State of Arizona

It was hard to focus while at this park. The grounds during my visit beautiful and well kept. My focus kept turning from the ruins of the Indigenous People of the Southwest to plants. Of all the historic and locations I have seen, this is one of the most beautiful landscaping. At the time of my visit, the grounds of the archaeological park and museum were like a desert botanical garden.

The historical structures that make up the location include stone outlines of where walls once stood and rebuilt structures. I enjoy seeing what the structures might have looked like when the Indigenous People of the Southwest lived here.

National Parks, National Monuments, and National Historical Parks are more about keeping things in their current state and not rebuilding them, which is great when actual structures remain. However, when little remains but collapsed walls, it’s hard to imagine what life might have been like for the people who lived here. There are benefits to both, however, when little remains, it places a greater importance on what the museum should include.

A Brief History of Besh-Ba-Gowah, the Area and People

South of present-day Globe, Arizona, is the partially recreated village of Besh-Ba-Gowah. The park and museum provide a great understanding of what life was like for the prehistoric people who built a multi-story, 200-room village at this location over 800 years ago. The Salado people took full advantage of the Tonto Basin’s desert resources to live here. Their existence was determined by their abilities to hunt, gather, farm, and locate water to sustain them.

The park and museum safeguard and preserve what is left of the Indigenous People of the Southwest. The Salado culture lived at the site between 1225 and 1400 CE. Inside the museum, there is a video to watch and learn about the people who called this place home. The museum also has artifacts and a model of what Besh-Ba-Gowah might have looked like. The artifacts on display include prehistoric pottery, stone tools, and woven items that were found at the location. These items provide an understanding of the culture that once thrived in this area.

If you would like to learn more about the Salado Culture visit nps.gov for more information.

Your Visit to Besh-Ba-Gowah

I enjoyed the springtime and would recommend others visit when the cacti and other plants are in bloom.

If this article interested you, read about other state and national parks I have visited in Arizona. Or check out other articles related to the Indigenous People of the Southwest or Indigenous Peoples of North America.

For more information about the park, its days and hours of operation, as well as fees, visit globeaz.gov. Also visitarizona.com for more information about Besh-Ba-Gowah.

Location

Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park and Museum
1324 S Jesse Hayes Rd
Globe, Arizona 85501