The Ruins of Casa Grande

On January 17th 2012, we visited the ruins of Casa Grande,Just north of Coolidge. We took a few pictures of the ruins, as well as provide a bit of historical background to the ruins.







Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
This national monument, located south of Phoenix, contains the ruins of Casa Grande or "Great House," a large and enigmatic prehistoric structure. Casa Grande Ruins, the nation's first archeological preserve, protects the Casa Grande (see Photograph 1) and other archeological sites within its boundaries. While there are no prehistoric irrigation systems in the park, the museum presents excellent background information on the Hohokam canals which diverted water from the nearby Gila River. It is also speculated that one of the functions of Casa Grande was to provide an overlook from which the Hohokam could observe the status of their canals.
The park is located in Coolidge, Arizona, a one-hour drive from either Phoenix or Tucson. From Interstate 10 take the Coolidge exit and follow the signs to the park entrance off Arizona Route 87/287.