Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument facts for kids
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Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
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Gran Quivira ruins
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 Location in New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Socorro, New Mexico |
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| Area | 1,076.9 acres (435.8 ha) |
| Built | 1622-1635 |
| Visitation | 32,414 (2016) |
| Website | Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000494 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NMON | November 1, 1909 |
The Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is a special place in New Mexico, USA. It has three old Spanish missions. These missions are found near the town of Mountainair. The main visitor center for the park is also in Mountainair. Workers started building these missions in 1622, and they finished them by 1635.
Contents
History of the Salinas Missions
Long ago, this area was home to busy Native American trading towns. These towns were built by Pueblo people who spoke Tiwa and Tompiro languages. In the early 1600s, Spanish Franciscans (a type of priest) came here. They wanted to teach their religion to the Native Americans.
However, by the late 1670s, both Native Americans and Spanish people had left the area. Today, you can still see the amazing ruins of these old buildings. They remind us of the first meetings between the Pueblo people and the Spanish. These ruins include three mission churches at Quarai, Abó, and Gran Quivira. There are also parts of the old pueblo (village) of Las Humanas, now called Gran Quivira pueblo.
This site was first called Gran Quivira National Monument in 1909. The National Park Service takes care of it. In 1966, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Later, in 1980, the park grew to include two New Mexico State Monuments. The whole site was renamed Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in 1988.
Exploring Quarai Ruins
The Quarai Ruins are about 8 miles north of Mountainair. They are located about 6,650 feet (2,026 meters) above sea level. You can visit a small center and walk a 0.5-mile (0.8 km) trail through the ruins. It's a great way to see the old mission church and other buildings.
Discovering Abó Ruins
The Abó Pueblo community started around the 11th century. It was on the edge of the Pueblo culture area. People from nomadic tribes (groups that moved around) from the eastern plains often visited this area.
The San Gregorio de Abó Mission is one of the three Spanish missions in central New Mexico. These missions were built in the 1600s. Today, they are all part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. This includes San Gregorio de Abó Mission, Quarai, and Gran Quivira.
Fray Francisco Fonte started the mission at Abó in 1625.
Visiting Gran Quivira Ruins
The Gran Quivira Ruins are about 25 miles south of Mountainair. They are about 6,500 feet (1,981 meters) above sea level. There is a small visitor center near the parking lot. A 0.5-mile (0.8 km) trail takes you through the old pueblo ruins. You can also see the remains of the mission church that was never finished.
Gran Quivira is one of the most famous ruins in the Southwest. It is the largest ruin of a Christian church in the United States. People have always found it mysterious and exciting. No one knows for sure how it got the name "Gran Quivira." For a long time, "Quivira" was a name for a rich, unknown city on the Eastern Plains. So, when people found this large, empty city, they might have thought it was the famous "Gran Quivira."
The Gran Quivera Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
Gallery
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Mission ruins at Quarai
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Mission ruins at Abó
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A Kiva (a special room for ceremonies) at Abó
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Pueblo and mission ruins at Gran Quivira
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A map showing the old pueblos in the Salinas area. It includes the three ruins you can visit today: Quarai, Abó, and Gran Quivira.
Images for kids
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Pueblo and mission ruins at Gran Quivira
See also
In Spanish: Monumento nacional Misiones Pueblo de Salinas para niños
