NATIONAL MONUMENTS SYSTEM 291 



Tonto, Navajo, Casa Grande, Walnut Canyon, and 

 Wapatki in Arizona, Chaco Canyon, Gila Cliff 

 Dwellings, Bandelier, and Aztec Ruin in New Mex- 

 ico, Yucca House in Colorado, Hovenweep strad- 

 dling the boundary between Utah and Colorado, and 

 the Mound City Group in Ohio. Some of these, no- 

 tably Casa Grande, Montezuma Castle, Bandelier, 

 and Chaco Canyon, stand among the very finest in 

 the country. Casa Grande was reserved by Con- 

 gress in 1889 and handled without legal status among 

 the National Parks. In 1918 it was defined a Na- 

 tional Monument by executive order. Congress has 

 spent $22,400 upon its restoration out of a grand 

 total of $190,130 for all National Monuments up to 

 1926 inclusive. Bandelier National Monument was 

 a strong contender with Mesa Verde for the honor 

 of national parkhood, losing out in 1906. It is a 

 group of remarkable nobility and interest. 



The five ruins of the early Spanish invasion, 

 Tumacacori in Arizona, El Morro and Gran Qui- 

 vira in New Mexico, and crumbling fortification at 

 Fort Matanzas and Fort Marion in Florida, are re- 

 markable each of its kind. Gran Quivira is the 

 most famous of the very earliest churches of the 

 continent; Tumacacori near Tucson is much later 

 and naturally better preserved; El Morro, at the 

 crossing of ancient trails, preserves inscriptions and 

 messages by America's first travellers ; the two Flor- 

 ida forts were built by very early comers from 

 across the sea, perhaps as safe retreats. 



