Aztec Ruins National Monument

Aztec Ruins National Monument
Map showing the location of Aztec Ruins National Monument
Map showing the location of Aztec Ruins National Monument
Map showing the location of Aztec Ruins National Monument
Map showing the location of Aztec Ruins National Monument
LocationSan Juan County, New Mexico, U.S.
Nearest cityAztec
Coordinates36°50′09″N 107°59′53″W / 36.8358370°N 107.9981235°W / 36.8358370; -107.9981235
Area318 acres (129 ha)
CreatedJanuary 24, 1923 (1923-Jan-24)
Visitors52,756 (in 2017)
Governing bodyNational Park Service
WebsiteAztec Ruins National Monument
Part ofChaco Culture National Historical Park
TypeU.S. historic district
DesignatedOctober 18, 1966
Reference no.66000484
DesignatedMay 21, 1971
Reference no.55

The Aztec Ruins National Monument in northwestern New Mexico, US, consists of preserved structures constructed by the Pueblo Indians. The national monument lies on the western bank of the Animas River in Aztec, New Mexico, about 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Farmington. Additional Puebloan structures can be found in Salmon Ruins and Heritage Park, about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) south. Archaeological evidence puts the construction of the ruins in the 12th and 13th centuries. The Puebloan-built ruins were dubbed the "Aztec Ruins" by 19th century American settlers who misattributed their construction to the Aztecs.

The site was declared "Aztec Ruin National Monument" on January 24, 1923. "Ruin" was changed to "Ruins" after a boundary change, on July 2, 1928. As a historical property of the National Park Service, the monument was administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) listed the Chaco Culture as a World Heritage Site on December 8, 1987. That listing specifically included the Aztec Ruins.

The monument is on the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway, one of New Mexico's Scenic Byways.

The property was part of a 160-acre (65 ha) homestead owned by H.D. Abrams, who supported the preservation of the ruins. The H.D. Abrams House in Aztec is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Climate

The climate of Aztec Ruins National Monument is a typical semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk).

Climate data for Aztec Ruins National Monument (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1895–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 69
(21)
78
(26)
86
(30)
89
(32)
98
(37)
105
(41)
106
(41)
105
(41)
101
(38)
92
(33)
77
(25)
69
(21)
106
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 56.3
(13.5)
62.7
(17.1)
73.3
(22.9)
80.7
(27.1)
89.2
(31.8)
96.8
(36.0)
99.1
(37.3)
95.8
(35.4)
90.7
(32.6)
81.8
(27.7)
68.7
(20.4)
57.2
(14.0)
99.5
(37.5)
Average high °F (°C) 46.0
(7.8)
52.5
(11.4)
62.8
(17.1)
70.6
(21.4)
79.8
(26.6)
90.3
(32.4)
93.9
(34.4)
91.2
(32.9)
84.2
(29.0)
71.7
(22.1)
57.7
(14.3)
46.4
(8.0)
70.6
(21.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 31.6
(−0.2)
37.0
(2.8)
44.9
(7.2)
51.7
(10.9)
60.4
(15.8)
70.0
(21.1)
76.1
(24.5)
74.0
(23.3)
66.3
(19.1)
53.7
(12.1)
41.5
(5.3)
32.1
(0.1)
53.3
(11.8)
Average low °F (°C) 17.1
(−8.3)
21.5
(−5.8)
27.0
(−2.8)
32.7
(0.4)
41.0
(5.0)
49.7
(9.8)
58.2
(14.6)
56.9
(13.8)
48.5
(9.2)
35.7
(2.1)
25.3
(−3.7)
17.8
(−7.9)
35.9
(2.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 2.8
(−16.2)
8.1
(−13.3)
14.1
(−9.9)
19.9
(−6.7)
29.7
(−1.3)
38.2
(3.4)
48.6
(9.2)
49.5
(9.7)
35.1
(1.7)
21.6
(−5.8)
11.7
(−11.3)
3.2
(−16.0)
−0.8
(−18.2)
Record low °F (°C) −26
(−32)
−27
(−33)
−3
(−19)
2
(−17)
12
(−11)
24
(−4)
39
(4)
36
(2)
22
(−6)
6
(−14)
−7
(−22)
−24
(−31)
−27
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.90
(23)
0.75
(19)
0.77
(20)
0.69
(18)
0.71
(18)
0.28
(7.1)
0.96
(24)
1.32
(34)
1.13
(29)
0.94
(24)
0.94
(24)
0.67
(17)
10.06
(256)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 4.5
(11)
2.3
(5.8)
0.5
(1.3)
0.2
(0.51)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.3
(0.76)
0.9
(2.3)
2.2
(5.6)
10.9
(28)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) 5.6 5.1 4.4 3.7 3.8 2.1 5.1 7.0 5.7 4.7 4.2 5.1 56.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch) 2.3 1.7 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.7 1.7 7.3
Source: NOAA

Notes

  1. ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.

Gallery

A color panorama of a large sandstone ruin
Aztec West, with reconstructed great kiva (right)

See also


This page was last updated at 2023-12-08 00:55 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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