City Sightly and Strong
The story of Pecos is one of change and of a people flexible enough to meet this change, preserve traditions, and survive for centuries in this mountain valley. On this ridge are the buried houses of the main characters of this story – the Pueblo people of Pecos. The name Pecos is derived from the native word payokona, which means “the place where there is water”. Pecos, in its heyday, was a thriving village of perhaps 2,000 people. It was a trading place for Plains Apaches who pitched their tipis in the field in front of you. It was also home to a military power that prided itself in its ability to subdue other pueblos at will.
In the fall of 1540, the pueblo welcomed a Spanish expedition with the music of drums and bird bone flutes. The Spaniards said their king wished the Indians to be the ruler’s subjects and to know the Christian God. The Pecos’ lives would be changed forever.
Friends of the Pecos National Historical Park 