Balcony House: A History of a Cliff Dwelling, Mesa Verge National Park, Colorado

236 Pages·1998·20.3 MB·English

by  Fiero, Kathleen

M
DOC I ZCj'l ' 56/5
BALCONY HOUSE: A HISTORY OF A CLIFF DWELLING,
MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK, COLORADO
illli
3 1604 019 611 864
by
KathleenFiero
with
Reportofthe 1910ExcavationandRepairofBalconyHouse
by
JesseL. Nusbaum
MesaVerdeMuseumAssociation,Inc. DEPOSITORY
MesaVerdeNationalPark,Colorado
1998 JUL 2 9 1998
HUll*
I Federal Documents
DEDICATION
Tomymentors,theMesaVerdestabilizationcrew:
RaymondBegay, WillieBegay,KeeCharleyJohn,andGeneTrujillo
TheMesaVerdeNationalParkStabiizationCrew,LefttoRight:GeneTrujillo,WillieBegay,Kee
CharleyJohn,KathleenFiero,RaymondBegay
TABLEOFCONTENTS
Title Page i
Dedication ii
Table ofContents iii
List of Figures vi
List ofTables xiv
Acknowledgments xv
Chapter 1, Introduction 1
Chapter2, BalconyHouse, Site 5MV615 11
MesaVerdeNationalPark,TheEnvironmentalSetting 11
TheCommunityofThirteenthCenturyClifTDwellers,TheArcheologicalContext 14
Tree-RingDatingofClifTDwellings 14
TheBalconyHouseCommunity 17
HistoricAccountsofBalconyHouse 17
ArchitecturalDescriptionandSitePlanofBalconyHouse 19
Exterior Features of Balcony House 21
TheLowerPlazaofBalconyHouse(Rooms 1,2,3) 24
NorthPlaza(PlazaQuarter)ofBalconyHouse(Rooms4-14) 26
Kiva Plaza (South Plaza) (Kiva Quarter) (Tower Quarter) of Balcony House
(Roomsl5-29,KivasAandB) 30
ControllingAccesswithTunnelsandDoorwaysinBalconyHouse 33
Artifacts from Balcony House 35
Construction History of Balcony House 46
BalconyHouseConstructioninthe 1240-60s 46
Balcony House Construction in the 1270s 47
Interpretation of Construction History 47
Interpretation of Room Function at Balcony House 48
CharacteristicsofCliffDwellings 48
TheRoomFunctionsinBalconyHouse 49
SpecialFeaturesofBalconyHouse 50
StabilizationTreatmentatBalconyHouse 51
SiteSummaryofBalconyHouse 59
Chapter3,TheManBehindtheProject 63
Chapter4,BackgroundoftheExcavationandStabilizationofBalconyHouse 65
FinancingandSponsorshipoftheProject 65
ObligationstotheColoradoCliffDwellingsAssociation 68
Controversial Stabilization Methods: Angle Iron. Tie Rods, and Turnbuckles 69
ThePeopleInvolvedintheProject 72
CorrelationofNames,Terms,andRoomNumbersUsedbyNusbaum 74
StabilizationWorkafterNusbaum 77
EntranceLaddertoBalconyHouse 80
KivaPlazaAccess 80
Chapter5,ReportontheRepairandExcavationofBalconyHousebyJesseL.Nusbaum 81
Chapter6,LettersWrittenbyJesseNusbaumtoEdgarL.HewettDuringBalconyHouse
Project 105
Letter 1, October 14, 1910 105
Letter 2, October 21, 1910 Ill
Letter3,October31/November 1, 1910 118
Chapter7,SummaryandConclusions 122
ThirteenthCentury-BalconyHouse 122
Twentieth Century Balcony House 124
Balcony House Today 125
Recommendations for Further Study 126
Glossary 127
References 129
AppendixA, DailyLogofEdwardMooreNusbaumWhileAtBalconyHouse, 1910 A-l
Appendix B, Tree-Ring Dating ofBalcony House: A Chronological, Architectural, and Social
Interpretation,byJamesA.ParksandJeffreyS. Dean,LaboratoryofTree-
Ring Research B-l
SiteDescription B-l
Research Review B-2
Methods of Sample Collection and Analysis B-2
Results ofAnalysis B-3
Crossdating B-3
Species Use B-3
Season of Wood Procurement B-4
iv
1
Stockpiling B-5
RoomandSpaceFunction B-5
InterpretationoftheTree-RingDatesintheirArchitecturalContexts B-5
Method B-5
Rooms 1,2, and 3 B-6
Room 4 B-6
Room5andtheNorthPassage B-7
Rooms 6/7 B-7
Rooms 8/9 B-7
Roomblock6/7, 8/9 B-7
Rooms 11-14, 17and, 10 B-8
Rooms15, 16,andtheBigWall(MainDividingWall) B-8
Rooms 18and 19 B-8
