By Ben Duke, Executive Director, Mesa Verde Foundation

We are pleased to report that the new Visitor and Research Center (VRC) being constructed at the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park is progressing at a great pace, in part due to the favorable weather conditions we’ve had over the past few months. The current date for substantial completion of the VRC is June 2012, and construction just passed the 77% mark. In early December, meetings were held with the contractor chosen to fabricate and install the exhibits. The meeting clarified exhibit design and content, and provided a chance for the contractor to get a look at the building. Installation of exhibits is scheduled for early September 2012, with completion by the end of that month.

The park plans to begin moving some artifacts in July, but National Park Service museum standards stipulate that park staff wait six months after completion of construction to move in artifacts that require climate control. That gives the park staff time to ensure the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is operating as planned. Electricity to the building, including photovoltaic supplied power, will start up by the end of the January. This is very exciting, as this is a way the VRC will be utilizing renewable energy for its operations.

This stunning building features a spectacular curved roof which has just been installed. (See photographs.) The building is easily seen from Highway 160 near the park entrance off-ramp.

The Mesa Verde Foundation remains very proud of this project for Mesa Verde National Park. With its exhibits, artifact storage, demonstration spaces, visitor services and new bookstore, it is going to be a tremendous asset to the park. This huge undertaking by the Foundation is a testament to the hard work on the part of its directors who secured the property that has been transferred to the park, funded the planning, architectural, and engineering drawings and plans, and through their connections in both Congress and the Department of Interior tirelessly sought and eventually helped secure construction funding through the Federal Government. We wanted to take this opportunity once again to thank the board of the Mesa Verde Foundation for both its vision and hard work that have made this incredible project possible.

Park Rangers will be leading a guided hike focusing on winter ecology at Mesa Verde National Park on Saturday, January 28, beginning at 9 a.m. The guided hike is free, but advance sign-up is requested. Children should be at least 7 years old to join the hike. Participants will meet at the Morefield Village gas station, and then explore the hillsides around the Morefield Campground, looking for signs of wildlife and observing adaptations of plants and animals in the winter months. Be prepared to be outdoors for 2 – 3 hours with extra layers of clothing, water, and snacks. There is a limit of 20 adults and children. If needed, snowshoes will be provided, or you may bring your own. Park entrance fees are waived during the months of January and February. To sign up, for weather conditions, and for more information on the hike, please call the Chapin Mesa Museum at 970-529-4631.

Ranger-led hikes will be offered once again in 2012! Building on the success of the two-year Enhanced Visitor Opportunities pilot program of 2010-2011, hikes this summer and fall are slated for Square Tower House, Mug House, and a family-friendly Wetherill Mesa Experience. The schedule and pricing for each activity varies; more information can be found at www.mesaverdeinstitute.org. New this year is that the National Park Service will be managing all hike ticket sales through www.recreation.gov. We’ll let you know as soon as hike enrollments are open at that site. We hope you’ll be able to join one of these special experiences in 2012.

After 39.5 years of service—36 of those years in Mesa Verde National Park—park ranger Linda Martin finally hung up her flat hat and retired on December 31, 2011. During her MVNP tenure, Linda supervised part of each year’s seasonal interpretive rangers, effectively helping to shape the careers of literally hundreds of National Park Service interpreters. She authored one of Mesa Verde’s best-selling publications (Mesa Verde: The Story Behind the Scenery, by KC Publications) and provided valuable input on countless other interpretive texts. She was the logistic mastermind behind the park’s annual holiday open house and luminaria night, a key organizer for the annual free Four Corners Lecture Series, and the unofficial park historian by virtue of her remarkable ability to instantly recall people and events from throughout her time living and working in Mesa Verde. She has been a stalwart supporter and member of the Mesa Verde Museum Association.

More than 165 friends came from all across the United States to wish Linda well at a party held in her honor on January 7, 2012. The Dolores Community Center was filled with laughter and heartwarming tributes (as well as more than a few eyebrow-raising stories!) in a fitting send-off to this park icon.

A woman of boundless energy, and we are confident that Linda Martin has many adventures ahead of her in retirement. We wish her the very best in this latest chapter of her life!

Photo: Happy retiree Linda Martin with MVMA’s Laurel Rematore at Linda’s retirement potluck.

Mesa Verde National Park: The First 100 Years celebrates the park as a whole, from its surprising eighteenth-century discovery to the establishment of the park (thanks to a group of nineteenth-century women) to the inspiration it has sparked in the likes of Willa Cather and Ann Zwinger. Beautifully illustrated with historic and full-color photos and filled with modern essays and fascinating historic extracts, The First 100 Years is both a keepsake and a wealth of information on a beloved national park and World Cultural Heritage Site. Recognized by the prestigious Association of Partners for Public Lands Media and Partnership Awards, this title is an essential addition to any park lover’s library. And for a limited time, you can purchase copies at the incredibly low price of just $5 each! (No additional member discount is available since the price is already so greatly reduced from its original $21.95 retail price.) Paperback; 130 pages; 11.5” x 13.25”.

Click here to take advantage of this super special pricing now, or shop at our year-round stores in the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and at the Colorado Welcome Center in Cortez, CO. As always, proceeds from your purchases support Mesa Verde National Park.

While you’re at it, browse the selection at our newly revamped webstore at www.mesaverde.org. We’re adding more products all the time! If you don’t find what you’re looking for, call us at 800-305-6053 or 970-529-4445 for assistance.

As always, Mesa Verde Association members receive a 20% discount on all merchandise except for special sale priced items. Not a member yet? It’s easy to join! Just click here or call us for assistance.