INTERPRETIVE CENTER
BLACKWATER DRAW SITE
NEW MEXICO
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COPYRIGHT
SEPTEMBER
30, 2012 PETER A. BOSTROM
This picture shows the Interpretive
Center and the small structure that covers a Clovis age well. The
Interpretive Center is the largest building on the Blackwater Draw site and
open to the public. The steel structure covers a 3,500 foot area.
The building was built in 1997 over exposed bones that were
weathering out of the excavated hillside. Excavation inside the
building is on-going and should eventually display all the different
archaeological horizons that are represented on the site.
One of the most unique archaeological features at Blackwater Draw are the
ancient wells. Approximately twenty wells have been discovered. Most
of them date to the Archaic period. But at least one or more date to
the Clovis period and are
estimated to be at least 13,000 years old. These wells were dug down to
the water bearing gravels with either tortoise shell, stone, bone or
wooden tools. A small building, that can be seen in this picture, covers one of the oldest wells on the
site and it's recognized as the oldest well and water control system in North America.
PHOTO CREDIT GEORGE CRAWFORD
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