Rooms 20, 21, 22 B-9
KivasAandB B-9
Rooms 24-28 B-9
The SouthEntry B-9
Site-WideConstructionScenarios B-9
1180s-1220sConstruction B-9
1240sConstruction B-10
1270sConstruction B-10
Discussion B-ll
SocialImplicationsofthe 1270sConstruction B-ll
OccupationandAbandonment B-12
AppendixC,HistoricAmericanBuildingsSurveyReport,BalconyHouse C-l
AppendixD,JesseNusbaum's 1910FieldNotesonBalconyHouse D-l
AppendixE,DescriptionofBalconyHouseArchitecturalFeatures E-l
LowerPlaza(Rooms 1,2,3;NorthPassageway) E-l
NorthPlaza(Rooms4-14,MiddlePassageway) E-3
KivaPlaza(SouthPlaza)(Rooms15-19,KivasAandB,RefuseArea) E-9
South Passageway E-16
Below Site E-18
AppendixF,AstronomyatBalconyHousebyJ.McKimMalvilleandGregoryE.Munson F-
Room 8 F-l
Room 21 F-2
CeremonialUseofBalconyHouse F-3
.
LISTOFFIGURES
Frontispiece. Looking southwest at BalconyHouse. 1960's. PhotobyDonWatsonMesa Verde
NationalPark740-08,.Neg.No. 7152B 1
Figure 1.1. BalconyHouse, MesaVerdeNationalPark,aerialviewfromSodaCanyon, 1985,visitor
30ftentranceladderentryatright.PhotobyDonFiero. MesaVerdeNationalPark 740-08Neg.No.
18814D 2
Figure 1.2. BalconyHouse,NorthPlaza,lookingsouth:abovein1896beforestabilization. Photoby
ThomasMcKee,Neg.No.32,MesaVerdeNationalPark,Neg.No. 15,Print9084G;belowin 1961
PhotobyRangerWaso,MesaVerdeNationalPark,Neg.No.6903 5
Figure 1.3.BalconyHouse,lookingnorth:abovein 1896.PhotobyThomasMcKee,Neg. No. 512,
MesaVerdeNationalParkNeg.No. 18551,PrintNo. 9084J 6
Figure 1.4.Balconyhouselookingnorthin 1910afterstabilizationbyJesseNusbaum,Percy"Jack"
AdamsstandsbetweenthekivasinKivaPlaza.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumof
NewMexico,Neg.No.2152.20,60514 7
Figure 1.5.BalconyHouse,lookingnorth,NorthPlazabalconiesacrossRooms8/9,6/7,andatback
Rooms 4/5: above in 1907,beforerepair,Dr. A.J. FynnsittinginRoom9(thenRoom6, upper)
doorway.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No. 2151.3,60505;
belowin1910 afterstabilization,E.MNusbaumstandsbetweenRooms8/9tohisrightandRooms
6/7tohisleft.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No. 60504 8
Figure 1.6. Calendar ofevents and weather at Balcony House October-November 1910 9
Figure2.1.LocationofMesaVerdeintheUnitedStatesandSouthwestColorado.Mapdesignedand
draftedbyCynthiaL. Williams 12
Figure2.2.LocationofBalconyHouseinMesaVerdeNationalPark.HistoricAmericanBuildings
Survey drawing 13
Figure 2.3. Balcony House is located in a natural alcove formed in the CliffHouse Sandstone
FormationinSodaCanyon,notetheslopeofthemesatothesouth. 1961 photobyRangerWaso,
MesaVerdeNationalPark740-08Neg.No.6900C 13
Figure 2.4. W.H. Hayes, the first recorded visitor to Balcony House carved his name into the
sandstoneclifffaceinBalconyHouse,inmiddleoftherockfacetotheleftofthetwostorystructure,
Room21aand21b.SubsequentlyNordenskioldinscribedtheNo. 10,hisBalconyHousesitenumber,
nearthename. Phototakenin1910afterstabilizationofsouth"tower"(Room21aand2lb)inKiva
Plaza. Photo by Jesse L. Nusbaum, Courtesy Museum ofNew Mexico, Neg. No. 2151.10,
vi
60518 19
Figure 2.5. Map ofBalcony House withcurrent room numbers byHistoric AmericanBuildings
Survey 20
Figure2.6. 1910GroundPlanMapofBalconyHousebyAdamsandChapman. Pleasenotethatthe
currentroomnumberingdiffers slightly. PhotobyJesseL. Nusbaum. CourtesyMuseumofNew
Mexico,Neg.No. 2151.2,60498 22
Figure2.7. AseriesofladdersbelowKivaPlaza (oneshownatlowerleftinphotowithtwovisitors
ascending)atthefrontprovidedentryintoBalconyHouseuntilthe 1920s,lookingsouth;NorthPlaza
in foreground. Photographer unknown, Courtesy Museum of New Mexico, Neg. No.
