[Source: National Trust for Historic Preservation] -- Sixty miles west of Albuquerque, atop a sheer-walled, 370-foot sandstone mesa, Acoma Sky City has remained suspended in time for two millennia. The oldest continuously inhabited community in North America, Acoma Sky City has an eye toward the future with today’s announcement that it will become the 28th National Trust Historic Site. Overlooking a vast desert-and-mountain sweep of northern New Mexico and dating back to 1150 AD, Acoma Sky City is a vibrant community characterized by its adobe houses, plazas, walkways, and the San Esteban del Rey Mission Church, completed around 1640.The Acoma people have long welcomed visitors to their community, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and a Save America's Treasures (SAT) site in 1999. Today, approximately fifteen families live year-round on the 70-acre mesa. The Pueblo of Acoma owns Acoma Sky City, and the tribal council is responsible for all decisions and operations. By entering into the agreement with the National Trust, the pueblo will avail itself of the National Trust’s expertise in preservation, conservation, and interpretation as well as national standards, best practices, and legal advocacy. Furthermore, the agreement allows Acoma Sky City access to technical services, special grant funds, and cooperative marketing programs available only to National Trust Historic Sites.
[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source: Rick Scott.]
