Administration of Souls / Administración de almas
(Harpers Ferry Center)

Quarai Mission Ruin (NPS photo)

SUMMARY

This report discusses factors relating to the suitability and feasibility of accepting Abo and Quarai State Monuments into the National Park System, as proposed by the State of New Mexico through the State Museum which now has custody of the monuments.

The Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments, at its 1962 spring meeting, recommended Abo and Quarai for classification as sites possessing exceptional value in the "Contact with the Indians" Theme of the National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings in commemorating and illustrating the history of the United States. At its meeting in March 1963 the Board further recommended that the two state monuments be accepted as donations from the State and, together with whatever additional land is required for proper administration, they be established as units in the National Park System.

This report concludes that the various factors of suitability and feasibility are favorable to the concept of establishing a three-unit Salinas National Monument consisting of these two sites as enlarged by the acquisition of surrounding private lands, and the existing Gran Quivira National Monument as the third unit.

Abó Unit (Marc LeFrancois/NPS photo)

INTRODUCTION

Historical Background: Abo and Quarai State Monuments lie about 11 miles apart in gently rolling, wooded valleys close to the eastern base of the Manzano Mountains, in the western edge of Torrance County, New Mexico. From the town of Mountainair, Abo is located about 9 miles to the southwest and Quarai about 6 miles to the northwest.

The missions of San Gregorio de Abo and La Purisima Concepcion de Quarai, together with that of San Buenaventura de las Humanas (Gran Quivira National Monument), served the Salinas Indian pueblos of central New Mexico during the middle seventeenth century. Probably the first Spanish visitors to Abo Pueblo were the merchant Antonio de Espejo and a few men, in 1583. For a brief period beginning in 1598, Juan de Onate — New Mexico's first governor — assigned Father Francisco de San Miguel to minister to this and other pueblos from his headquarters at Pecos Pueblo. Thereafter known missionary work at Abo began about 1622, and the church is presumed to have been built by the Franciscan father Francisco de Acevedo, beginning in 1629, to serve these Piro-speaking Indians. Quarai had similar origins, its mission built for a Tiwa-speaking pueblo people, and in the 1630's it functioned as the seat of the Inquisition in New Mexico. Various Franciscans were resident here almost continuously until the 1670's, during which time they brought about several changes in the Indian way of life through the introduction of the new religion, improved agriculture, new domestic animals and plants, new ideas in architecture, and Spanish goods.

In 1641 the pueblos of Abo and Quarai were reported to have populations of 1,580 and 658, respectively. For the next two decades or so, there was considerable friction between the church and state officials in New Mexico, and many events that occurred at Quarai, including an abortive Indian revolt against the Spaniards, were direct outgrowths of this controversy. Recurring Apache attacks and the droughts of the 1660's and 1670's finally weakened these two pueblos, and their inhabitants abandoned them around 1672 to join linguistic relatives in nearby pueblos. When the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680 broke out, many of these Indians joined the Spaniards on their retreat down the Rio Grande and settled in the El Paso area, eventually to be absorbed by the Mexican population.

Surviving ruins of the massive, reddish sandstone masonry walls of both Abo and Quarai missions are among the most impressive in the Southwest. Those at Quarai are probably unsurpassed in grandeur of architecture and size. In many places the walls of the two missions stand roof-high, about 40 feet. At Abo, the church and adjacent convento were excavated, partially restored, and stabilized by the School of American Research and the Museum of New Mexico during the period 1935-1939. Similar work at Quarai was performed by the Museum. Federal funds were used for these projects, in part. In each location only a small part of the associated pueblo has been excavated, but extensive mounds of rock and earth mark their outlines. Quarai became a state monument in 1935 and Abo in 1938, under the administration of the Museum of New Mexico.

Quarai Unit (Marc LeFrancois/NPS photo)

Evolution of the Proposal: The Abo ruins were suggested for >national monument status by the General Land Office as early as 1916. An adverse report was submitted by the National Park Service and the proposal disapproved by the Director in 1933. In a 1940 report Regional Archeologist Erik Reed opined that the Service would continue to be interested in Abo but he doubted the need for the Service to acquire it as a National Monument. His Historic Site Survey report of that year recommended designation of Abo as a National Historic Site, without federal acquisition, through cooperation with the Museum of New Mexico. A similar report in 1939 had recommended such treatment for Quarai. In 1941 Dr. Reed advanced the proposal for a Salinas National Monument, which would combine Abo and Quarai with the existing, and historically related, Gran Quivira National Monument into one administrative area having three detached sections with a headquarters and museum in the town of Mountainair. The concept stirred some interest in Washington but was largely inactive until the postwar years, and was then rejected during the early stages of MISSION 66.

