… was designated such by President Wilson on this date in 1918.
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.
Those Europeans, by the way, began heading this way 517 years ago today, when Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain.
Update: Why is the word “prehistoric” in that National Park Service description (twice)? What purpose does it serve?