6285 23
Figure2.8. LadderprovidedentrytoLowerPlazaareaofBalconyHousein 1934. Viewislooking
north to Rooms 1,2,3. Photographer unknown, Mesa Verde National Park 740-08, Neg. No.
0287 25
Figure2.9. ThreeroomsextendnorthonnarrowledgeintheLowerPlazaafter 1910stabilization.
Photo by Jesse L. Nusbaum, Courtesy Museum of New Mexico, Neg. No. 2152.14,
60503 26
Figure2.10. NorthPlazawiththebestpreservedbalconyatBalconyHouse,lefttorightRooms8/9
and6/7.AlsonotebalconyonsouthandeastwallofRoom5atright. Stepscarvedintoboulderare
visible above andto the right ofthe small ladder, 1910. Photo byJesseL. Nusbaum. Courtesy
MuseumofNewMexicoNeg.No. 60506 27
Figure2.11. CloseupviewofbalconyconstructionacrossRooms5and6lookingsouthin1976.The
splitjuniperrestsrightonthemajorsupportbeams(theprimaries)andthenoverthisismud,then
bark, and finally more mud. Photo by Kathleen Fiero, Mesa Verde National Park, Neg. No.
05127 28
Figure2.12. KivaPlazain1910aftertherepairlookingnorth.Notethetwokivadepressionsatthe
frontofthealcoveandthetwo'Howef'-liketwo-storyroomswithvigasjuttingoutoverthekiva. Also
thestructuredividingwalltothenorthandPercy"Jack"Adamsbetweenthekivaanddividingwall.
Photo by Jesse L. Nusbaum, Courtesy Museum of New Mexico, Neg. No. 2151.36,
6319 30
Figure 2.13. BackofalcoveatBalconyHouseprobably 1907withDr. A.J. Fynnsittingatback.