The State of New Mexico first suggested the transfer of all of its state historical monuments to the National Park Service in 1939. When the Museum of New Mexico indicated in October 1947 a desire to transfer the monuments at Jemez, Pecos, Abo, and Quarai to the Federal Government, together with the State-owned lands at Gran Quivira, the matter was referred to the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments at its April 1948 meeting. While the Board took no formal action on this proposal, the consensus was that the State should be encouraged to maintain these properties for the time being. Based upon National Survey inventory reports for Abo and Quarai in the "Spanish Exploration and Settlement" Theme IV, prepared in May 1958 by Southwest Region Staff Historian Robert Utley, the Advisory Board again had occasion to consider these two state monuments during its April 1959 meeting. The Board did not classify Abo and Quarai as sites possessing exceptional value in the Spanish theme (as it did, however, Pecos State Monument).

The most recent, and firm, offer regarding Abo and Quarai (as well as Pecos) was expressed in a letter to the Director of the Service, dated July 10, 1961, from then Director K. Ross Toole of the Museum of New Mexico. This letter professed that reorganization of the Museum's activities — aimed at concentrating its limited operating funds upon pure museum functions — looked toward the transfer of these state monuments to more suitable and better equipped custodianship. When Abo and Quarai were next taken up by the Advisory Board, at its 1962 spring meeting, they were evaluated this time in the National Survey Theme VIII — "Contact with the Indians" — and classified therein as having exceptional value in commemorating and illustrating the history of the United States. On the basis of these actions and discussions with Museum of New Mexico people during the year, the Director in December 1962 requested the Southwest Regional Office to undertake a suitability-feasibility study of the merits of federal ownership for Abo and Quarai.

The study was conducted by Regional Chief of National Park and Recreation Area Planning Herkenham. On January 10 and 11, 1963, he and Staff Archeologist Schroeder visited Abo and Quarai State Monuments to inspect the ruins, gather information, and take photographs. Records in the Torrance County seat of Estancia were reviewed, and Gran Quivira National Monument briefly visited.

Following this study the Advisory Board, at its March 1963 meeting, recommended that Abo and Quarai "be accepted as donations from the State of New Mexico and, together with whatever additional land is required for proper administration, the sites be established through appropriate means as units of the National Park System."

Gran Quivira Unit (Marc LeFrancois/NPS photo)

DESCRIPTION

Abo and Quarai State Monuments are both closer to a major route of travel than their related site — Gran Quivira National Monument. Abo is less than a mile off well-traveled U.S. Highway 60 from a junction about 10 miles southwest of Mountainair. Quarai is just off State Highway 10 from the little community of Punta de Agua, which is 8 miles north of Mountainair. The latter town is about 70 miles by road southeast from Albuquerque. The population of Mountainair is about 1,600, Torrance County 6,500, and adjacent Bernalillo County 262,000 — mostly in New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque. An average population density of only 2 persons per square mile in Torrance County indicates the open, rural character of the countryside around Abo and Quarai.

No travel records are available for these two monuments because they have not been assigned public-contact personnel by the State. It may be assumed, however, that the travel pattern parallels that of Pecos State Monument where records have been kept. Recent annual counts show about 14,000 visitors there, largely representing travel from out of state or from more distant parts of New Mexico.

Climatically the area is semiarid, being characterized by abundant sunshine, low humidity, mild summers, and relatively cold winters. Elevation is around 7,000 feet. The monuments lie in Fenneman's Basin and Range Province, about on the dividing line between the Mexican Highland and Sacramento sections. Biological classification places the area in coniferous woodland, with scattered pinyon, juniper, and cholla cactus mixed with grass. Cottonwoods are found along watercourses. For historical classification, Abo and Quarai are assigned their highest significance in Theme VIII — "Contact with the Indians," but they may also be identified with Theme IV — "Spanish Exploration and Settlement."

