“My Park Story – Me at Chaco”: Mary Beth Kuderik posing with the old entrance sign to Chaco Culture National Historical Park
What makes Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Aztec Ruins National Monument special to you?
This summer, the CCC is launching a campaign to hear your stories from around these parks. We know that your experiences have become lifelong memories, and we want to hear them! Whether you’ve been visiting since the 70’s, or just had your first experience, your stories are special.
We want to kick off this series with a submission from a CCC board member, Mary Beth Kuderik! Mary Beth has been visiting Chaco Culture NHP since the 90’s. Here’s her story:
A Story From Mary Beth Kuderik
“I first encountered the Chaco and Ancestral Puebloan world through an unplanned visit to Mesa Verde National Park. Starting in the 1990’s, I would travel out west with my mother to visit National Parks from our home in Ohio. We loved the parks and the west and spent every summer vacation experiencing them. So, on our drive across Colorado, we encountered Mesa Verde and decided to pay it a visit. What started as a place on the map changed both of our lives, creating a common interest and passion that we enjoyed together for many, many years.
We soon learned through books and maps there were many more sites to visit, opening up this new cultural world to explore. That’s how we learned of Chaco. It was the new place on the map to visit down a “dicey” unpaved road. This was a great adventure for us.
So, over the years, we made our plans and finally got to Chaco. My mother especially loved the rock art so we made sure to visit those sites in the park that were accessible. I became deeply fascinated with archeology, collecting and reading every book I could find about Chaco and the Ancestral Puebloan culture. The more I read the more I wanted to learn and understand.
We were able to visit Chaco and other Ancestral Puebloan sites many times. While my mother has since passed away, Chaco always holds a special place in my heart for the time we spent there together and the memories of our shared interest.
While my work took me away from visiting for a number of years, in a semi-retirement move to Santa Fe, I rekindled my interest and began the passion anew re-visiting Chaco. While so much hasn’t changed in the park, there are so many improvements to the visitor experience. A new visitor’s center, shaded picnic tables, new trails and cultural interpretation. I soon learned of the
Chaco Culture Conservancy and their role in supporting the park’s many improvements.
In 2022 I was able to join the board of the Chaco Culture Conservancy where I can give back to this wonderful place that has brought so much joy and meaning to my life.”
“My Park Story – Mom at Chaco”: Mary Beth’s mother, Margaret Hallahan, standing in Pueblo Bonito
Thank you Mary Beth, for sharing your memories of these parks with us. Now, we want to hear from you! Share your experiences at Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Aztec Ruins National Monument with us, and your story might appear in our next newsletter, on our social media, or on our website.
We want to hear your stories, what makes these parks special to you, and why you support the Chaco Culture Conservancy. You can write a sentence, a paragraph, or even submit a video!