Historic Vernacular Landscape: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Aztec Ruins National Monument, National Park Service

Nelson, Peggy; Cowley, Jill; Galbraith, J.

The historic vernacular landscape associated with the Aztec National Monument represents agricultural land use activities that range from the early homestead period to the present day. During the late nineteenth century the land was homesteaded and the irrigation canal known as Farmer's Ditch was constructed. The Farmer's Ditch is still present and is actively utilized to irrigate fields and orchards immediately adjacent to the ruins as well as in the surrounding area. Current agricultural land use in the area includes irrigated pasture land, orchards, and small gardens. In addition to the agricultural land use areas and enclosures, there are numerous smaller landscape features including a variety of fences, pens, livestock (cattle, horses), and a few outbuildings. The historic vernacular landscape associated with the Aztec Ruins National Monument is historically significant as an early agricultural settlement and for associated developments within the Aztec area. The land was initially patented in 1890 and its agricultural potential recognized as Farmer's Ditch was constructed by 1892. The landscape is associated with locally significant individuals including John Koontz, prominent early settler, businessman, and town leader of Aztec and H.D. Abrams also a locally prominent businessman in Aztec. The historical records reveal that in 1890 Koontz acquired the original patent for the lands including the ruins and later sold the property to H.D. Abrams in 1908. Abrams improved the property for agricultural development yet seemed to recognize the potential importance of the ruins as he allowed both visitation and research at the site. Beginning in the 1930s, changes to the surrounding agricultural land base were underway. As the park landscape evolved and developed, so did the adjacent commercial and residential developments on the adjoining lands. A segment of the residential and commercial development of the small town of Aztec has encroached upon the fields and orchards that once characterized this rural landscape. Although there are several acres of land within the Park's authorized boundary that remain in agricultural use, many of their historically associated features are no longer present. As a result of this loss of associated features and specific landscape characteristics, the integrity of this property as representative of the historic Koontz and Abrams farms or even the early agricultural lands in the Animas Valley of San Juan county has been compromised and is no longer intact. Despite the fact that the lands within the Park's authorized boundary have retained a rural character and hold remnants of agricultural elements and features such as orchards and pasture lands, they have lost many significant historic characteristics such as patterns of spatial organization, historic patterns of vegetation, associated buildings and structures, land use activities, and cluster arrangements. A few landscape features associated with the historic vernacular/agricultural landscape have survived and are considered contributing elements to the understanding, interpretation, and appreciation of the landscape's history and development. These features include the irrigation features associated with Farmer's Ditch (laterals and headgates as well as the holding pond north of East Ruin), the waters of the Animas River, the irrigated hay fields and pasture lands, the livestock (cattle/sheep/pigs), and the orchard located west of Hubbard Ruin. It should be noted that while these remnant features contribute to the "story of the Aztec lands", the historic vernacular landscape that they are associated with has not retained sufficient integrity.

Historic Vernacular Landscape: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Aztec Ruins National Monument, National Park Service

Series

Collections