Coronado Historic Site facts for kids
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Kuaua Ruin
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Aerial view of Kuaua ruins, circa 1940
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Bernalillo, New Mexico |
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| Area | 5.7 acres (2.3 ha) |
| Built | 1939 |
| Architect | John Gaw Meem |
| Architectural style | Pueblo |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001199 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 1, 1976 |
The Coronado Historic Site is a special place in New Mexico. It protects the ancient village of Kuaua, which was once home to the Tiwa people. This historic site is managed by the Museum of New Mexico system.
You can find it along New Mexico Highway 550. It's about 1 mile west of Bernalillo and 16 miles north of Albuquerque.
Contents
Discovering Kuaua Pueblo's Past
The Coronado Historic Site is famous for Kuaua Pueblo. In the Tiwa language, "Kuaua" means "Evergreen." This ancient village, or pueblo, was first settled around the year 1325. People lived here for many years before the village was abandoned in the late 1500s.
When the Site Opened
The Coronado Historic Site was the very first archaeological site in New Mexico to open to the public. It officially opened on May 29, 1940. This opening was part of a big celebration called the Cuarto Centenario. This event marked 400 years since Francisco Vásquez de Coronado first arrived in New Mexico.
Coronado's Arrival and the Village's End
The site is named after Coronado because he camped nearby between 1540 and 1542. Kuaua Pueblo was one of several villages where Tiwa-speaking people lived when Coronado, a Spanish explorer, arrived. The village was likely abandoned because of Coronado's presence and the events that followed, including a conflict known as the Tiguex War in 1541.
Uncovering Ancient Treasures
Archaeologists worked hard to uncover the ruins of Kuaua Pueblo from 1934 to 1939. A team led by Edgar Lee Hewett and Marjorie F. Tichy (who later became Marjorie F. Lambert) did the excavations. They found that the village grew from south to north over its 300 years of existence.
They also discovered six kivas. Kivas are special rooms used by Pueblo people for ceremonies and community gatherings. These kivas were built in different shapes, including round, square, and rectangular.
The Famous Kiva Murals
The site is especially famous for amazing murals found in a square kiva. These murals were created before Europeans arrived in 1541. They are some of the best examples of ancient Native American art found anywhere in North America. These paintings tell stories and show scenes from the lives and beliefs of the people who lived at Kuaua.
Exploring the Visitor's Center
The Coronado visitor's center is a great place to start your visit. It was designed by a famous architect from the Southwest named John Gaw Meem. Inside, you can see fourteen of the restored kiva murals. These murals have been carefully preserved so everyone can enjoy them.
The center also displays many artifacts from both the Pueblo Indian and Spanish Colonial times. These items help you imagine what life was like long ago. After exploring the center, you can walk along an interpretive trail. This trail winds through the ancient ruins and along the west bank of the Rio Grande river.
