Existing comment:
Saga of Preservation:
By the late 1800s, Montezuma Castle had become a popular destination for curious travelers, military personnel from nearby Fort Verde, and local settlers. They braved bumpy dirt roads in carriages or on horseback to visit.
Many took souvenir artifacts or carved their names on roof beams -- both acceptable acts at that time. A lucrative market for "prehistoric curiosities" tempted others. By the early 1900s, little was left from the people who lived at Montezuma Castle.
In 1906, concerned citizens and scholars succeeded in protecting the Castle, and it was set aside as one of America's first national monuments.
Visitors were allowed to climb up and explore Montezuma Castle until 1951. That year, the completion of the new highway (now I-17) led to surging visitation. The Castle was too fragile for the increased traffic and had to be closed. Since visitors cannot go inside today, a diorama on the trail shows what the Castle's interior looked like. |