Historical Marker
Salinas National Monument (1)
This unique regional complex of Puebloan structures and associated 17th-century Franciscan mission ruins are austere and beautiful reminders of early contact between Tiwa and Tompiro speaking Pueblo Indians and Spanish Colonials. The complex includes Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira ruins. The areas saline deposits in the valley’s small basin lakes were utilized by native peoples and early Spanish settlers.
New Mexico is home to many important Native American sites and cultures, including the Taos Pueblo, Acoma Pueblo, and Navajo Nation. These tribes have lived in the region for thousands of years and have preserved their traditions and customs despite centuries of colonization and oppression.