OUR MISSION
The Mission of the Friends of Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites is to support the conservation, historical assets and museum exhibits. Through our community outreach we promote the cultural significance of both the Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites. This includes the history of the ancestral pueblos of Kuaua and Giusewa, the Coronado Expedition and the Mission of San Jose de los Jemez.
Who We Are
The Friends is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt group supporting two important New Mexico State Historic Sites, the historic village of Kuaua (Ka-wa-wa, circa 1300 AD) on the Rio Grande and the Jemez Historic Village of Gisewa in the Jemez Mountains. We are an involved group of 400+ people who delve deeply into southwestern history, archaeology, geology and anthropology. 
 
We enjoy the excitement of wandering remote areas not always available to the public. We provide lectures, field trips, workshops, behind-the-scenes tours of museums, art centers, guided wilderness hikes, social gatherings, which support our two important New Mexico Historic Sites both physically and financially.
 

Since 2003, The Friends have volunteered tens of thousands of hours both on-site and behind the scenes helping the efforts of the Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites. 
We are the Docents, Gift Shop Volunteers, the Trail Workers, Archaeological Diggers, Event Planners, the Zoom Lecture Leaders, Researchers and Board Members who support the sites on a purely volunteer basis.

Historic Sites
Coronado Historic Site
Coronado Historic Site preserves and interprets an archaeological site of first-contact between Hispanic explorers and Native Puebloans.
The historic site includes 500-year-old kiva murals and a reconstructed 15th century kiva, providing a glimpse into the religious life of Tiwa people. Our Friends members offer docent-led tours daily, during normal hours, along with a number of members-only activities throughout the year. For a full list of volunteer opportunities, visit our Membership page.
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Additional information about the Coronado Historic Site's rich history may be found at Department of Cultural Affairs.
Jemez Historic Site
A short drive from Albuquerque and Bernalillo, the Jemez National Historic Landmark is one of the most beautiful state historic sites in the Southwest. It includes stone ruins of a 400-year-old church dating to 1621 and ancient village of Giusewa.
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An adjacent heritage center contains exhibits which share the story of the site through the words of the Jemez people.
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The Friends Members help with events such as Lights of Gisewa, archaeological digs, and several other opportunities to get involved. For a full list of benefits visit our Membership page.
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More information about the Jemez Historic Site's rich history may be found at Department of Cultural Affairs.