These are among the best preserved ancient dwellings in the United States. The Indians who created them took advantage of the natural contours of the rock to shelter themselves from the elements. They were built over span of about 100 years, though people lived in the are for nearly a thousand years. Then, like so many other Indian cities, it was abandoned. Many believe a prolonged drought devastated the agrarian lifestyle. Their descendants scattered and now are part of 24 different tribes in the American southwest. These ruins were looted by scavengers before becoming part of a National Park. The buildings are constructed of adobe sometimes augmented by wooden poles. The buildings had common walls and were clustered around a central courtyard. An earlier form of building practiced in the same area was the "pit house." These were dug into the ground, with access through a hole in the roof. As the culture advanced, these pits grew deeper and more elaborate and eventually encompassed both living quarters and ceremonial chambers. It is not known how many pre-Columbian homes are in the park. Over 600 have been found so far.

• 29 June, 1906 - Becomes a National Park.
• 20 October, 1976 - Becomes a National Wilderness.
• 6 September, 1978 - Becomes a United Nations World Heritage Site.