Arizona citizen., 1878-03-08
The Casa Grande.

The Casa Grande.
 Within twelve miles of Florence is situated one of the oldest ruins in the United States. According to historic al records this ruin WAS first visited 5y explorers nearly 340 years ago. From 154O to ITO several adventures visit ed this section of the Gila Valley, each
 giving partial and diSjointed accounts of this wonderful ruin. Col. R. J. Hin ton in his new book on Arizona de- votes several pages to this interesting ruin. He describes the Casa Grande Qarge house. in detail and gives some graphic quotations from the accounts written by early explorers. One is an extract from the travels of Father Pc
 dro Font, who visited the Casa Grande in 1775. Father Font quaintly says: |" The large house or palace of Monte zuma, according 10 the histories and .meager accounts which we have from the Indians, may have been built some 300 years ago; for, as it appears, this
 building was erected by the Mexicans, when, during their transmigration, the Devil led them through various coun- tries until they arrived at the promised land of Mexico; and in their soiourns which were long, they formed towns, and built edifces The land for a league distant surrounding this house is partially covered with pieces of pots, jars, plates, &c.,-sOme common and others painted of different colors, white, blue, red, &c, which is a sign
 that this has been large town, inhab- ited by distinct people from the Pi- mas of the Gila, who do not know
 how ,o manufacture such earthen-ware. The house forms an oblong square facing exactly to the four cardinal points-east, west, north and south !; and round about it there is ruins indi- eating a fence or wall which surround ed the house and other buildings; par ticularly in the corners where il ap- pears there has been some edifice like an interior castle or watch tower. The exterior walls extend from north to south 420 feet, and from east to west 260 feet. The interior of the house consists of five halls, the three middle .Ones being of one size and the extreme ones longer The three middle ones are 2G feet in length and 10 feet in breadth. The two extreme ones are 3S feet long and l2 feet wide"
 This old ruin is of course much re- duced by the action of wind and rain during the long years it has been standing. The walls are being under mined below and worn away at the top and unless something is done soon to. preserve it, the Casa Grande will be. only a thing of record.
 Col. Charles D. Poston of the Flor ence Land Office has addressed a let ter to Gen. Wilcox, Commanding the Department of Arizona, suggesting toI him the propriety of taking this ruin under military supervision. Col Pos ton suggests that inasmuch as the Casa Grande is on a section of reserved gov ernment land, Gen. Wilcox could very properly resolve it into a picket post and repair the ruin so as to afford quarters for an officer and a few men. The men stationed here could be util- ized as couriers and a ready force toI pursue mail robbers, dCc.
 Whatever view Gen. Wilcox may take of this matter, we trust some steps will be taken to preserve this ia nous and interesting monument of theI greatness of other days.