Native American Historic Land Use At Kirtland Air Force Base Bernalillo County, New Mexico (Draft)

Author(s): Richard D. Holmes

Year: 1996

Summary

Historic land use of the Kirtland Air Force Base area by Native American groups was researched by TRC Mariah Associates, Inc. The principal questions were what ways did these groups use the land and what areas were used. Potential Native American groups using the project area include people of Isleta Pueblo, Sandia Pueblo, residents of the Salinas Province east of the Manzano Mountains, as well as Apaches and Comanches. The focus is on the people of Isleta Pueblo in that they are the closest to the project area and apparently had the closest ties to this area.

Evidence was drawn from the archaeological, historical, and ethnographic records. Archaeological site locational data indicate seven sites at Kirtland Air Force Base that may represent occupation at undetermined times by Native American groups. Historical documents and oral history interviews suggest some uses. Although ethnographic interviews were planned, none could be arranged; consequently, the ethnographic record, both literature and transcripts of interviews conducted at Isleta Pueblo in the 1960s were reviewed for specific references to activities.

From these data it appears that the principal users of the Kirtland Air Force Base area were Isletans. Activities included grazing, gathering of plants, woodcutting, and hunting; ritual activity has also been suggested. Native American groups used two categories of sites at Kirtland Air Force Base: long-term, intensive, or repeatedly used sites, such as those expected at a place like Coyote Springs; and short-term camps or resource acquisition areas, which would be more widely distributed. Since the Coyote Springs locale was a favored place of occupation through many periods, there is a strong possibility that cultural materials of historic Native American groups might not be distinguished at sites in this area because of continued use by other cultural groups.

Cite this Record

Native American Historic Land Use At Kirtland Air Force Base Bernalillo County, New Mexico (Draft). Richard D. Holmes. 1996 ( tDAR id: 469088) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8469088

Keywords

Culture
Apache • Comanche • Historic • Historic Pueblo • Isleta • Isleta Pueblo • Middle Rio Grande Anasazi • RIO GRANDE PUEBLO • Sandia • Southern Tiwa • Spanish

Material
Ceramic • Puname Polychrome • San Juan Rad-on-tan

Site Name
LA 108016 • LA 108034 • LA 108035 • LA 38135 • LA 47901 • LA 48101 • LA 48105 • LA 89368 • MAI 784-38 • NM 1:14:4:3 • NM I:14:4:3

Site Type
Artifact Scatter • Check Dam • Check Dam? • Cobble Feature • Corral • Isolated Feature • Multi-component site • Rock Alignment • Rock Shelter • Stone Circle • Terrace • Water Control Feature

Investigation Types
Consultation • Ethnographic Research • Ethnohistoric Research • Historic Background Research • Records Search / Inventory Checking

General
Coyote Springs • Interviews • Isleta Tract • Land Claims • Land Use • Salinas Province • The Pueblo of Isleta

Geographic Keywords
Albuquerque, New Mexico • Bernalillo (County) • Kirtland Air Force Base • Manzano Mountains

Temporal Keywords
Historic

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1680 to 1900 (Period of Land Use)

Spatial Coverage

min long: -107.15; min lat: 34.211 ; max long: -105.26; max lat: 35.15 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Kirtland Air Force Base CRM Manager

Record Identifiers

NPS Contract No.(s): CX-1200-92-010, Modification 14; CX-1200-92-010

TRC Mariah Project No.(s): 01784

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
CR-0126.pdf 772.81kb Jul 1, 2022 11:14:01 AM Confidential

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Contact(s): Kirtland Air Force Base CRM Manager