Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park is a 700 year-old Salado Culture pueblo dating from 1150 to 1450 AD. Numerous artifacts are on display in the museum. It is considered one of the most significant finds of Southwest archaeology.
Adolph Bandelier in 1883 was the first archaeologist to survey and map the ruin. In 1935 excavation was begun and over 350 burials were found. When Irene Vickery, head of the WPA project, died unexpectantly, the project ended abruptly and no work or excavation was done for 40 years. Much of the work achieved under Vickery was lost.
Half of the original ruin has been bulldozed. As late as 1982 a section was destroyed to make way for a softball field. What's left of the ruin today is park of the city park.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places