Geology of the National Parks Through Pictures - Casa Grande Ruins

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You can find more Geology of the National Parks Through Pictures as well as my Geological State Symbols Across America series at my website Dinojim.com.

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Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Although Casa Grande Ruins is mainly an archaeology park, there is geology everywhere. Even if sometimes it is just a pretty picture of the landscape. For Casa Grande Ruins we learn how settlers in the land used the land, even as inhospitable as it may seem, to their advantage.

 My entrance sign picture

 The Casa Grande (big house), which is being protected from the elements via a giant tent structure. As a building which was built over 650 years ago, it's looking pretty good. Some other structures and the base of walls from structures long ago are in the foreground.

As can be read on the sign, the ancient Sonoran people used caliche (pronounced ka-lee-chee), which is a calcium carbonate rich desert soil. The caliche was then collected, then mixed with water and formed into the walls while wet. Once dried, the walls have lasted centuries.

 A close up view of the front of the house. You can clearly see the difference between the fixed areas (along the base and around the door) and the original areas.

 The back side of Casa Grande

 Looking up into Casa Grande. 

 Several of the outlying buildings are partially intact as well. The is one of the structures to the south of Casa Grande. 

 Looking north towards Casa Grande.

 A view of the Sonoran Desert with a Sonoran Desert People's "ball pit" located in the foreground. As you can see, there is not much in this desert environment. Even cacti are not that prevalent. 

View of the Casa Grande with one of the old signs and a saguaro cactus.