I got this stamp when I went to Saguaro National Park (East),
Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area is recognizes the rich history natural and cultural resources and heritage of the Santa Cruz River watershed. It is a unique and diverse watershed in the southwestern US that encompasses a mosaic of cultures and history. Living in this region are Native American tribes with ancient roots to the area. Descendants of Spanish settles who colonized the valley in the 1600’s. Mexican families settled in the area before 1854 Gadsden Purchase that made it part of the United States. Current generations of the late nineteenth-century American pioneers who ventured into the borderland seeking new beginnings.
The heritage area recognizes the original inhabitants of this landscape, the O’odham and the Yaqui (Yoeme) and their descendants who remain thriving on both sides of what is today, the United States and Mexico border.
Here are some other places that are part of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area.
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Saguaro National Park
Tumacacori National Historical Park
Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)