Location Map: Proposed Salinas National Monument

EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF LANDS AND RESOURCES

County records show that the Regents of the University of New Mexico purchased the larger part of what is now Abo State Monument, 19.73 acres, from one Abundio Peralta in June 1937, for $600.00. The following April the University deeded an undivided one-half interest in this tract to the Board of Regents of the Museum of Now Mexico and the Board of Managers of the School of American Research. In December 1938, Fred and Guadalupe Cisneros deeded as a gift to all three of these parties, jointly, an additional parcel of 1.52 acres adjoining the larger one, in order that the entire ruins of the mission would be contained within the monument boundaries. The monument's size thus totals 21.25 acres, more or less, and title to the entire area rests jointly with the University, the Museum, and the School of American Research. The School, founded in 1907 as an offshoot of the Museum, is now independent of it and operates as a private, nonprofit corporation, with offices in Santa Fe.

Quarai State Monument consists of a 15-acre tract, more or less, located within and near the southeast corner of the Manzano Municipal Grant. The tract was conveyed by Eugenio and Beatris Gonzales to Pearce C. and Dorothy McMillen Rodey in December 1928, and this couple in turn conveyed it later that same month to the Regents of the University of New Mexico. In April 1938, as in the case of Abo, the Regents deeded an undivided one-half interest in Quarai to the Museum of New Mexico and the School of American Research, so that the same three-party joint ownership obtains at Quarai. The water rights of Eugenio Gonzales and of the people of Punta de Agua in this area remained reserved throughout these transfers, as well as an access road right-of-way across the west end of the Quarai property leading to other lands owned by Gonzales.

Each of the monuments has its boundary fenced in good condition at present. Within each area are simple pit toilets in masonry structures, and an unmanned entrance station structure. Quarai has a well that is presently filled with debris and is inoperative, and there are a few picnic tables and fireplaces provided in a pleasant grove of cottonwoods. Abo has no picnic facilities and no visible water supply. There is parking space available outside the fence at each monument. Only foot travel is permitted within, for which a few trails exist. No interpretation or other visitor service of any kind is provided. There are no employee quarters associated with the monuments, and whatever custodial attention they have received has been through the hiring of local residents at modest salaries. For a while after June 1961 there were no state funds for even this activity, but they were again provided beginning in December 1962. Mr. Fred Cisneros serves as the custodian at Abo, and Mr. Tobias Gonzales at Quarai. Both live on their own property in the vicinity of the respective monuments.

Immediately outside the boundaries of each monument, and conspicuously visible from within, are houses, ranch structures, windmills, assorted vehicles, and domestic animals belonging to private landowners. The visual intrusion is especially clashing on the land surrounding Abo, where at least five ranch complexes crowd upon the monument boundaries and make a savoring of the area's historical atmosphere extremely elusive.

San Buenaventura Church from the south, convento and corral in foreground, Gran Quivira National Monument NPS photo)

SIGNIFICANCE AND NEED FOR CONSERVATION

When evaluated in the "Contact with the Indians" Theme, Abo and Quarai have been found by the National Parks Advisory Board to merit classification as possessing exceptional value in commemorating and illustrating the history of the United States. Dr. Erik Reed has analyzed the derivation of this significance from the values embodied in the two areas, outlined in this report's introduction. Essentially, the basis for significance is the inference that the establishment of these outposts of Christian European civilization at the various pueblos certainly had considerable acculturative effect on the Indians. This would especially be the case at a mission like Abo, which was continuously manned for 45 years or more — probably more regularly than any other of the Salinas pueblos — and therefore seemingly the most important one, although not necessarily the administrative capital for the group. By comparison, Las Humanas (Gran Quivira) was not continuously occupied by a resident priest throughout its relatively brief history, and was a visita of Abo for perhaps a quarter-century. It is at Abo and Quarai, however, that Indian kivas have been found within the convento of the mission, in each case centered in the patio and evidently built after the mission had been established. None has been found as yet in the convento adjoining the large church at Las Humanas.

Dr. Reed points out that we know very little, actually, about the processes of cultural change in seventeenth-century New Mexico pueblos, or about what precise effects the Spanish and Franciscan influences had on local Indian culture. Most of the pueblo ruins at Abo, Quarai, and Gran Quivira have never been excavated, and so their storehouse of knowledge that could shed light on this relationship remains still largely untapped. Consequently, the protection and preservation of Abo and Quarai — like Gran Quivira — for future study, as well as for continued public availability and interpretation, is highly desirable.

