Springerville brings together two distinct cultural points of interest: Casa Malpais, built and inhabited by the Mogollon between 1240 and 1350 AD, and the Springerville Heritage Center, which houses four museums. There is also a clear connection for road trips: the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway begins in Springerville. When choosing a destination, consider whether you’d like to include archaeological history, several museums, or the route’s starting point in your plans.
Casa Malpais and the guided tour
Casa Malpais National Historic Landmark takes you back to the time when the Mogollon built and inhabited the site: from 1240 to 1350 AD. This time span gives its archaeological significance a specific historical context. Visits are only possible as part of a guided tour, which starts at the Springerville Heritage Center. Plan around this type of visit and check the current tour schedule in advance, as times may change.
The Heritage Center serves a dual purpose as a point of orientation: it is the starting point for Casa Malpais tours and is also home to four museums. This brings together two different aspects of trip planning in one place, though the tours and museums are separate offerings.
Four museums at the Springerville Heritage Center
The Springerville Heritage Center houses the Casa Malpais Archeological Museum, the Renee Cushman Museum, the Becker Family History Museum, and the White Mountain Historical Society Museum. These names help distinguish the four institutions; specific details about exhibits are available for two of the museums.
The Renee Cushman Museum includes, among other things, a Rembrandt etching. The White Mountain Historical Society displays household items and tools dating from 1870 to 1940. The town’s history therefore offers different points of interest side by side: a single work of art, everyday objects, and the archaeological context of Casa Malpais. The time periods also differ considerably. The exhibit of household items and tools spans 1870 to 1940, many centuries after Casa Malpais was built and inhabited. If you’d like to choose your museum visits by theme, these differences can help you find your way without reducing all four museums to a single subject.
A monument and the starting point of a route
A Madonna of the Trail monument is also among Springerville’s historical points of interest. Springerville is one of twelve locations where the DAR erected such a monument between 1928 and 1929. This adds another monument, from a different period, to the archaeological history and museum themes. The town’s historical connections span different periods and take different forms: the Mogollon building and habitation period, the household items and tools on display, and the monument’s installation in the late 1920s.
For a road trip, the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway is another reason to include Springerville in your plans: the route begins here. The town can therefore be considered both for its cultural points of interest and as the byway’s starting point. If you’d like to include the route, Springerville is the specific starting point; Casa Malpais and the museums, meanwhile, appeal to travelers who want to focus their stay on historical and cultural themes.
Discover more destinations: Greer, St. Michaels, Lupton, Ganado, Window Rock, Sanders, Chinle, Steamboat.
See the broader travel overview: Apache County.
