PECOS Site Evolution

Though the site of Pecos itself would not be built for centuries, the earliest inhabitants of the area is dated broadly to 11,000 BCE. Archaeology indicates that early pit houses were created around 800 C.E., acting as the earliest structures of the area. It was not until the 1100s that people shifted to building pueblo structures.

1200-1325 The Mesilla Pueblo

As the population of the area grew, so did the number of pueblo sites. Structures such as the Forked Lightning Pueblo were established along the Glorieta Creek and Pecos River.

The Forked Lightning was added to Pecos after actress Greer Garson sold the property to the Conservation Fund, in 1991, which then donated the land to the National Park Service, increasing the area of the park by 5,500 acres.

1450 Consolidation

The numerous pueblos that marked the landscape began to consolidate into a larger settlement: Pecos Pueblo. The pueblo became a locus for trade, known throughout the Pueblo world by the mid 1500s.

Artists rendering of the Pecos North Pueblo circa 1700 showcasing what Pecos would look like after consolidation. Source: Singleton Peabody Moorehead, 1958.

1622-1623 Mission Convento Complex

The most significant colonial architecture at Pecos was built in the 1620s. Built by the Indigenous peoples of the site, the second Church of Pecos was the largest north of the present-day Mexico border. This church in known on site today as the 17th century church.

1680s The Destruction of the Church

After the establishment of the Spanish control, indigenous populations were treated poorly, with the Spanish attempting to control all aspects of the Pueblo world. Due to this treatment, many Indigenous Pueblos banded together to create the Pueblo revolt.

The revolt resulted in missionaries and militias being driven out of the region for 12 years. This event is considered by some as the most successful Indigenous rebellion in the Americas. As a result of the rebellion, the 17th century church was pulled down. A ceremonial kiva was created and remains in place today.

Interior view of the ceremonial kiva. Source: Western National Parks Association, "Pecos", Pecos National Historical Park: Centuries of History at Glorieta Pass

1705 The Construction of the Church

Though the revolt was successful, the Spanish forcefully reclaimed the area once again in 1692. A new building was then constructed in the place of the footprint of the 1625 building, again built by the coerced labour of the Indigenous population. This disruptive control of the Pueblos had a dramatic impact on the population of the area. In 1692, 1,500 people lived in the Pueblos of Pecos. By 1790, only 152 remained.

1800-1838 Abandoned Pueblos Mission

After the progressing declining population in the pueblo, in 1830 the last remaining Pecos people migrated out of Pecos to the Pueblo of Jemez, where they live today.

Lithographic view of the mission ruins in 1846 ([From Calvin, Lieutenant Emory Reports)

Pecos Today

After the Mexico-American war in 1846, New Mexico became an American territory. Due to the site's significant history, it became a State Monument in 1935, a National Monument in 1965, and a National Historical Park in 1990. Today, the site remains as a park that serves as a vibrant educational tool for New Mexico's history.

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