Near Mountainair in Socorro County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Underground Housing
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Hogares subterráneas
Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 2025
1. Underground Housing / Hogares subterráneas Marker
The first people known to live in this area built their homes partially underground, with upper walls and wooden roofs covered by thick layers of earth. For many centuries, these pithouses were the most typical dwellings to be found in the Southwest. Jacals (pronounced hah-CAHLs), with woven wicker walis plastered with mud, replaced pithouses about 900 years ago. Above-ground stone pueblos, like Las Humanas behind you, began to appear only in the 1300s.The first settlers built small communities on Chupadera Mesa, the high ground you see ahead in the distance, nearly 1,200 years ago. Distinctive pot sherds link these Jornado Mogollón people to Indians living in the deserts far to the south.
Diagrams
(#1) pithouse
(#2) Village site
(#3) jacal
Los primeros habitantes de esta área construyeron sus casas parcialmente bajo tierra, cubriendo lo alto de las paredes y los techos de madera con capas de tierra. Por muchos siglos, este tipo de casa en fosa era lo que comúnmente se encontraba en el suroeste. Hace como 900 años estas casas en fosa se cambiaron por jacales con paredes entrelazadas en mimbre
this page online
Hace casi 1200 años que los primeros pobladores construyeron pequeñas comunidades en la mesa Chupadera. Es el terreno más alto que puede observar a la distancia en frente de usted. Tiestos de cerámica distintiva relacionan esta gente de Jornado Mogollón con los indios actuales de los desiertos más lejos al sur.
Diagramas
(#1) casa de foso
(#2) sitio de aldea
(#3) jacal
Erected by Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument and National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1200.
Location. 34° 15.654′ N, 106° 5.598′ W. Marker is near Mountainair, New Mexico, in Socorro County. It is on Wsmr S Rte 41 south of Route 55. The marker is located on the grounds of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument - Gran Quivíra Ruins. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mountainair NM 87036, United
Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 2025
2. Underground Housing / Hogares subterráneas Marker
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest New Mexico and in the Rio Grande Valley. It is also in the American Southwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Trap for Runoff / Trampa de agua (within shouting distance of this marker); Dryland Crops and Game / Cazar y cosechar en tierra seca (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Exploring Las Humanas / Explorando Las Humanas (about 400 feet away); A Larger Church: 1659-1670 / Una iglesia más grande: 1659-1670 (about 500 feet away); One-seed juniper (about 500 feet away); Soaptree yucca (about 500 feet away); Gran Quivira (about 600 feet away); Power from the sun (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mountainair.
Also see . . . Gran Quivira. National Park Service
The Gran Quivira unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is the largest of(Submitted on August 10, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)the three units at 611 acres. Prior to Spanish contact, Gran Quivira was a vast city with multiple pueblos, and kivas. Mound 7, a 226 room structure from the Pueblo IV period (A.D.1275/1300-1600), is the largest and only fully excavated pueblo at the site. During the excavation, an older Circular Pueblo was discovered under Mound 7. First contact with the Spanish probably happened in 1583 with the arrival of Don Antonio de Espejo who mentions a settlement that sounds very similar to Gran Quivira. The Spanish returned in 1598 with the expedition of Don Juan de Oñate who was the first Spaniard to colonize what would become New Mexico. Oñate visited a pueblo he called Las Humanas which was the southernmost settlements. As part of the mission system, Las Humanas (Gran Quivira) was first placed under the Pecos Mission District. Later, with the arrival of Fray Alonso de Benavides in 1626, Gran Quivira was given more attention and later became a visita (a satellite mission without a resident Father) of Abó in 1629. That same year construction began on the first permanent mission at Gran Quivira. Under the supervision of Fray Francisco Letrado, rooms on the west end of Mound 7 (Letrado's Convento) were used by the Spanish for housing and probably an early chapel. Letrado was moved to the Zuni Pueblo in 1631 and Gran Quivira came under the control of Fray Francisco de Acevedo at the Abó Mission. Construction on Iglesia de San Isidro was completed in 1635. In 1659 Fray Diego de Santander was permanently assigned to Gran Quivira. Soon after, construction on a new larger church, San Buenaventura, began. By 1672 a combination of disease, drought, famine, and Apache raiding led to the abandonment of Gran Quivira.Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 20253. The view of the marker along the trail
Credits. This page was last revised on August 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 68 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 10, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
