MUCH HAS HAPPENED AT MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK, as it has happened to the United States, since the original edition of this book appeared in 1988. America has changed as we enter the twenty-first century. As the English poet Edmund Spenser affirmed so many years ago, "the ever-whirling wheel of change; the which all mortal things doth sway."

While fourteen years may not have affected the people who originally called this mesa home, that time span has impacted their physical heritage and given us new insights into their lives. For this reason, a new edition is warranted to tell the story of the park as it has evolved into a new millennium.

Mesa Verde is a timeless place, a spiritual place if the visitor takes the time to listen, contemplate, and cherish. It has much to tell each of us, if we will only spend the time away from a fast-paced world.

Again, thanks are due to the park staff who generously contributed their time and knowledge to make this edition possible.