The mystery of the moved ruins

The mystery of the moved ruins

The history of a ruin that left the Southwest
TODAY, visitors drive right up to the reconstructed cliff dwellings, learn about southwest archeology, climb up into a balcony house and walk around a kiva.
A GROUP OF MEN pose near the newly constructed Manitou Cliff Dwellings, around 1906 or 1907. While the history of the attraction is well documented once it opened, it is unclear exactly how a group of individuals decided to move an entire ruin from Southwest Colorado and reconstruct something that looks like Mesa Verde 350 miles away.
ROCKS used to construct the Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings near Colorado Springs were likely hauled from a site near Dolores, but finding out the story behind these rocks that traveled 350 miles over 100 years ago is another story in itself.

The mystery of the moved ruins

TODAY, visitors drive right up to the reconstructed cliff dwellings, learn about southwest archeology, climb up into a balcony house and walk around a kiva.
A GROUP OF MEN pose near the newly constructed Manitou Cliff Dwellings, around 1906 or 1907. While the history of the attraction is well documented once it opened, it is unclear exactly how a group of individuals decided to move an entire ruin from Southwest Colorado and reconstruct something that looks like Mesa Verde 350 miles away.
ROCKS used to construct the Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings near Colorado Springs were likely hauled from a site near Dolores, but finding out the story behind these rocks that traveled 350 miles over 100 years ago is another story in itself.