TUZIGOOT PARK

TUZIGOOT IS A NATIONAL PARK LOCATED ATOP A DESERT HILLTOP NEAR COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA. MY HUSBAND AND I VISITED HERE WHEN WE WERE ARCHAEOLOGISTS. THIS PUEBLO WAS OCCUPIED BY SINAGUA INDIANS WHO CULTIVATED THIS COTTON NATIVE TO SOUTH AMERICA, WHICH WAS BROUGHT HERE THROUGH MEXICO. THEY WOVE BEAUTIFUL CLOTH. THE PUEBLO HAS 110 ROOMS INCLUDING A SECOND AND THIRD STORY. THE FIRST BUILDINGS WERE BUILT ABOUT 1000 AD. THESE FOLKS WERE AGRICULTURALISTS WITH TRADE CONNECTION'S SPANNING 100 MILES. THE TIMBERS WERE CUT USING STONE AXES. ABOUT 250 PEOPLE LIVED HERE.

THE PLANTS HERE INCLUDE MESQUITE, CATCLAW, AND SALTBRUSH, ALL PART OF AN ARID ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE SEVERAL PERENNIAL DRAINAGES WHERE SYCAMORE AND COTTONWOOD TREES GROW. ANIMALS HERE INCLUDE ELK, DEER, COYOTE, PORCUPINE, JACKRABBIT, SONG BIRDS, SQUIRRELS, CHIPMUNKS, MANY LIZARDS AND HAWKS, EAGLES, AND MANY SNAKES. TUZIGOOT MEANS "CROOKED WATER". THE VERDE VALLEY HAS 50 PUEBLOS TO DATE. NO ONE KNOWS WHY THEY LEFT.

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