Coronado National Memorial Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Coronado National Memorial
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Coronado National Memorial Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Coronado National Memorial Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Cochise County, Arizona, USA
Nearest city	Sierra Vista, Arizona
Area	4,750.22 acres (19.2235 km²)
Established	November 5, 1952
Visitors	103,218 (in 2018)
Governing body	National Park Service
Website	Coronado National Memorial

The Coronado National Memorial is a special place that remembers the first big trip into the American Southwest. This journey was led by a Spanish explorer named Francisco Vázquez de Coronado in 1540.

The memorial is located in a beautiful natural area. It sits right on the border between the United States and Mexico. You can find it on the southeast side of the Huachuca Mountains, south of Sierra Vista, Arizona. The Coronado National Forest is to its north and west.

Inside the memorial, there's a great viewpoint called Montezuma Pass. This is where Coronado's group first entered what is now Arizona. The memorial helps us remember the history and connections between the United States and Mexico.

History of the Memorial
- From International to National
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History of the Memorial

This memorial was first created to show friendship and cooperation between the United States and Mexico. It recognized Coronado's important journey in 1540.

In 1939, a group in the U.S. government, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said this expedition was "one of the greatest land expeditions the world has known." They noted that it helped start a "new civilization" in the American Southwest.

In 1940, E. K. Burlew, who was acting as the Secretary of the Interior, also spoke about the memorial. He believed that remembering Coronado's explorations would help improve the friendship between the U.S. and Mexico. He thought it would help both countries understand each other's history and work together.

From International to National

Because of this idea of cooperation, the site was first called the Coronado International Memorial. This happened on August 18, 1941. The hope was that Mexico would create a similar park right next to it. This would have been like the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park between the United States and Canada.

Mexico's government was interested in the idea. However, the Mexican memorial was never built. So, the U.S. Congress changed the name. On July 9, 1952, it became a national memorial.

President Harry S. Truman officially established the memorial on November 5, 1952. Like other historic places managed by the National Park Service, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. This list helps protect important historical sites.