"One of the most spectacular landmarks in the Southwest is the Indian pueblo of Acoma. Situated on a high mesa in west central New Mexico, it is nicknamed "Sky City."

The Indians were already living there when Coronado passed by in 1540. Then, the only way to the top was by means of a steep stairway hacked out of the mesa's rocky wall. Up this difficult passage, women bore water jars on their heads and men carried earth, stones and timbers to build their pueblo.

The Acomas have not always resided on this mesa. Their own legends say that hundreds of years ago the original village was located on Katzimo about three miles north of the present village. Katzimo, or the Enchanted Mesa, as it is now called, soars more than 450 feet above the surrounding valley."

Get the Story:
The Enchanted Mesa: myth or true tale? (The Santa Fe New Mexican 5/20)
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