Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument - page 2
by Jerrold VanNocker

Who were the people that lived here?  Was it an ancient race of dwarfs? In 1913 the idea of an ancient race of dwarfs building the Cliff Dwellings was speculated by a writer in a popular magazine of the time. This explanation even was included in official Forest Service literature for a brief period.

After these dwellings were abandoned and long before any scientific study of this site, people explored and dug among these ruins. 

Today, archeologists attribute the Dwellings to the Tularosa Mogollon people who occupied the surrounding area during the same period as the habitation of the Cliff Dwellings.

Still, to some, the T shape entrance in the 2nd cave offers some interesting speculation. This door type is associated with Anastasia construction but the Gila Cliff Dwellings are not in historic territory of the Anastasia, and by the time of the dwellings' construction the Anastasia had virtually disappeared.  Timber dating clearly demonstrates construction of the dwellings from 1270’s until the 1280’s.  Other evidence suggests 30 years of occupation at the Gila Dwellings.  Interestingly, the building dates and their occupancy correspond to the time of the Great Drought of the late 1200’s. In the 1250’s the Anastasia were abandoning their mesa-top pueblos and cliff dwellings. A volunteer explained to us that some believe the Gila Dwelling was the last stand for a variety of native cultures brought together due to the drought. The creek below is fed by snow melt from the mountains and flows even when the river dries up.  During the great drought the creek may have even stopped flowing, perhaps this may explain why after 30 years of occupancy the dwellings were abandoned.