Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Tucked away in the middle of New Mexico, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument preserves three Franciscan missions and the connected Pueblo communities that thrived there long before the arrival of the Europeans. The monument’s three distinct units each stand as reminders of the Spanish and Pueblo peoples’ early encounters, a time entrenched in conflict and struggle as European colonists encroached on the homelands of Indigenous peoples. These missions—Abó, Quarai, and Gran Quivira—each preserve the unique history of an integral time in the development of what is now called the American Southwest. Abó and Quarai both played crucial roles in the continuity of traditions resulting from the collision and blending of cultures that created the mestizo heritage found among their descendants, many of whom remain in the Salinas area today. This diverse landscape protects numerous species of plants, animals, and insects, including the buffalo gourd, the monument’s most notable plant. Since 1909, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument has worked to protect and interpret the cultural and historical significance of the Salinas province, which includes the stories, art, and natural landscapes connected to the Indigenous pueblos and Spanish Franciscan mission architecture. Visit this important place and experience a park that is equal parts enriching and inspiring.