Though nothing spectacular survives, travelers can find many rewarding
historical places that conjure up the Spanish _conquistadores_ and the
natives they encountered. The four principal NPS sites are described
briefly in the following pages. Many other parks and several Indian
communities also preserve landscapes directly associated with the
explorations. They are listed below. All these places are well worth a
visit and several are worth a journey to anyone interested in the
beginnings of North American history.
Ocmulgee National Monument Ancient mounds built by people of
Macon, GA 31201 the Mississippian culture. De Soto
passed through this region in 1540.
Etowah Indian Mounds State De Soto visited this town (called
Historic Site Itaba) in August 1540.
Cartersville, GA 30120
Mound State Monument A farming town which flourished AD
Moundville, AL 35474 1000-1500; representative of the
powerful chiefdoms found by De Soto.
Parkin Archeological State Park Believed to be a center of an
Parkin, AR 72373 important chiefdom (Casqui) visited
by De Soto in 1541.
Coronado State Monument A Pueblo village visited by the
P.O. Box 95 Coronado expedition in 1540.
Bernalillo, NM 87004 Polychrome murals in the kiva are a
prize exhibit.
Pueblo of Acoma A fortress town inhabited by
P.O. Box 309 descendents of the Pueblo people
New Mexico 87034 who befriended the Alvarado party
in 1540.
Zuni Pueblo The original Cibola of Spanish
Box 339 legend. Háwikuh, the place of
Zuni, NM 87327 Coronado’s first encounter with
Pueblo Indians, is now a ruin.