For over a thousand years, prehistoric farmers inhabited much of the present-day state of Arizona. When the first Europeans arrived, all that remained of this ancient culture were the ruins of villages, irrigation canals and various artifacts. Among these ruins is the Casa Grande, or “Big House,” one of the largest and most mysterious prehistoric structures ever built in North America. Casa Grande Ruins, the nation’s first archeological preserve, protects the Casa Grande and other archeological sites within its boundaries. You are invited to see the Casa Grande and to hear the story of the ancient ones the Pima call the Hohokam, “those who are gone.”
History & Culture
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument lies within the basin and range area of southern Arizona which is a part of the Sonoran Desert. The mountain ranges around the monument are pre-Cambrian granites and schists. Some are cut by younger granitic rocks and flanked by tertiary lava flows. The nearly level plains between the mountain ranges contain Sonoran Desert scrub characterized by creosote bush bursage vegetation. The monument elevation ranges from 1427 feet in the southeast corner to 1414 feet on the northwest side. Casa Grande is on the drainage of McClellan Wash, a tributary of the Gila River. Its soil is Coolidge sandy loam with caliche, a limy hardpan, two to four feet below the surface. The monument’s biotic community is surrounded for the most part by irrigated agricultural land. There are sixty documented archeological sites in the monument. Some of these sites have been dated as far back as A. D. 550-700, while the compounds were built between A. D. 1200-1450.
Casa Grande Ruin Reservation was created on June 22, 1892 by order of President Benjamin Harrison to protect a one-of-a-kind remaining Casa Grande or Great House. As a result, Casa Grande became the first prehistoric and cultural site to be established in the United States. The 480 acre reservation boundary changed in 1909, but retained the same acreage. An act in 1926 reduced that area to 472.5 acres. Some controversy has occurred over the years about the exact name of the monument. Originally, it was set aside as Casa Grande Ruin Reservation. In 1918 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it to be Casa Grande National Monument. Subsequent congressional acts in 1926 and 1930 called it Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Some National Park Service personnel have held that the national monument proclamation of 1918 should determine the name, but, on the basis of the later legislation combined with a legal opinion and desire by monument management to be known as Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, the National Park Service Chief Historian recommended on December 17, 1991 that it be recognized as Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Recreation
You should allow at least an hour to visit the Ruins. From the visitor center, there is a 300 yard self-guided walking trail around the ruins with wayside signs provided. There are regularly scheduled guided tours from January through April. Advance-requested guided tours are provided for school and tour groups during the rest of the year depending on staff availability.
Traveler Facts
Contact Information
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
1100 Ruins Drive
Coolidge, AZ 85228
Phone: 520 723-3172
Fax: 520 723-7209
Operating Hours & Seasons
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is open all year from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed December 25.
Weather/Climate
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is located in desert country. Summer daytime temperatures can exceed 110 degrees. Winter temperatures range from the 60’s to the 80’s. Spring and fall are warm and dry, with highs in the 80’s and 90’s. During summer months, be prepared for hot temperatures. Protective clothing, hats, sunscreen and personal water containers are highly recommended.
