Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

At Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, you can explore over 400 acres of a well-preserved Hohokam-era farming community, with its canals, ballcourt, smaller dwellings, and ceremonial mounts, all centered around the Great House, where the name Casa Grande comes from. Guided tours, a visitor center, educational exhibits, and a picnic area are available. The monument is located less than one hour from Marana.

The Casa Grande Ruins is one of the best-preserved examples of a Hohokam-era settlement. The Hohokam peoples, who are not a single tribe, but who make up the ancestors of the O’odham, Hopi, and Zuni peoples, who inhabited, settled, and farmed what is now Southern Arizona, including what is now Marana, between 550 and 1450 AD. The Hohokam peoples built earthen buildings of adobe bricks, produced red-on-buff pottery, and extensive irrigation canals. Most Hohokam-era structures have deteriorated over time due to exposure, which makes the Casa Grande Ruins so significant, with a great deal of the site still intact.

Want to learn more about the Hohokam peoples and their ancient present in what is now Marana? Check out our blog on Marana's Hohokam Heritage.