Mesa Verde National Park in Montezuma County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Time of Transition

Sun Point Pueblo

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 10, 2020

1. Time of Transition Marker

Inscription. You are standing in the middle of what once was a medium-sized pueblo village and one of the last mesa top pueblos built on Mesa Verde. The tower and kiva, protected today by the shelter, were central to the community and were surrounded by at least 30 rooms.

This small town village was inhabited for less than two generations. Those living here eventually moved into the cliff dwellings. They probably took most of the stone blocks and wooden timbers with them, incorporating them into new villages that were being built in the alcoves.

Other neighboring mesa top communities from this time include Far View House and Pipe Shrine House. Both can be seen at Far View Sites today.

Caption
Lower left: Sun Point Pueblo extended beyond the shelter. Step outside to see the foundations of more of its rooms.

Timeline: CE=Common Era
550 CE — Semi-nomadic • 550 CE — Pithouses • 750 CE — Single-story villages • 1100 CE — Multi-story villages • 1200 CE — Cliff dwellings and late mesa top villages • 1300 CE — Migration

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1200.

Location.

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37° 9.703′ N, 108° 28.713′ W. Marker is in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, in Montezuma County. It can be reached from Mesa Topp Loop (State Highway 10), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mesa Verde National Park CO 81330, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Mountain West,

in Colorado Plateau,

and at the Four Corners.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cliff Dwelling Life (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Oak Tree House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Years of Activity (approx. 0.2 miles away); Years of Change (approx. 0.2 miles away); Split-Level History (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fire Temple (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ties that Bind (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pithouse Life (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mesa Verde National Park.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 10, 2020

2. Time of Transition Marker

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 10, 2020

3. Time of Transition Marker

The tower and kiva at Sun Point Pueblo.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 267 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 22, 2020, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.