Wupatki National Monument was established as a National Monument in 1924 due to its archeological sites, which are among the oldest in the country. Experts estimate that the crumbling pueblo dwellings, at one point, consisted of between 80 and 100 rooms and were multi-storied. Discoveries of artifacts indicate that the dwellings were inhabited by Ancient Pueblo People for as far back as 500AD, and later abandoned in 1225AD, likely due to a volcanic eruption nearby. More recently, Hopi Native Americans lived and hunted in the area and gave the abandoned settlement its name: Wupatki, which means “tall house.” Indeed, these structures were once the tallest man-made structures for 50 miles around.