Montezuma County Archaeology: a Layman's View
RE: Goodman Point and the vicinity west of Highway 491
There are ten Land parcels in Montezuma County that belong to the Archaeological Conservancy. Five of them are west of Highway 491. One is at Goodman Point.
Of the ten most well-known archaeological areas in Colorado, five of them are located in southwest Montezuma County. Two of those five surround Goodman Point on three sides: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument and Hovenweep National Monument.
Did you know Montezuma County is a Preserve America Community since July 2006? Somewhere in our county is a certificate proclaiming our designation. We can display road signs showing that designation.
Within the Goodman Point area, there are many numbered ruins: Goodman Point Pueblo, Coyote Tree, Mustoe Site and Shields Pueblo, to name a few. The Fulks Artifact Collection displayed at the Cortez Cultural Center came from there. The Chappell Artifact Collection displayed at the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum came from there. Surely you can understand that the ruins don't stop at any national monument border, given the kind of site concentration mentioned! This rich heritage should be conveyed to future generations! Intact!
Lastly, a BLM EIS released in December 2024, which covered an 11 state area of western lands, is a Record of Decision (ROD) for their utility-scale solar energy plan. Table A-3 page 68 names Canyons of the Ancients strictly off limits for solar energy development.
The concentration of ancient cultural history in our county shows the importance of the Goodman Point area to the earliest inhabitants. Sites can be aged from Basketmaker III to Pueblo III. This rich cultural history should not be erased by allowing a utility-scale solar facility to be built at Goodman Point!
Address
Cortez, CO, 81321
Contact
sayno2solarfarms@gmail.com
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