The missions at Abo and Quarai, as well as at Gran Quivira National Monument, are associated neither with famous names nor with any major events of importance in American history. In fact, what transpired at these outlying frontier missions probably had very little effect on contemporaneous developments elsewhere, even within seventeenth-century New Mexico. Apart from the above historical-archeological considerations, then, the real importance of these mission edifices lies in their impressive size and striking architectural interest, essentially unmodified originals in large part, surviving after three centuries and representing a special and significant local phase of the history of the Spanish Southwest, illustrating particularly the close interaction of Franciscan missionary establishments with pre-existing large Indian settlements.

Clearly implied in this discussion is the interrelationship between the existing Gran Quivira National Monument and the two state monuments, Abo and Quarai, suggesting the potentiality for a single integrated National Monument comprising these three detached units. There are elements of duplication between them, principally in the mission structures and pueblo ruins, and yet each contributes its own special values to the interpretation of the prehistoric Salinas Pueblo province and of subsequent Spanish cultural and historical influences upon it. At Gran Quivira the story of Indian-Spanish contact is minor as compared to this site's archeological significance in representing a distinctive major division of prehistoric Indian culture — the peripheral Salinas Pueblo grouping. By contrast, it was at Abo and Quarai that the main current of Spanish missionary influence on this pre-existing culture was concentrated. In evaluating the total historical resource embodied in these three sites, it can be concluded that more of it is represented at Abo and Quarai than at the present Gran Quivira National Monument.

San Buenaventura Church with convento in foreground, Gran Quivira National Monument (NPS photo)

SUITABILITY

Integrity: Allowing for natural deterioration that is characteristic of such structures and for justifiable excavation and stabilization measures, integrity of the mission and pueblo ruins at Abo and Quarai is reasonably well preserved. If anything, much of the mission walls have been so professionally restored that the resulting loss of an air of antiquity might be cause for criticism. The restoration work of the 1930's was painstakingly done, as far as it went, leaving sharp, clean edges and corners on the structures, and visible lines of demarcation between original and restored areas of masonry. These features are far less objectionable, however, than the jarring contrast presented by the appearance of the private ranch developments on lands immediately outside the monument boundaries, particularly at Abo. This visual encroachment is so severe as to rather effectively destroy the integrity of the surrounding setting for the monuments, the authenticity of which should be a part of the visitor's experience.

Adaptability: As far as the actual areas within the existing boundaries of the two monuments are concerned, they can be said to be fully adaptable to effective preservation and interpretation for historic monument purposes. The physical remains of the pueblo and mission structures are substantial enough as to lend themselves to significant interpretive treatment. However, for the reason cited above, this factor is seriously impaired by the incompatible character of use on the surrounding lands. In the present conditions of the overall scene, the size of the monuments is far too small to be adaptable for national monument status. As for administrative and development requirements, it is doubtful that the present boundaries would provide room for them without encroaching on the historical values, but this is of less importance than the basic need for an exterior buffer zone. If additional lands surrounding the state monuments were acquired to preclude visual encroachment, these logically would contain the required residences, administrative structures, and other development facilities.

Comprehensive Unit: Comprehensiveness of the existing state monuments is complete in all respects but one — a serious one — the matter of wholly inadequate surrounding buffer zones for visual protection and development space, as discussed above.

Accessibility: Both Abo and Quarai are conveniently accessible by paved roads over short distances from U.S. Highway 60, a major travel route.

Part of Abo church and convento ruins, circular Indian kiva in patio (NPS photo)

FEASIBILITY

Availability: The Museum of New Mexico, which holds joint title to Abo and Quarai State Monuments with the University of New Mexico and the School of American Research, in July 1961 made a firm offer to convey these properties at no cost to the National Park Service. The offer stated that both the University and the School have agreed to transfer their interests unconditionally along with the Museum's, should the Service agree to take the areas over as National Monuments. The offer also mentioned deed restrictions that limit the use of the properties to that of historical-archeological monuments.

The problem in this factor does not concern the state monuments themselves, but the surrounding privately owned lands, some of which should be acquired for buffer purposes in any consideration of administering the areas as units in the National Park System. One of the several private landowners at Abo, who may be atypical, revealed in an informal discussion that he was sympathetic to the concept of an enlarged National Monument unit which would require the acquisition of some of his land, and that he would not oppose being displaced for this purpose. At Quarai, the private land surrounding the state monument appears to be entirely in one ownership — that of a nearby rancher. The attitudes of this person and of the other landowners around Abo toward possible federal acquisition of their properties are not known, as they could not be contacted during the field studies. Estimates of additional land requirements at Quarai indicate that the present residence and operating base of the rancher need not be disturbed by enlargement of the Quarai unit.

