Acoma Pueblo is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths. Since 1150 A.D., Acoma Pueblo has earned the reputation as the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America. The mesa-top settlement is known worldwide for its unique art and rich culture. Today, many Pueblo people still live in Sky City and nearby villages. While most don’t live in the ancient pueblo full time, many return for special cultural occasions to celebrate Native American life at their ancestral homes. Acoma potters still carry on the centuries-old art of making the thin-walled Pueblo Indian pottery, which is widely acclaimed for its beauty and quality craftsmanship. New Mexico tourism plays a large role in Acoma’s economic growth and well-being. A federally recognized Indian Tribe, Acoma Pueblo has a land base covering 431,664 acres and is home to 4,800 tribal members with more than 300 structures made of adobe(mud-brick) and sandstone, none of which have electricity, sewer, or water. Home ownership is matriarchal. All of the homes are owned by Acoma Pueblo females. In 1629, construction began on the massive San Esteban del Rey Mission, a Catholic mission. Both the Mission and the Pueblo are Registered National Historical Landmarks and are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Acoma is approximately 60 miles west of Albuquerque, NM.