to your own discretion. Here we have chopped green onions, Mexican oregano, and Chiltepin Peppers. The peppers are the little round red balls in both the Menudo and the small plastic cup.
The Chiltepin can be quite spicy being about 23 times hotter than a standard Jalapeño Pepper. Don’t just throw a handful in your mouth and bite down. They do add a nice flavor to the Menudo when used in moderation. With the added accoutrements the menudo was fabulous.
Different subject: We needed to get our two Westies, Ozzie and Yogi, a haircut. They don’t shed so they need periodic trimming. We went to a dog groomer in Coolidge and this was the greeter at the counter.
It is a Great Pyrenees, only 7 months old, and obviously quite friendly. Fortunately the owner was one of the people whom worked there and got the dog under some semblance of control. He is not very consistent at running the credit card.
This is a quick look into the dog grooming area. They let the dogs wander around and interact with each other while they are working on a different dog. We had seen this activity in one other grooming location as we have traveled about. Looks as if the dogs have a lot of fun here.
That concludes a brief introduction into the Casa Grande Ruins, they are a fascinating, marvelous place. There is a lot more detailed information on the Internet. The National Park Service has a great detailed web site. You can view their web site by Clicking Here.
We hope you enjoyed this post, we certainly enjoyed looking around the ruins, eating the Menudo, and getting the boys groomed..
Please let us know if you have any questions or comments. All the best – George & Deanna
Fascinating. Thank you so very much for sharing.
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