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SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 56

TH LEGISLATURE

- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -

FIRST SESSION

, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Ben D. Altamirano

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE STATE PARKS DIVISION OF THE ENERGY, MINERALS AND

NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON

POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS INVOLVING MIMBRES CULTURE SITES.

WHEREAS, the Mimbres people were the most significant

expression of the Mogollon culture, one of the three

prehistoric civilizations of the American southwest; and

WHEREAS, the Silver City area, including the Mimbres and

Gila River valleys, contains numerous Mimbres sites; and

WHEREAS, some of the Mimbres pueblos built during the

classic period of that culture in the eleventh century are

among the largest in the southwestern United States; and

WHEREAS, the Mimbres people developed sophisticated canal

irrigation technology; and

WHEREAS, the Mimbres culture is epitomized by distinctive

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and strikingly painted black-on-white pottery that is

recognized as the consummation of several formal, pictorial and

iconographic prehistoric traditions in the American southwest;

and

WHEREAS, Mimbres pottery is internationally known and is

among the most famous prehistoric American art styles; and

WHEREAS, many Mimbres sites have been vandalized or

destroyed and the remaining sites are threatened by further

vandalism and illegal pot-hunting; and

WHEREAS, development of interpretive and visitor education

programs will help protect Mimbres sites and enhance public

understanding and appreciation of New Mexico's cultural

heritage; and

WHEREAS, a 1989 national park service study found the

Mimbres culture to be of national significance, stating, "Even

without Mimbres black-on-white pottery, the Mimbres culture

would be an extraordinary development in the southwest...

Mimbres sites probably represent the earliest large,

aggregated, pueblo-like settlements in the southwest...and the

Mimbres employed canal irrigation apparently several centuries

before the Anasazi"; and

WHEREAS, presently, the Mimbres culture is not the focus

of any state or national park; and

WHEREAS, the Mattocks site in Mimbres valley, recognized

since the 1880s as one of the most significant Mimbres sites,

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has been acquired by the Silver City museum society for

development as an educational interpretive center, to be known

as the Mimbres culture heritage site; and

WHEREAS, the Mimbres culture heritage site is located

along the trail of the Mountain Spirits, a state and federally

designated scenic byway, on the route between the City of Rocks

state park and the Gila cliff dwellings national monument; and

WHEREAS, cultural tourism is known to be an important

contribution to New Mexico's economy; and

WHEREAS, development of the Mimbres culture heritage site

as a cultural tourism destination, interpretive site and

recreational and educational facility creates mutually

beneficial opportunities for collaboration and partnership with

the state parks division of the energy, minerals and natural

resources department;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state parks division of the

energy, minerals and natural resources department be requested

to study the feasibility of a partnership with the Mimbres

culture heritage site and other Mimbres sites in developing

visitors' facilities and programs to educate the public about

the Mimbres culture; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the parks division report its

findings to the appropriate legislative interim committee by

December 1, 2007; and

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the secretary of energy, minerals and natural

resources and to the director of the state parks division.

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