John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints
|
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona
Location
In south-central Arizona, between Phoenix and Tucson, near the town of Casa Grande.
The Monument is in the town of Coolidge, at the intersection where Arizona State Highway 87/287 splits into Highway 87 and Highway 287.
From I-10 north of its intersection with I-8, take Exit 185 to Arizona State Highway 187/387 North (or East?) in the opposite direction to the town of Casa Grande, then very shortly turn right onto Highway 387. Later turn right onto Highway 87 to the Monument.
From I-10 east of its intersection with I-8, take Exit 211 to Arizona State Highway 87 North (which later becomes Highway 87/287 North) to the Monument.
The Monument is well signposted from I-10. Finding your way back to the town of Casa Grande is a rather complex, however.
What to See and Do
The most impressive main ruin, after which the Monument is named (being Spanish for "Great House") was built by the Hohokam people and was completed sometimes before 1350 AD. It has four stories and is sixty feet long. It is now protected by a huge modern steel roof structure and can only be viewed from the outside, although parts of the inside can be seen through various window and door spaces.
The four walls of the main ruin are aligned with the cardinal points of the compass and a hole in one of its walls aligns with the position of the sun at sunset on the summer solstice; other openings align with other significant positions of the sun and moon.
Various other relatively minor ruins surround the main ruin.
The history of Casa Grande and its people is explained in the excellent adjacent Visitor Centre.
Some Ideas for Places to Stay
- The town of Casa Grande.
- There are some motels adjacent to I-10 near Eloy, a few miles southeast of the I-8/I-10 intersection.
Entrance Fee
$3 per person (Apr-01). This National Monument is unusual in charging for entrance on a per person basis rather than per vehicle. A National Parks Pass provides free entrance for all members of the holder's party, however.
Arizona
Historical Places
National Monuments
Home | States/Provinces | Subjects
As with all the other pages on this personal web site, all the information on this page is solely the opinion of the author, who has no connection whatsoever with any of the companies and organisations mentioned other than as an actual or potential customer.
About this personal web site JohnCletheroe
EMail me
Most recently modified 12-Aug-01