Hueso Parado facts for kids
Hueso Parado, which means “Standing Bone” in Spanish, was a very important village for the Maricopa people in the 1800s. It was the largest Maricopa village at that time. Today, the area where it once stood is part of the Gila River Indian Community in Pinal County, Arizona.
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Hueso Parado: A Historic Village
Hueso Parado was also sometimes called El Juez Tarado. This village was first mentioned in a Mexican Army report back in 1823. It was located about 17.5 miles (7 leagues) down the Gila River from the Pima Villages.
Where Was Hueso Parado Located?
The village of Hueso Parado was uniquely positioned. It was west of the Pima villages and upstream from other Maricopa villages. It sat on a piece of land between two important rivers: the Gila River and the Santa Cruz River. This location was north of a place called Maricopa Wells.
A survey done in 1859 showed that the people of Hueso Parado were skilled farmers. They had built many irrigation canals. These canals brought water from both the Gila River and the Santa Cruz River to their fields.
Who Lived in Hueso Parado?
As its longer name, "El Hueso Parado de Pimas y Cocomaricopas," suggests, the village was home to both the Pima and Maricopa people. A count taken in 1858 showed that 314 Maricopa people and 263 Pima people lived there. This mix of communities made Hueso Parado a vibrant and important place.
Why Was Hueso Parado Abandoned?
Life in Hueso Parado changed significantly by 1870. Farmers, both Mexican and American, began diverting water from the Gila River for their own farms. This happened upstream, before the water reached Hueso Parado.
Because of this, the water that did reach the village became too salty, or "alkaline." It was no longer good for drinking or for watering crops. Without fresh water, the Maricopa people could not continue to live and farm there. They had to leave their village and moved to the Salt River Valley to find new land for farming.
