Pecos National Historical Park
Set against the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Pecos National Historical Park is a palace where centuries of history unfold quietly across the land. This land was home to the Pecos Pueblo, one of the most influential pueblos in the Southwest. For hundreds of years, Pecos served as a vital crossroads of trade linking the Plains tribes with Pueblo people. This location made it prosperous, powerful and connected to a vast indigenous network stretching far beyond the borders of what is now New Mexico.
In the early 18th century, Spanish colonists arrived and established a Franciscan mission beside the pueblo. A massive church once stood here as a symbol of the profound cultural shift that followed. Conversion, disease and hardship altered the Pecos. Over time, the population declined, and by the early 1800s the remaining residents left the pueblo.
During the Civil War, this site became the setting for the Battle of Glorious Pass in 1862. This battle was called the “Gettysburg of the West” as Union forces halted a Confederate advance, shaping the future of the Southwest.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson designated the area as Pecos National Monument, ensuring protection for the pueblo ruins and mission church. Twenty-five years later in 1990, George H. W. Bush expanded the designation and renamed the site Pecos National Historical Park.
Read More From Nancy
Hot Springs National Park
Visiting Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs was one of the more unique experiences in my exploration of the National Parks. Unlike parks centered around natural landscaped or historical homes, Hot Springs blends natural springs, history, architecture and American culture together. What made this visit memorable was having the opportunity to experience one of the […]
Pea Ridge National Military Park
Many of our National Historic Sites preserve the landscapes of America’s military past, especially Civil War battlefields. So many of these places are found in Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Carolinas, but Pea Ridge stands as one of the important Civil War sites in the West. Here a pivotal chapter of the conflict is found in the […]
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Site
Driving through the Texas Hill Country to visit Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park was another journey I enjoyed taking. The landscape seems to tell the story of Lyndon Baines Johnson, wide open spaces, working ranch land and the rural setting that shaped the man who would become the 36th President of the United States. […]
