Located in the Southwest corner of Colorado, Cortez is located between wonderous deserts and majestic mountains. The Navajos called Cortez Tsaya-toh, meaning "rock water." The spring that once provided water for Navajo sheep also attracted ranchers to the area known as Mitchell Springs. The name of the town was changed when Cortez was founded in 1886. Ranching and farming became the economic mainstay of Cortez, and the town also became a major trading center for Native Americans. There are several historic buildings in downtown Cortez. Housed in a 1909 historic building, the Cortez Cultural Center (closed Sundays) contains a wealth of information on archaeology and American Indian culture. The Center's Museum displays interpretive exhibits on the Basketmaker and Pueblo periods of the Ancestral Pueblo people.
Cortez is the gateway to Mesa Verde National Park. Mesa Verde, Spanish for "green table," reflects over 700 years of history. From approximately A.D. 600 through A.D. 1300, people lived and flourished in Mesa Verde National Park. There are also other archeological sites in the area.
