City on a Hill: Tuzigoot Nat'l Monument 5/16/11

Tuzigoot - Apache for "crooked water" - is one of the smallest sites in the entire NPS system (those being kind might suggest humble), and, after a long day of similarly themed monuments, not exactly the best way to stir the juices of historical memory. Sitting atop a small hill on the outskirts of Clarkdale, AZ (rising 120 feet above the valley below), overlooking the Verde River, the site is striking to be sure, much like an ancient castle from a long-dead empire, but what glows from afar often withers with proximity. The skeletal remains of a Southern Sinagua village built between 1125 and 1400, Tuzigoot was once two stories high, bursting with 77 ground-floor rooms. Such an edifice no doubt served its purpose of dominating the immediate area (and providing unparalleled views of potential threats), and as said, even the shell hints at its former glory.

The visitor center, as of our visit, was still a work-in-progress; a mess of goodies and artifacts as it improves the museum side of things. As such, we didn't stay long (just enough for me to butcher the stamp, necessitating a second try on another page), and quickly moved to the monument's path. Don't blink, friends, as the walk up is practically the walk back. The area is eye-catching, but the ruins themselves, removed from their perch, aren't much to look at. For perhaps the only time on a visit with ancient architecture, I could see the strings; somehow, these stones just didn't cut it. To some extent, all sites of this type feature fortifications and repairs, but it all seemed too "new" here, and I got the feeling that much of what appears is a modern re-creation, albeit on authentic ground. It did not surprise me to learn that during excavations in the 1930s, walls were stabilized, and the central section was entirely rebuilt.

The brief excursion along the ruins does give visitors a sense of size and scope, but other than climbing to the top, the views remain punishingly the same. Even the bird's eye view is compromised by modern intrusions that reduce the experience to a theme park ride, not a journey into the past. I'm respectful of all NPS locations, but a hint of boredom crept in at Tuzigoot. I had my stamp, my pictures, and snippet of video; now I just wanted to move on. Sure, a guided tour might enhance the experience, but not even the wittiest ranger could inject knowledge into the overall mystery. As always, no one really knows what went on here. Maybe, at long last, it's just one ancestral site too many.

Once again, though, we made amends for passing right by the entrance to this monument back in 2009. Hell, we even saw the ruins from the road! As disappointing as the visit was in 2011, the VC had a few cool bonus stamps. For that, we thank you.

FINAL RATING

2/10