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Cowboys found Mesa Verde Cliff Palace in 1888 and uncovered a 700 year old mega settlement
International
Published on 15 May 2026
The site was visible but nobody noticed for centuries
In December 1888, ranch cowboys Richard Wetherill and Charles Mason stumbled upon Cliff Palace in Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park, revealing the largest cliff dwelling there. The ancestral Pueblo community had stood in sandstone alcoves for roughly 700 years, “visible yet protected” by steep canyon geography. Unlike organized archaeology, the discovery came through routine exploration. Cliff Palace’s scale—around 150 rooms and 23 kivas—made it a defining North American archaeology site.
- Cliff Palace was discovered in late 1888 by Richard Wetherill and Charles Mason
- The ancestral Pueblo community had existed for about 700 years
- It was the largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park
- Estimates place it at roughly 150 rooms and 23 kivas
- Early accounts suggested it could house up to about 400 people
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times