Although the Spaniards were in the Mesa Verde region as early as 1765,
there is no record of their having seen the cliff dwellings. It is
probable, however, that they gave the great mesa its name, which in
Spanish means, “green table.” First mention of the name was made by
Professor J. S. Newberry, a geologist, who climbed to the summit of the
mesa in 1859. From the manner in which Newberry used the name, “Mesa
Verde,” in his report there can be no doubt that it had been applied
prior to that time.
In 1874, Mr. W. H. Jackson, later famous as the “Pioneer Photographer,”
came into the region. Immediately upon reaching the mining camps of the
La Plata Mountains, Jackson, who was making a photographic survey for
the government, began to hear of ancient ruins in the Mesa Verde.
Intrigued by these stories he hired a garrulous miner, John Moss, to
guide him to the ruins which were said to be in the cliffs of the canyon
of the Mancos River.
Entering the canyon on September 9, 1874, the party traveled slowly,
carefully scanning the cliffs far above. According to John Moss the
ruins would be found in caves in the sheer sandstone faces. Although
many weary miles were covered no cliff dwellings were seen and by the
time evening camp was made the men were beginning to lose faith in their
guide. Impatiently one of the men asked Moss where the ruins were.
Without looking up from the campfire Moss waved his arm at the cliff
above.
Suddenly the discovery came. Just as the last rays of the sun lighted
the uppermost cliff one of the men spied a small dwelling. Seven hundred
feet above them it clung to the face of the cliff. The men began to
scramble up the canyon wall and just as darkness fell Jackson and
another man entered the little ruin. The next morning Jackson returned
for his pictures. Thus fame came to the little cliff dwelling shown in
the picture below. Not only was it the first Mesa Verde cliff dwelling
known to have been entered by white men but it was definitely the first
ever to be photographed and the first to be named. Jackson called it
Two-Story Cliff House. Although Jackson discovered more small cliff
dwellings in the Mancos Canyon, Two-Story Cliff House was the finest and
the only one he named.
[Illustration: Two-Story Cliff House
This picture duplicates the first photograph ever taken of a Mesa Verde
cliff dwelling. Discovered in 1874, the ruin is the first known to have
been entered, photographed and named.]
A year later, in 1875, another government survey party passed through
the Mancos Canyon. Only a mile from Two-Story Cliff House the leader of
the party, Mr. W. H. Holmes, discovered a much larger and more imposing
cliff dwelling that Jackson had missed. To this ruin, shown in the
picture below, he gave the name Sixteen Window House.
[Illustration: Sixteen Window House
This cliff dwelling, discovered in 1875, was the second to be named. The
name was given because of the holes in the lower wall.]