Montezuma Well - Verde Valley AZ

Approximately 1600 years ago, the "Sinagua" people settled into the Verde Valley and Sedona areas. They eventually built and occupied cliff dwellings, pit houses, pueblos, and other masonry structures. For reasons known only to them, the Sinagua eventually abandoned the structures about 700 years ago.  The word "Sinagua" is Spanish for "without water." What they called themselves is unknown, but we do know that they are linked with the Hopi and Hohokam tribes. Today, members of the Apache and Yavapai tribes live in the area. Some say that the vanished "Sinagua" people are part of one or more of these other four groups today.

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Montezuma Well (unrelated to Montezuma and not really a well) is a large limestone sinkhole with a seemingly endless supply of water.

Even during periods of drought, over 1.5 million gallons of water flows into, and out of this sinkhole everyday. Water leaves the "well" after passing through limestone, and into an irrigation ditch. The ditch has been dated at over 1,000 years old, and is still used today.

Some of the Sinagua cliff houses are visible just under the rim (in the upper middle of the pic)

A better view. These ruins have not been "re-built."

The following several photos are ruins that are lower and closer to the water exit.

Historical graffiti

Graffiti this old is actually protected

Pueblo ruins very close to the edge of the sinkhole.

The remains of the foundation of a "pit-house." This is also close to the sinkhole. Poles were placed in the holes to help support and shape the roof and walls. The entrance was on the left. The only restoration work is a "mud" based paint that is used to coat and protected what is left.

This structure protects the pit-house from the weather.

Not related, but just because I like the way it looks.

See previous post on Montezuma's Castle HERE.

Obscure Rock House Ruins

On our way to Sears Point  a few weeks ago, we passed by the ruins of this lonely looking old rock house. As of yet, I haven't been able to discover a single fact about this place. I guess it's just another reminder that these were tough, strong, and creative people who lived in our deserts generations ago.

Not a store, a doctor, or anything else in any direction for many miles. When I say that, I'm talking about today. Imagine how isolated it was 100 or more years ago.

A whole bunch of skill went into making this place. I know this view doesn't look like much to most people, but to them, I'm sure it was beautiful.

They built themselves a nice fire place. 

An old ruin, an abandoned wreck of an old car, or even an old rusted can. I know it's not much to some people, but to me, it is history in it's purest form. Somebody came here from somewhere else and made something out of nothing. They actually lived their lives out here on the perimeter,  What happened after that? These places fill my head with questions. 

There are people I know who are VERY reluctant to even drive across the desert today. What kind of chutzpah did it take to drop anchor and live out here in the middle of it?  


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Knapp's Castle

Located not far from of the subject of my last post (Chumash Painted Cave), is another one of those places that few have heard of and even fewer have actually seen. Just about 100 years ago a very wealthy industrialist named George Owen Knapp decided to build himself a little mountain retreat (on about 160 mountain top acres).  He already owned one home in the nearby town of Montecito (on a measly 100 acres). Montecito is a perennial member of the most wealthy towns (per capita) in the United States. I guess that is no surprise, because Mr. Knapp was one of the founders of Union Carbide Company. If you haven't heard of that company, you are probably very young. Over the years, I believe it has morphed into Dow Chemical Company. Don't hold that against him though, because he was a philanthropist of the first order.

Craftsmen and building materials were imported from Europe to complete Mr. Knapp's castle. Apparently, the "retreat" consisted of five bedrooms, observatory, studios, cottages, servant quarters, and a superintendent's house. Running water was provided by nearby waterfalls.  (photo credit: Unknown. In addition to seeing it many times on the Internet, it is also at GeorgeOwenKnapp.com) 

This is what it looked like when we were there a few months ago. I'd heard that there was security on site and the property had been purchased and the ruins were going to be demolished. Is that possible? I'd also heard the county of Santa Barbara refused to issue the required permits. We had no inkling of what we would find once we got there.  I apologize in advance for the inconsistency of the photos. The sky was huge, bright and harsh. 

If you look at the two buildings to the far left of the fist photo. You will see that this stonework is all that is left of them. The whole place was destroyed in a wild fire in 1940. The Knapp family sold it to a ultra-famous German soprano Lotte Lehamm 46 days before the fire. 

There was a guy working on the property while we were there, but he didn't give us a second look. If you look at the stone work, you can see that he has been doing some repairs to the original work. It didn't look like anything was being torn down.

For those who know a little about the area, the water in the background is Lake Cachuma. The famous town of Solvang is about 12 miles beyond the lake. Solvang is a Danish community established in 1911. It is a great place to visit. For me, that means visit no more than once every 5-10 years. I say that because it never changes.  I'll shut up now and let you look at the photos.

I told her not to drive the Jeep so hard! She didn't listen!

Seriously, I have no idea why, but this jeep was sitting on the property.

This is the dirt road leading to the place. Although it is locked, there is clearly not a "no trespassing" sign to be seen. Besides, we could squeeze by the tall pole on the right.

After about 10 minutes we came to another locked gate. But read the sign! "Right To Pass Revocable By Owner."  There was another sign at the ruins that said:  "This is Private Property and Under 24-Hour Video Surveillance." It also said that they would give a reward to anyone who reported acts of vandalism.  In other words, "look around, but don't screw anything up! I have no idea who owns this place, but I love them!

George Owen Knapp

Thanks for using so much stonework George!

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