Tuzigoot National Monument

Tuzigoot was excavated from 1933 to 1935 by Louis Caywood and Edward Spicer of the University of Arizona, with funding from the federal Civil Works Administration and Works Project Administration. In 1935–1936, with additional federal funding, the ruins were prepared for public display, and a Pueblo Revival-style museum and visitor center was constructed. The monument is on land once owned by United Verde/Phelps Dodge. The corporation sold the site to Yavapai County for $1, so that the excavation could be completed under the auspices of federal relief projects. The county in turn transferred the land to the federal government

My eldest daughter, Dottie, came for a visit and we decided to tour Tuzigoot, a Native American ruin that is now a National Monument.

To get there, we had to pass the Village of Oak Creek (near Sedona) and, of course, had to get in a few shots of the monuments there before continuing on our way.

Tuzigoot is located near Clarksdale, Arizona, which in turn is not very far from Sedona. The original name for this village, occupied by the Sinagua people almost a thousand years ago, is unknown.

Since this is a national monument, and I have a Golden Age Passport, there was no charge for our party to visit. (The passorts are truly the best travel buy you can get!)

The ruins themselves are in pretty good shape. Of course, there's been a lot of preservation effort put forth.

Baby Zach, of all people, seemed really fascinated by the architecture.

He also loved being held by his Aunt Dottie.

Tuzigoot is Apache for "crooked water", from nearby Pecks Lake, a cutoff meander of the Verde River.

When Mary entered one of the pueblo rooms (there are 110 of them), her first comment was, "Hmm…where would I put the TV set?"

Clockwise: Baby Zach, Dottie, Me

Michael feels the energy.

John

Poor Dottie wasn't used to so much sun.

At home, Uncle John ("Jujubee") put a very tired Zach in his playpen to rest. Or maybe it was the adults who were exhausted!