It was learned in the Torrance County Clerk's office that ownership status and property descriptions for the lands within the Manzano Grant which surround Quarai State Monument are obscure because these lands were never surveyed. Some properties have changed hands over the years without benefit of the execution of deeds or the filing of records. The County is reluctant to make the necessary surveys for tax purposes because the resulting tax revenue, which is now uncollectable, would not offset the cost of surveying. The implication of this situation is that difficulty might be encountered in tracing title for any particular tract of land in the Quarai vicinity, and the validity of title to the state monument itself might thus be clouded.

Relationship to the Economy: Since Abo and Quarai are now in public ownership, the matter of county tax revenue is an aspect of feasibility that applies only to the additional private lands that would be acquired. As seen above, the question in the Quarai vicinity appears to be of no consequence anyway. Even where applicable on the lands around Abo, the tax loss occasioned by federal acquisition would be minor, as the grazing classification on most of these lands carries the lowest tax rate, producing an annual revenue to the County of about 2 cents per acre.

No study was made to appraise the existing contribution that the two state monuments make to the local economy through tourism, but it is probably slight. It can be assumed that the prestige associated with designation of the monuments as federal areas would attract more visitors to them, and that an adequate interpretive program for the monuments would induce visitors to spend more time, and money, in the vicinity, but this is difficult to evaluate.

Costs: There would be no acquisition costs for the existing state monuments, but the purchase of additional private lands would contribute to this factor. Information received in the County Clerk's office indicates that the going market value for this class of land is between $10 and $40 per acre. Based on field studies, it is suggested that about 200 acres of private land at Abo and 57 acres at Quarai would be required to round out and restore the sites for national monument purposes. Of course, some of this acreage is occupied by homes and related improvements such as windmills, barns, and corrals, and the value of the land would be increased accordingly. Competent professional appraisals will be required to determine a fair scale of prices, but it is believed that a reasonable estimate for total acquisition costs, including those for the appraisal work and related expenses, would be in the neighborhood of $40,000.

The operating plan recommended in this report envisions a centralized administrative headquarters for the National Monument complex of three detached units (including the existing Gran Quivira National Monument), plus a small local installation chiefly for interpretation and protection at each of the three sites. This is discussed at greater length later. It is estimated that adequate development costs involving the areas other than Gran Quivira would be in the range of $288,000 for the central headquarters site, $243,000 for Abo, and $212,000 for Quarai — for a total of $743,000. Against this total there should be applied a reduction of approximately $110,000 for programmed development at Gran Quivira that would be obviated in the event the comprehensive monument concept materializes. Thus, net development costs occasioned by the proposal to create a Salinas National Monument through the addition of Abo and Quarai to the National Park System would be about $633,000. Equipment expenditures probably would round this to approximately $650,000. The estimated annual operating and maintenance costs for the combined three-unit monument that would be in excess of the current ones for Gran Quivira alone would be around $92,000. Programs for initial ruins stabilization could reasonably be expected to cost $50,000 at Abo and $25,000 at Quarai, and archeological excavation costs of $25,000 at Abo and $75,000 at Quarai are realistic. About $25,000 would be needed for historical research relating to all three missions.

In summary, the total cost for the first 5 years of operation of the three-unit monument complex — in excess of the program for Gran Quivira alone — would be around $1,350,000.

Since the Museum of New Mexico is desirous of donating Abo and Quarai to the Federal Government, consideration might be given to exploring with the State the possibility of its participation in acquisition of the additional private lands around the monuments. If these lands were first acquired by the State, the two complete tracts might then be donated for national monument purposes instead of the existing inadequate state monument areas alone. As analyzed above, land and property costs represent a minor item in the total anticipated costs of establishing the enlarged National Monument.

Public Interest: No survey of local opinion was made, but information available at Gran Quivira and in the local press indicates that people in the vicinity of Mountainair are generally interested in a more substantial management status for Abo and Quarai.

Abo and Quarai Units of Proposed Salinas National Monument

BOUNDARIES AND ACREAGES

The accompanying map No. SA-SAL-7100 showing land status and suggested general development planning indicates the boundaries that are considered essential to the establishment of adequate National Monument units at Abo and Quarai. Acquisition of private lands within these boundaries would bring the total acreages for the two units to about 220 and 72, respectively.