Photo by Jesse L. Nusbaum, Courtesy Museum of New Mexico, Neg. No. 2152.27,
60512 31
Figure 2.14.BalconyHousebeforerepairin 1910viewfromsouthside,southofKivaPlazatothe
dividingwall,showingtheextentofdamageanddestructionofthetwokivasborderingthehousewall
andretainingfrontwallcausedbymassiverockfallfromthealcoveroof. Alsonotethecurvedstone
kivawallwithnicheintheforeground.E.M.Nusbaumisexcavatingatthedividingwallatright.Photo
byJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No. 2151.35,6320 32
Figure2.15. TunnelentranceintoBalconyHousein 1961,northendlookingsouth. Photographer
unknown,MesaVerdeNationalPark.Neg.No. 11114 34
Figure2.16. Ceramicartifactsfrom 1910BalconyHouseexcavation,MesaVerdeBlack-on-white
bowls,kivajarrim,andjars. Rimsherdatlowerrightisapproximately5cm(2in)alongtherim,
PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No. 60658 37
Figure2.17. Lithic(stone)artifactsfrom1910BalconyHouseexcavation:eightgroovedaxes(and/or
mauls)andtchamahia(hoe). Artifactatlowerrightapproximately 12cmlong (43/4in)Photoby
JesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico.Neg.No. 60669 38
Figure2.18. Artifactsfrom 1910BalconyHouseexcavation:,boneawlsandscrapers,fivecarvedand
notchedsticks,possiblyawoodendiggingstick,twochippedstoneknives,fourpolishingstones,a
stoneorjetpendant,asectionofcordage,afragmentofawovenobject(possiblyabasket),twoother
objectsofstone(beads?),anobjectofwood(halfawoodendisk?),andanotherboneobject.Artifact
atlowerleftapproximately5cm(2in)long.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNew
Mexico, Neg No. 60659 39
Figure 2.19. Corncobona stick(center), turkeybone awl, mammalbone scraper, rabbittibia,
mammalbonescraper(toprowlefttoright),and boneawlbelowcorncobfromBalconyHousenow
atMesaVerdeNationalPark,NegNo. 15 41
Figure2.20.McElmoBlack-on-whitebowlfromBalconyHousenowatMesaVerdeNationalPark,
Negative 10 41
Figure2.21. MesaVerdeCorrugatedjarandclaystopper withartifactswhichwerefoundinsideit
during1958stabilizationwork::driedroots,skinpouch,uskein"ofcordage,cottoncloth,groundstone
object, 32turquoisebeads, 154 shellbeads,twofragmentsofcordage,cottonpouchcontaining3
sectionsofcottoncordage,andtwoabaloneshelldiscsattachedtooneanotherwithcordage,Mesa
VerdeNationalParkNeg.No. 24A 42
Figure 2.22. Lithic artifacts from Balcony House, (center left to right) grooved maul, two
hammerstones. (outer edges) 2 two-hand manos, now at MesaVerde National Park. Negative
18 43
Figure2.23.McElmo/MesaVerdeBlack-on-whitebowlsherdsfromBalconyHousenowatMesa
VerdeNationalPark,Negative6 43
Figure2.24. CorrugatedjarsherdsfromBalconyHousenowatMesaVerdeNationalPark,Negative
10 44
Figure2.25. Ceramic artifacts: MesaVerdeBlack-on-whitebowlsherds,perforatedladlehandle,
corrugatedjarsherds fromBalconyHousenowatMesaVerdeNationalPark,Negative2 45
Figure2.26. BalconyHousebeforeexcavationin 1910. Noticetheretainingwallatnorthendof
dwelling,rightofphoto,thepointwhereconstructionontheboulderhadresultedinmovementofthe
wall.Alsonoticethehosecomingdownfromthemesatopinthenorthendofthesite. PhotobyJesse
L.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No.2151.40,60501 52
Figure2.27. Westwall ofNorthPlaza,BalconyHouse 1910afterstabilization. Noticethedark
mortarthathasnotyetdriedandthebalconyonRoom5atupperrightofphoto. PhotobyJesseL.
Nusbaum CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No.2151.39,60523 54
,
Figure 2.28. "Massive rockfall from roofofBalconyHouse alcove inthe South orKiva Plaza,
following abandonment, largely destroyed the two deep, cribbed roofkivas, cracked, or felled
borderinghousewallsincludingthehighretainingwallfrontingthePlaza,andcatapultedoverthe
verticalcliffwalltotalusslopebelow,mostofresultantdebris. Theman,myfather, standingonthe
sandstoneformationfloorofthekivahasexposedfrontwalls,includingairdraftentrance(ventilator
shaft)thatsurvived.1'JesseNusbaumcaption.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNew
Mexico, Neg. No. 2151.24. 60511 55
Figure2.29. Methodofestablishingmetalfootingunder'tower"(Room 17)behinddivisionwallin
KivaPlaza, 1910.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No. 2151.8,
60517 57
Figure 2.30. Repairing North Kiva ofBalcony House, Mesa Verde 1910. This is the wall that
collapsedburyingoneoftheworkers.AtfarbackE.M.Nusbaumwithvestandhandonangleiron
bracingwallofRoom 17. OtherworkersarenotidentifiedbutmaybeScharf,Tommy,andPercy
"Jack"Adams(atnorthedgeofkiva).PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,
Neg. No.2151.23, 60513. Mesa Verde National Park 740-08 Neg. No.
