Have you ever wondered what life in New Mexico was like centuries ago? You’ll find plenty of incredible examples around the state but there is one location that shows how what one village appeared centuries ago and life inside.

Dated to be approximately 700 years old, Jemez Historic Site is home to an impressive ancestral site once home to the ancestors of the Jemez Pueblo peoples..
I Am New Mexico/Flickr
Called Ginsewa—a Towa word for "hot springs"—this pueblo was constructed around 1350 A.D.
In the 16th century, the Spaniards arrived in the area and began sending missionaries to the location.
I Am New Mexico/Flickr
They later built a church and mission in the area in an effort to convert the local people.
Following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the pueblo was abandoned so the Indigenous people could relocate to the tops of mesas for better fortification.
Kevin Eddy/Flickr
For centuries, the area went unnoticed until...

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...Americans spotted the ruins and began excavations of the site.
John K. Hillers/Wikimedia Commons
For example, shown here are the ruins in an 1877 photo prior to any preservation or restoration, with stones loose and exposed.
Throughout the year, the historic site is home to some incredible events.
Larry Lamsa/Flickr
One example is the annual lighting of farolitos/luminarias in the days leading up to Christmas. This creates a stunning image with a low, warm glow all over the site.
Jemez Historic Site is located just outside Jemez Springs, approximately one and a half hours northwest of Albuquerque.
Google Maps

It is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 per person, although discounts are available. For additional information, visit its website or Facebook page.

Website: NM Historic Sites
Facebook: New Mexico Historic Sites
Location: Google Maps
Phone: 575-829-3530

New Mexico is home to an incredible number of picturesque historic sites. Fort Stanton Historic Site is one of the most intact historic military forts in the country and just might be haunted. Read more about it in A Visit To Fort Stanton Historic Site In New Mexico Just Might Send Shivers Down Your Spine.

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Featured Addresses
18160 NM-4, Jemez Springs, NM 87025, USA