[Source: Brian Ahnmark, Casa Grande Dispatch] -- A congressional bill introduced by Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., proposes to add 257 acres to the grounds of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. The Casa Grande Ruins represent the architectural remnants of the Hohokam culture, which flourished along the Gila River in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Hohokam implemented one of the most complex and effective irrigation farming techniques known to man, but their culture dissolved, leaving behind a collection of ruins including the "Casa Grande," or Great House. Spanish explorers came upon the Great House in the 1600s, describing a 1,200-acre settlement ringed by irrigation canals. Congress declared a portion of this settlement a "reservation" in 1889 and designated the property as a national monument in 1918.Now, the monument is entering a phase of "redefinition," according to Superintendent Jason Lott, who wants the settlement's untold stories to come to light. Renzi introduced HR1019 in March 2005. The current grounds of the monument, established by Congress in 1889, consist of 480 acres, less than half of the settlement's estimated size of 1,200 acres. HR1019 aims to bring more archaeologically significant land within the scope of the monument boundaries. "These plots are remarkably well preserved," Lott said. "There is a huge research potential. This is the most advanced prehistoric civilization in America. We need to preserve this, from an archaeological standpoint. Once we construct houses and developments, these sites are gone."
[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo by QT Luong.]
