National Register of Historic Places listings in Cibola County, New Mexico facts for kids
Welcome to Cibola County, New Mexico! This area is home to many amazing places that are super important to American history. The National Register of Historic Places is a special list kept by the United States government. It helps protect buildings, sites, and objects that are important because of their history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture.
In Cibola County, there are 18 places on this special list. Four of these are even more important and are called National Historic Landmarks. These landmarks are recognized as having national significance. This means they are important to the history of the entire country! Most of these places are also on New Mexico's own list of important cultural sites. Let's explore some of these cool historic spots!
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Historic Places in Cibola County
Acoma Pueblo: Sky City
One of the most famous places in Cibola County is Acoma Pueblo. It's often called "Sky City" because it sits high up on a mesa, a flat-topped hill. People have lived here for over 800 years! This makes it one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America.
Acoma Pueblo is a National Historic Landmark. It's a living community where the Acoma people continue their traditions. The pueblo is a truly unique place to learn about Native American history and culture.
San Estevan del Rey Mission Church
Also located at Acoma Pueblo is the San Estévan del Rey Mission Church. This beautiful church was built a very long time ago, in the 1600s. It's an amazing example of early Spanish colonial architecture in New Mexico.
The church is a National Historic Landmark because of its age and its importance to the history of both the Acoma people and the early European settlers. It shows how different cultures came together in this region.
El Morro National Monument: Inscription Rock
Imagine a giant rock that people have been signing for hundreds of years! That's El Morro National Monument. This huge sandstone bluff has a natural pool of water at its base. It was a popular stopping point for travelers for centuries.
Native Americans, Spanish explorers, and American pioneers all carved their names, dates, and messages into the rock. It's like a historical guestbook! This monument is a National Historic Landmark because it tells the story of so many different journeys through the American Southwest.
Laguna Pueblo and Mission
Another important Native American community is Laguna Pueblo. It's located near the junction of Interstate 40 and State Road 124. This pueblo has a rich history and is still a vibrant community today.
The San Jose de la Laguna Mission and Convento is part of Laguna Pueblo. This mission church was also built in the 1700s and is a significant historical site. It shows the blend of Native American and Spanish influences in the region.
Historic Route 66 Sections
Do you know about Route 66? It's one of America's most famous roads! It stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles and was a major highway for travelers in the mid-20th century. Cibola County has several parts of the original Route 66 that are listed on the National Register.
These sections include:
- Route 66 Rural Historic District: Laguna to McCartys: This part of the old road runs between the towns of Laguna and McCartys. It gives you a feel for what traveling on Route 66 was like in the past.
- Route 66, State Maintained from McCartys to Grants: This section continues the historic road from McCartys towards the city of Grants.
- Route 66, State maintained from Milan to Continental Divide: West of Milan, another piece of the old highway leads towards the Continental Divide, a mountain ridge that separates rivers flowing to different oceans.
These road sections are important because they represent a significant era in American travel and culture.
Other Notable Sites
Cibola County is also home to other interesting historic places:
- Acoma Curio Shop: This shop, built in 1909, is a historic building that served travelers along the old roads.
- Bowlin's Old Crater Trading Post: Located in Bluewater, this trading post was a place where people could buy and sell goods, especially in the early days of travel and settlement.
- Grants-Milan Flight Service Station: This building, located near the airport in Grants, played a role in aviation history. It helped pilots with weather information and flight plans.
Some other sites, like Candelaria Pueblo, Dittert Site, San Mateo Archeological Site, and Zuni-Cibola Complex, are also on the list. However, their exact locations are kept private to protect important archaeological findings. These sites are crucial for understanding the ancient history of the region.
 | Janet Taylor Pickett |
 | Synthia Saint James |
 | Howardena Pindell |
 | Faith Ringgold |