The boundaries for both were drawn with the primary consideration of providing buffer zones around the ruins for the protection of the historical settings and elimination of visual encroachments that seriously detract from the desired atmosphere. Another important consideration at Abo was the inclusion of the lands embracing the present entrance road and its junction with U.S. 60. In re-evaluating the proposal that had been originally advanced in 1941 for a single comprehensive National Monument comprising Abo, Quarai, and Gran Quivira with a central headquarters in the town of Mountainair, it is believed that this plan, slightly modified to place the headquarters instead at the Highway 60 junction near Abo, offers the best combination of advantages including economy of operation, administrative proximity with at least one of the sites, integration of the overall interpretive theme, and convenient contact with the traveling public. The suggested Abo boundaries, therefore, are extended to encompass a development site for the central headquarters at the road junction, controlling both sides of the highway. Other than these basic criteria, the boundaries at Abo were placed along major land subdivision lines, with consideration for ownership status by private individuals and for minimizing severance damages. By circumstance, this delineation would make the western side of the Abo unit contiguous with the Cibola National Forest. Since there are no conventional land subdivision lines at Quarai, and all the surrounding land is in one private ownership, the boundaries there were determined solely on the basis of needs for visual protection and development space.

Inside the Quarai Church (NPS photo)

LAND USE AND POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT

The primary use at Abo and Quarai should be for historic-archeologic site preservation and interpretation. The latter can best be accomplished by comprehensive visitor center exhibits and by on-site interpretation along self-guiding foot trails. No concessions operate at either monument and none is needed because of the proximity of small towns which can provide the usual visitor services. Overnight camping is not now, nor should it be, a permissible use at either site. Existing facilities for picnicking at Quarai are in a pleasant cottonwood grove which is far enough removed from the ruins area that this use does not seem to be objectionable, nor practiced to excess. Its continuance under these conditions should be allowed so long as it does not unduly become an objective of a visit in itself. There are no comparable facilities or suitable sites in the existing Abo State Monument, but they could be provided in a section of the additional area proposed for national monument purposes.

As the main justification for establishing buffer zones around the present monuments resides in the need to prevent or eliminate incompatible developments in the vicinity, all dwellings and related structures, fences, and any other objects that are out of character with monument purposes should be removed from these zones and the sites restored to conditions resembling the original. Access roads, parking facilities, utility lines, and other necessary administrative developments should be planned with a view to avoiding new visual intrusions as much as possible. To implement these principles at Abo, it is recommended that all developments be kept east of Abo Wash, so that only original historical-archeological features and reasonable interpretive adjuncts will be found on the west side. Access to the ruins from the parking area would be by footbridge and trail across the wash.

The suggested development plan for the three-unit National Monument complex would call for a central headquarters at the Highway 60 junction near Abo, to consist of the main administration-visitor center building, utility building, and residences. A smaller installation at each of the three units consisting of an interpretive contact station, small storage building, and two or three residences would be required.

An overview of the Abó Mission (Marc LeFrancois/NPS photo)

CONCLUSIONS

Abo and Quarai State Monuments have been classified in the "Contact with the Indians" Theme as possessing exceptional value in commemorating and illustrating the history of the United States. At its March 1963 meeting the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments recommended that these two sites "be accepted as donations from the State of New Mexico and, together with whatever additional land is required for proper administration, the sites be established through appropriate means as units of the National Park System." With one notable exception which will require correction, the various factors of suitability and feasibility are favorable to the proposal; the conspicuous and incompatible visual encroachment upon the monuments by developments on the surrounding private lands will necessitate the acquisition and restoration of some of these lands for buffer zones if the offered state areas are to be administrable as recommended by the Advisory Board. On this condition, Abo and Quarai, together with the existing Gran Quivira National Monument with which they are historically and geographically related, would constitute three detached units of an enlarged, comprehensive National Monument having a single centralized headquarters.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that a Salinas National Monument be established, to consist of the existing Gran Quivira National Monument and the offered state monuments at Abo and Quarai as enlarged by acquisition of surrounding private lands.

It is further recommended that the possibility be explored with the State of New Mexico of the State's acquiring the required additional lands around Abo and Quarai and that these additions be included with the state monuments as part of the donation to the Federal Government.

The boundaries of the Abo unit should be extended to include a site on U.S. 60 at the junction with the access road, to be used for the centralized headquarters development serving the three detached units, each of which would have a small local installation for interpretation and protection.

           Text from Salinas National Monument (Abo, Quarai, and Gran Quivira) New Mexico: A Proposal, June 1964

Gran Quivira

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