Hohokam Indians and their Water Canals

The reason Phoenix can exist in the middle of the desert is because in 1868 Jack Swilling discovered the ruins of a 27,000 sq mi canal system built by the Hohokam. He restarted the canals and today that infrastructure, with modern expansions, waters the city of over a million in the hot desert.

HohokamCanal.jpg
I am not sure that there were 27,000 sq mi of canals, for canals probably do not get measured in square miles. The Norther Arizona University provided the following info:
  • In A.D. 1450, when they abandoned the area for reasons unknown, they left behind an incredible wealth of ruins, rock art, and canals—sites and artifacts distributed over 27,000 square miles
Jack Swilling (1830-1878)
220px-Jack_Swilling.jpg

Jack Swilling in his only known
photograph, date unknown.

Hohokam
casa_grande.jpg

Casa Grande, AZ

Hohokam culture, prehistoric North American Indians who lived approximately from 200 to 1400 ce in the semiarid region of present-day central and southern Arizona, largely along the Gila and Salt rivers. The term Hohokam is said to be Pima for “those who have vanished.”


KD: I knew nothing about these canals. I've heard about the Casa Grande in Arizona, but not about the canals. Those "ancients" were truly amazing, and I figured this would be an interesting info to share. Not sure what it gives us though.
 
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