20354 58
Figure3.1.JesseL.NusbaumcoveringthemetalangleironbracingonRoom5b(2-StoryTower),
withadobemud,NorthPlaza1910. Atthefarleftcanbeseenawaterhosecomingdownfromthe
topofthemesaandalsoarope. PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,
Neg. No. 2151.13, 60531 60
Figure3.2. 1908ArchaeologicalreconnaissancecrewatSpruceTreeCamp,MesaVerde,Colorado.
Lefttoright:KootsFrink(cattlemanwhohadcattleonthewestsideofWetherillMesa),A.V.Kidder,
JesseNusbaum. Nusbaumappearstobeholdingacameracaseorcaseforglassphotographicplates
andatripod.Photographerunknown,Nusbaum(Talley)Papers,MesaVerdeNationalPark1328also
SmithsonianInstitutionBox 13,DevelopedFilm 62
Figure3.3. JesseNusbaumin 1965 inspectingthetumbuckleheinstalledinRoom26atBalcony
House in 1910. Photo by Elmer Weaver, Nusbaum (Talley) Papers Mesa Verde National Park
1328 63
Figure3.4. VisitorsclimbingoutofBalconyHousein 1950. ThisisthesouthendoftheBalcony
HouseSite. TheParktrailfollows,inpart,thethirteenthcenturyhandandtoeholds. PhotobyDon
Watson,MesaVerdeNationalPark 64
Figure4.1.UseofmetalinBalconyHouserepairin1910. JesseNusbaumisatleft. TommyGibbon
maybeonrightwithmetalmaul/axelookingnorthacrossKivaPlaza.Notetheropeandhoseatright
comingdownfromthemesatop,thewaterbarrelintheKivaPlazaareaandthemetalturabuckle
stickingoutofRoom26.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyColoradoHistoricalSociety,Post
Cardat SmithsonianInstitution 71
Figure4.2.EdwardM.Nusbaum(fatherofJesse)59yearoldcontractorandbrickyardownerfrom
Greeley,ColoradoonhishorsenearBalconyHousecamp,aboveCliffPalace, 1910. PhotobyJesse
LNusbaum,Courtesy MuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No.139446.AlsoPostCardatSmithsonian
Institution Box 13 73
Figure 4.3. AlLancasterstandsattopofscaffoldinglookingeastoverSodaCanyonduring 1934
stabilization. VisitorsareintheNorthPlazawithaParkranger. PhotobyC.Markley,MesaVerde
NationalPark Neg.No. 0284 78
,
Figure5.1.LookingnortheastdownSodaCanyon, 1910,aportionofthenorthendofBalconyHouse
isvisibleatleftbeforeanyrepairsorstabilization.PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumof
NewMexico,Neg.No. 2150.1,60500 82
Figure5.2.BalconyHouselookingsouth,notetheladderatsouthendbelowthestructureandtrees
bywhichvisitorsenteredthesitein 1910afterstabilization. PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,Courtesy
MuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No. 2151.38,6317or60525 85
Figure5.3.GroundPlanofBalconyHouse,Percy"Jack"Adamsmap. Notetwospringsandlarge
boulderindicatedinsouthendeastofRoom25 (TheroomisnowknowasRoom28andtheboulder
isnolongerinplace.). PhotobyJesseL.Nusbaum,CourtesyMuseumofNewMexico,Neg.No.
2151.1, 60498 86
Figure 5.4. BalconyHouse, NorthPlaza, before stabilization 1907, lookingsouth. Thebalcony
constructionwithoverlappingsplitcedar(juniper)slabs,bundlesofbark,mud,clay,andflatslabsof
sandstoneisvisibleacrossRooms5and6. Unidentifiedmanstandsinfrontofthebalconyinthe
NorthPlaza.Dr.A.J.Fynn(identifiedbyJackSmith)standsinbackgroundinRoom 12.Photoby
Jesse L. Nusbaum, Courtesy Museum of New Mexico, Neg. No. 2151.6,
6318 88
Figure 5.5.BalconyHouse,lookingsouthintoalcove,beforerestorationin1907. Noticelargecracks
inwallsofRooms4/5,atrightofphoto, wherewallssettledandhadpoorbonding. A.J.Fynn,a