From ancient civilizations to conquistadors and cowboys
Historical Highlights
Fort Union
Fort Union was established to protect the Santa Fe Trail. It served as the primary supply depot for all of the forts in the southwestern territory.
Mesa Prieta
Over 100,000 petroglyphs being documented on privately owned land north of Española, New Mexico managed by the Archaeological Conservancy.
Pueblo Revolt of 1680
The pueblos united to drive the Spanish out of the territory. One of the first major indigenous rebellions in North America.

Step back in time in New Mexico
Land of the Lost
Abandoned pueblos and mining towns dot the landscape. Humans have been here for at least 12,000 years. Prior to their arrival, dinosaurs roamed this region.
Churches & Missions
The Pueblo Revolt of 1680
The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was one of the most significant events in New Mexico’s history. The revolt wasn’t successful in terms of permanently...
Santuario de Chimayo
El Santuario de Chimayó is a beautiful example of Spanish Colonial architecture. The structure is one of several historical churches on the High Road...
Father Albert Braun and the St. Joseph Apache Mission
Unlike many of the missions in New Mexico, St. Joseph Apache Mission in Mescalero was a labor of love, built as a gift to...
National Monuments
The Gila Cliff Dwellings
The Gila Wilderness
The Gila Cliff Dwellings is one of the most remote national monuments in the country. The site is located on the edge...
Kasha-Katuwe | Tent Rocks National Monument
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a very popular hiking destination for residents of Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Located on Cochiti Pueblo, Kasha-Katuwe means...
The Valles Caldera
The Valles Caldera is a special place, one of my favorite places on the planet. For years it has been a place of serenity,...
Ghost Towns
Mogollon, New Mexico
Founded in 1876, Mogollon was named after Don Juan Ignacio Flores Mogollon, a governor of the Spanish province of New Mexico in the 1700's....
Madrid
Not A Ghost Town Anymore
Located midway on the Turquoise Trail, the village of Madrid is often referred to as a ghost town, though the...
People
Mescalero Apache
Mescalero Apache
The Mescalero's call themselves Shis-Inday, “People of the Mountain Forests," or Mashgalénde / Mashgalé-neí / Mashgalé-õde, “People close to the mountains." Spanish settlers...
The Short Life & Legend of Billy the Kid
Hollywood westerns distill the old west into an assortment of good guys wearing white hats and bad guys wearing black hats. The reality was...
More History
Puye Cliff Dwellings
New Mexico is a visual feast for geology enthusiasts, with a landscape etched by ancient seas, enormous earthquakes, a variety of volcanoes, and the...
Three Rivers Petroglyphs
Three Rivers Petroglyph Site
Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is a hidden gem, often overlooked by visitors traveling to White Sands and Ruidoso. It is located...
WebsitesHistory

History & Heritage
Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area
The mission of the NRGNHA is to help sustain the communities, languages, cultures, traditions, heritage and environment of Northern New Mexico.