In far western Kansas, in Lake Scott State Park, near the Pyramids and Monument Rocks of the once ocean badlands, is the far most northern and western American Indian Pueblo. You heard that right, there are Rio Grande Puebloans that built a masonry pueblo in Kansas.

The reports are conflicting, but it seems that the Picuris Peubloans, in an attempt to flee Spanish rule, headed to this rugged spot far to the northeast of their homelands. Once here, they built a masonry structure. By the 1640s, it seems a lot of Taos Puebloans joined in their fellow Puebloans to settle the area and the seven room Pueblo proper was then built. It is also very likely that Apaches were also in the Pueblo and definitely in the surrounding area, as a few Apache lodge sites have been found.

In 1706 though, Juan de Ulibarri was ordered to bring the Puebloans back to New Mexico after the Pueblo Revolt. The place was then left for the Apache, who occupied the Pueblo trading with the French, Spanish, and Puebloans. That is until the Comanche moved them out of the area in the 1700s. The place was then left to crumble.

Found at the site are the usual stone and bone tools, burned corn, ornaments, butchered animal bones, and a large quantity of Puebloan pottery. Irrigation ditches and crops have also been located. It was discovered by Anglos in 1898 and has since been excavated many times.

If you’re ever in this way out of the way area of the Great Plains, make sure to visit Scott Lake State Park and see the most northern Puebloan Site that we know of!