Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Rayman
N 32° 59.700 W 111° 32.206
12S E 449854 N 3650860
Casa Grande is an ancient dwelling in the desert southwest that was once home to the Hohokam, and dates back to the 1300s.
Waymark Code: WM8HEE
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 04/04/2010
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member MNSearchers
Views: 21

Not long after the time of Christ, a group of desert dwellers developed a new way of life in the desert southwest. Archeologists call them the Hohokam. As they learned to farm, the Hohokam began to build permanent villages. Casa Grande, or "Great House", was the largest known structure from Hohokam times and dates back to the 1300s.

The true purpose of Casa Grande remains a mystery. Some think it was a center of government, religion, trade or education. Others think it may have been a structure used as an astronomical observatory and calendar. The upper left of the west side of the structure features a small circular opening that aligns with the setting sun on the summer solstice. On the upper right of the same side is a square hole that aligns with the setting moon once every 18 1/2 years when it is at its extreme point in the cycle.

Casa Grande is the tallest and largest Hohokam building known, standing 35 feet tall and containing 3000 tons of caliche. Caliche is is a mixture of clay, sand, and calcium carbonate that is found in the soil of the desert. When it's dry, it is almost as hard as concrete. Also used were imported beams of pine, fir, and juniper that the Hohokam brought from over 50 miles away. These were used to support the floors and roof.

By the mid-1400s the Hohokam mysteriously disappeared. During the late 1800s people began to visit the ruins and vandalism, graffiti, and relic hunting began to occur. As as result, the federal government took over control of the land in 1892 to limit the amount of visitors and restore the ruins. A shelter was constructed over Casa Grande in 1903 to prevent further decay and allow for restoration. The site was transferred to the National Park Service in 1918. A visitor's center and supporting buildings were built in the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and are still in use today.
State/States the Park is located...: Arizona

Park Designation: Monument/Memorial

Times the Visitors Center (or Park) is Open....: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM

Months the Visitors Center/Park is open...: From: 01/01/2010 To: 12/31/2011

Website From the National Parks Service Page of this Waymark...: [Web Link]

Are pictures included?: yes

SECONDARY website.: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please post a picture or pictures with this log.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest National Parks (U.S.)
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
jdrob30 visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 09/12/2024 jdrob30 visited it
T2D visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 07/03/2022 T2D visited it
Don.Morfe visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 02/15/2022 Don.Morfe visited it
tnwave visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 03/20/2019 tnwave visited it
Sneakin Deacon visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 11/02/2018 Sneakin Deacon visited it
Julie&Ray visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 01/03/2018 Julie&Ray visited it
rjmcdonough1 visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 12/24/2017 rjmcdonough1 visited it
Forrest Clan visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 12/11/2016 Forrest Clan visited it
b&ladventures visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 12/31/2014 b&ladventures visited it
ILuvAZ visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 12/14/2014 ILuvAZ visited it
jennyanykind visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 05/04/2014 jennyanykind visited it
tugies visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 11/29/2013 tugies visited it
Bucky & McGee visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 03/27/2012 Bucky & McGee visited it
roadrunners visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 01/02/2012 roadrunners visited it
sundevil1994 visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 12/27/2009 sundevil1994 visited it
find waldo visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 03/21/2009 find waldo visited it
pseudoprime visited Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - Coolidge, AZ 07/06/2001 pseudoprime visited it

View all visits/logs