Second Mesa

Second Mesa
derivative work: AFBorchert (talk) AZ_264_Second_Mesa_2006_09_08.jpg: Reinhard S · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Second Mesa
Settlement type	Census-designated place
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	Arizona
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Navajo County
Timezone	MST
Utc offset	-7

Second Mesa Second Mesa is a high, flat volcanic mesa on the Colorado Plateau in northeastern Arizona, notable for its three Hopi villages and for its role in Hopi cultural continuity, Native American reservation administration, and Southwest archaeology. The mesa lies near Wupatki National Monument, Navajo Nation, and the Little Colorado River, and is accessed via Arizona State Route 87 and local roads serving the Hopi Reservation and Coconino County. Second Mesa has been the subject of studies by archaeologists and anthropologists associated with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, University of Arizona, and Museum of Northern Arizona.

Geography and Geology

Second Mesa rises from the Painted Desert and the surrounding badlands of the Colorado Plateau, part of the larger Basin and Range Province transition zone. Geologically it is composed of uplifted Permian and Triassic sedimentary strata capped by resistant lava flows related to the volcanic fields of the San Francisco volcanic field and the Jemez Volcanic Field through regional tectonic activity documented by geologists at the United States Geological Survey. The mesa’s elevation and position above the Little Colorado River watershed create distinct Navajo Sandstone exposures, talus slopes, and isolated ponderosa pine islands studied by ecologists from Northern Arizona University and the US Forest Service. Second Mesa’s geomorphology influences microclimates described in studies by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and supports cultural landscapes surveyed by the National Park Service.

History

Archaeological research on Second Mesa has revealed Ancestral Puebloan occupation phases contemporaneous with sites at Walnut Canyon National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, and Wupatki National Monument. Excavations by teams affiliated with the Field Museum of Natural History and the Peabody Museum document pueblo construction, pottery traditions that parallel the Hohokam and Sinagua styles, and agricultural terrace systems comparable to those found near Mesa Verde National Park. Euro-American contact in the 19th century involved explorers and military expeditions such as those led by Kit Carson and interactions tied to policies from the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the era of the Territory of Arizona. 20th-century developments included legal decisions and tribal reorganizations influenced by the Indian Reorganization Act and litigation involving the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.

Hopi Villages and Culture

Second Mesa hosts three Hopi villages—traditionally conservative centers for ceremonial life—whose architecture, migration histories, and clan systems are central to regional Hopi identity documented by ethnographers at Columbia University and Harvard University. Pottery traditions from the villages show stylistic links to work in collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. Ceremonial cycles on the mesa interrelate with pilgrimage routes to sites associated with the Kachina complex and with winter and spring rituals described in accounts by Frances Densmore and other ethnomusicologists. Cultural preservation efforts engage organizations such as the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office and partner with universities including Arizona State University for language revitalization tied to the Hopi language.

Demographics and Economy

Population patterns for the mesa reflect census data collected in collaboration with the United States Census Bureau and tribal enrollment records managed by the Hopi Tribe. Economic activities combine traditional dryland agriculture—corn, beans, and squash—artisanal crafts including pottery and weaving sold through networks involving the Santa Fe Indian Market, with wage employment at regional employers such as the Navajo County school districts, healthcare providers affiliated with the Indian Health Service, and seasonal tourism linked to nearby Grand Canyon National Park corridors. Federal funding programs from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and grants from foundations like the Smithsonian Institution and Ford Foundation have influenced infrastructure and cultural enterprises on the mesa.

Governance and Land Status

Land tenure on Second Mesa is governed by the Hopi Tribe’s tribal government, with legal relationships to the United States mediated through statutes such as the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and oversight by agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior. Jurisdictional matters intersect with the neighboring Navajo Nation and have involved adjudication in courts including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on questions of boundaries and resource rights. Tribal councils, clan leaders, and village elders administer local matters coordinated with nontribal entities such as the Arizona Department of Transportation for road projects and the Arizona Department of Health Services for public health initiatives.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Access to the mesa is provided by state and county roads connecting to Arizona State Route 264 and Arizona State Route 87, with logistics coordinated by tribal transportation programs and federal grants from Federal Highway Administration programs for tribal transportation. Infrastructure includes water systems supported by federal and tribal utilities, electrical service involving regional providers and cooperative agreements akin to arrangements with the Salt River Project and energy initiatives supported by the Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy. Broadband and telecommunications projects have been advanced through programs administered by the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service.

Tourism and Conservation

Tourism on and near the mesa interfaces with conservation managed by agencies including the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and tribal cultural resource offices, and features interpretive access tied to nearby attractions such as Wupatki National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, and regional trails used by visitors to Flagstaff, Arizona. Cultural tourism emphasizes respectful protocols established by the Hopi Tribe and partnerships with museums such as the Museum of Northern Arizona for exhibits and educational programs. Conservation efforts address erosion, invasive species, and climate impacts with collaboration among the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, academic partners at Northern Arizona University, and nonprofit organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Category:Hopi Category:Landforms of Navajo County, Arizona