34 CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA [writ. ANN, 28 
Some of the Pima formerly had a superstitious fear of Casa Grande 
which at times led them to avoid it,’ especially at night, and many 
do not now willingly sleep or camp near this remarkable monument 
of antiquity—a feeling that has given rise to stories that Casa Grande 
is haunted. It is believed by some Indians that at times flames issue 
from the ruin; several Pima women were seen to cross themselves 
when passing near it. 
Although Casa Grande is situated a considerable distance from the 
nearest railroad station, it can be conveniently reached by carriage 
either from the town of Florence, or from Casa Grande station on the 
Southern Pacific Railroad. The route to the ruin via Florence is 
slightly shorter than that from Casa Grande station, enabling one to 
make the visit and return in a single day. There are a hotel and 
livery stables in both towns, but the visitor should provide for his 
own refreshment at the ruin, where there is a good well with abundant 
water.” 
After leaving Florence the road to Casa Grande follows the left 
bank of the Gila westward, crossing a level stretch and skirting for a 
few miles the base of a low gravelly mesa. The first aboriginal object 
of interest met with is a group of Indian huts situated on the left 
of this road. This settlement is of recent origin; the rectangular 
houses composing it are built in the old style and inhabited by Pa- 
pago. Near it looms a low white mound indicating an ancient ruin, 
which will well repay a brief visit. Following the road farther west- 
ward, the traveler passes through a cluster of houses known as Adams- 
ville (pl. 1), formerly called Sanford’s Mill, an old Mexican settlement; 
this consists of a double row of rambling roofless houses built of 
adobe: Although Adamsville is one of the ‘‘dead”’ towns of Arizona 
and for the most part is deserted, a Mexican family still lives in a fairly 
well preserved room at the west end of the village. The walls of an 
old gristmill are still pointed out and those of the former hotel can 
still be traced. This settlement was once an important station * on 
the stage-coach route between Tucson and Phoenix, and many stories 
are current regarding the stirring events which took place in these 
now tenantless rooms when Apache roamed unrestricted the plains 
of Arizona. The foundations of the adobe walls have been much 
1 This is not true of most of the Pima. While engaged in relating to the writer the accompanying legends 
of Casa Grande, Thin Leather slept for several weeks in the west room of the ruin. The hooting of the owls 
which nest in the upper walls may add tothe Pimas’ dread of it, but did not seem todisturb him. Several 
rattlesnakes have been killed in this room, the record of the area covered by the mounds being 20 for the year 
the writer was engaged in work on Compound A. 
2 The resident custodian, Mr. Frank Pinckley, has built his house in Compound A, and has likewise dug 
a well, no water having been available when he took up his residence at the ruin. On account of the 
extreme heat in midsummer, the autumn, winter, or spring months are the best seasons of the year in 
which to visit the ruins at Casa Grande. 
3 Several persons in Florence, known to the writer, who were born in Adamsville, remember when it was a 
flourishing town. , 
4If the walls of this place could speak they could recount many bloodcurdling tales of early Arizona 
history. The son of the Pima chief, Antonio Azul, is said to have been killed in this village. 
