A History of Puye Cliff Dwellings

The Manitou Cliff Dwellings Preserve was created using stones collected from twenty-five mesa-top dwellings that were originally located on private farmland near McElmo Canyon, northeast of Dolores, Colorado. These ancient structures had been partially covered by soil and scattered throughout agricultural fields. In the early 1900s, plans were made to destroy these remains to expand farmland, while the stones from the dwellings were intended to be reused for constructing irrigation channels.

The idea behind creating the Manitou Cliff Dwellings Preserve came from Virginia McClurg and Harold Ashenhurst. Their goal was to establish a museum that could protect and showcase the remarkable stone architecture created by the Ancestral Puebloans, which at the time faced serious threats from looters, vandals, and artifact collectors.

After several unsuccessful efforts to establish Mesa Verde as a national park and repeated failures to pass federal preservation laws, Virginia McClurg, a philanthropist and advocate for protecting Indigenous cultures, decided immediate action was necessary. During this period, many Native American sites across the Southwest were being damaged by treasure hunters using explosives to search for hidden artifacts. Since the federal government had not yet taken responsibility for protecting these locations, McClurg worked to preserve these important cultural sites herself.

McClurg had long supported turning Mesa Verde into a national park, but she believed women should have a leading role in managing and protecting the site. After disagreements over the future management of Mesa Verde and concerns that ancient cliff dwellings would continue to be destroyed, she founded the Colorado Cliff Dwellings Association in 1904 and began an ambitious preservation project.

The Relocation and Reconstruction Project

Virginia McClurg and her team obtained permission to collect materials from several mesa-top dwellings. Members of the Colorado Cliff Dwellers Association carefully excavated and gathered stones from these locations, then transported them by ox carts and horse-drawn wagons to the railroad station in Dolores, Colorado.

The stones were then shipped by train to Colorado Springs before being transported again by horses and oxen to James Canyon, also known as Deadman’s Canyon, in Manitou Springs. After the arrival of the structures, the canyon was renamed Cliff Canyon.

Cliff Canyon was selected because its environment closely resembled the original McElmo region. It contained sandstone cliffs, natural rock shelters, and a southwest-facing canyon wall that provided suitable conditions for rebuilding the structures.

Preserving Ancestral Puebloan Architecture

Virginia McClurg believed that without official government protection, ancient Puebloan sites would eventually be destroyed by treasure hunters and careless visitors. Her team carefully recorded the measurements, designs, and appearances of the original dwellings so that the reconstructed structures could accurately represent Ancestral Puebloan architecture.

When the stones arrived in Manitou Springs, they were carefully placed according to the original designs, allowing several important examples of southwestern architecture to be recreated. When the preserve opened in 1907, Dr. E.L. Hewett, an important figure in American archaeology and one of the supporters of the Antiquities Act, praised the site for its craftsmanship and educational value.

The Pueblo Building and Cultural Experience

The preserve’s three-story pueblo structure represents the architectural traditions of the Taos Pueblo people of New Mexico. These Pueblo communities are descendants of the broader Ancestral Puebloan cultural tradition.

The pueblo-style building was constructed around the beginning of the 20th century and later became the home of a Native American family of dancers who shared their culture and traditions with visitors for many generations. Members of this family continued living in the pueblo until 1984.

Over time, the building expanded into museums displaying Native American pottery, artifacts, and cultural items. Today, the site also includes a gift shop offering Native-made pottery, jewelry, artifacts, and other locally produced gifts. Visitors can explore Ancestral Puebloan history through interactive educational experiences while visiting the Pikes Peak region.

The Mission of Manitou Cliff Dwellings Today

Although the Manitou Cliff Dwellings Preserve consists of relocated stones and reconstructed structures inspired by ancient southwestern sites, its purpose remains unchanged more than a century later. The preserve continues to serve as an outdoor educational destination where visitors can learn about, appreciate, and experience the achievements of the Ancestral Puebloan people and gain insight into how they lived in the past.

The Mystery of Why the Cliff Dwellers Left

Modern researchers still do not have a complete answer as to why the Ancestral Puebloans abandoned many of their cliff dwellings and stone villages. However, most scientists believe that environmental challenges, food shortages, or conflicts with outside groups may have contributed to their migration.

Early archaeologists once believed that the Cliff Dwellers had disappeared suddenly and without explanation, leaving behind impressive structures such as Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, a massive water reservoir capable of holding hundreds of thousands of gallons, the enormous five-story pueblo complex at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, and the large ceremonial kiva at Aztec Ruins National Monument.

The Continuing Legacy of the Ancestral Puebloans

Many modern Native American communities trace their ancestry directly back to the Ancestral Puebloans. They emphasize that their people did not vanish but continued their traditions in present-day communities.

Scientific research supports this view, showing that ancestral groups gradually left major cultural centers such as Chaco, Mesa Verde, and Kayenta over a long period of time. Many eventually joined communities connected with today’s Hopi and Zuni people in Arizona and New Mexico, as well as Pueblo villages located along the Río Grande.

Possible Reasons for Their Migration

The Ancestral Puebloans left behind very little written history, with much of their knowledge preserved through symbolic rock art, including pictographs and petroglyphs. Researchers believe that a prolonged drought between approximately A.D. 1275 and 1300 played a significant role in their movement away from these settlements.

Changes in climate would have made farming and obtaining food increasingly difficult. In addition, archaeological evidence suggests that conflicts or pressure from hostile groups may also have forced some communities to relocate. Their departure remains a subject of ongoing study, but their cultural traditions continue through their descendants today.