National Register of Historic Places

Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex

Yellow Jacket, Montezuma County, Colorado
Listed
January 16, 2004
Type
Site
Period
Pre Contact
Ref No.
03001383

About this property

Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex is a set of archaeological sites dated from AD 600 to 1300 that are located near Yellow Jacket in Montezuma County, Colorado. The complex is also known by its collective site ID of 5MT16722. In 2004, the Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places. A farmer named Mr. Stevenson found a piece of pottery at the site of a house that had burned down near the town of Yellow Jacket, Colorado. In 1953 he sent the pottery to Joe Ben Wheat, Curator of the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History. Wheat recognized that the pottery was probably dated AD 500-750 and accepted an offer from Stevenson to investigate the property in the Mesa Verde region of southwestern Colorado. Wheat performed eight excavations at the three sites that make up the Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex. Stevenson Site (Site ID 5MT1) is a small Basketmaker III Era village (AD 675–700) of 4 semi-subterranean dwellings, arranged in two semi-circular arcs, with 28 pit-rooms that were used for work rooms and storage. In the center of the arcs were plazas. A large open-air ramada is also located at the site. Also known as the "Stevenson Site" after the farmer who had found the pottery, Wheat changed the original name to a methodical name using the Smithsonian nomenclature, 5MT1, which consists of: 1) the number "5" for the state of Colorado, 2) the two letter abbreviation of "MT" for Montezuma County, and 3) a sequentially assigned site number, "1" for the first excavation. Site ID 5MT2 consists of 3 or 4 dwelling groupings from Pueblo II Era through Pueblo III Era (AD 1060-1280). Site 5MT3. The largest of the three sites excavated, it is multi-component pueblo with occupation components dating between AD 600 and 1300. The site consists of four pit-house structures with associated storage rooms. The site was abandoned for three centuries then became occupied again. Wheat's work at Yellow Jacket spanned over 30 years (1954–1991). These three sites, 5MT1-3, had unusual and interesting features never been seen before and were a great discovery of the Mesa Verde region.

Location

Yellow Jacket, Montezuma County, Colorado
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex

This page lists Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex report
Or see a real report first

Questions about this property

When was Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex listed on the National Register?

Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 16, 2004.

What type of historic resource is Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex?

Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex?

The period of significance for Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex is recorded as the pre_contact era, specifically around 1300.

Can I research the history near Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Montezuma County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Montezuma County.

Explore MontezumaCounty ›

More historic places in Colorado

Browse all historic places in Colorado.

View Coloradohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Colorado history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Coloradohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Joe Ben Wheat Site Complex will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report