First Lady Laura Bush spoke at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado on Tuesday, highlighting the park's connection to today's Pueblo people and other tribes in the Southwest.

Bush watched dances performed by members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe of Colorado. She welcomed Peter Pino, the former governor of the Zia Pueblo, who gave a blessing in the Keres language.

"I'm happy today to have the opportunity to explore a few of Mesa Verde's more than 4,000 archeological sites, including some of the famous cliff dwellings," she said. "These sites reflect the culture of this region's ancient inhabitants, tracing their progression from basket weavers, to pottery makers, to farmers, to urban planners, who developed some of America's earliest communities."

The park is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Get the Story:
First Lady praises park (The Farmington Daily Times 5/24)

Relevant Links:
Mesa Verde National Park - http://www.nps.gov/meve

Related Stories:
First Lady to visit Mesa Verde National Park (5/22)
Reburial of remains at Mesa Verde took 13 years (5/5)
Tribes bury ancestors at Mesa Verde National Park (4/25)