Centuries of Inscriptions Protected by National Monument Designation
This is without a doubt one of the most fascinating, interesting and beautiful places I have visited.
Beautiful because of the towering sheer rock sandstone promontory with an ever present water pool at its base. Interesting because of the blending of centuries of travelers who have left their inscriptions carved on the walls of the flat rock surfaces. Fascinating because one can see the remains of a mesa top pueblo that once housed roughly 1500 people in 875 rooms … circa 1275 – 1350.
As beautiful as the hike was, I was most captivated by picturing in my mind the residents and travelers who came to this spot for refreshing water and needed rest. I could hardly look at the inscriptions or the pueblo without wondering what life was like then and what they hoped they might share with us hundreds of years in the future.
Just a couple of closing comments:
First, I am so thankful for the Antiquities Act which gives Presidents the power by executive authority to create National Monuments like El Morro
Second, I failed to mention that the steps seen in one of the pictures at the top of El Morro were hand carved as part of a work program during the depression. Another piece of our history … maybe for another blog.
Jim Dailey 