Editing Springerville, Arizona (section)

==Attractions==
[[Image:Casa Malpais Kiva.jpg|thumb|The Kiva at Casa Malpaís]]
[[Casa Malpaís]] is located near Springerville. It is a nationally recognized archeological site.<ref>[http://www.delange.org/CasaMalpais1/CasaMalpais.htm Arizona Travel and Tours] delange.org</ref>

The name ''Casa Malpais'' means "House built from Malapai", which describes the type volcanic vesicular basalt from which the ancient village was constructed. It is thought that the name was given to the village by early [[Basque people|Basque]] sheepherders. The [[Springerville volcanic field]] contains over 400 [[volcano]]es within a {{convert|50|mi|adj=on}} radius of Springerville, making it the third largest volcanic field in the continental United States.

The first visit to Casa Malpais by a professional [[anthropologist]] was in 1883, when [[Frank Cushing]], living at Zuni, visited a site at "El Valle Redondo on the Colorado Chiquito", and was impressed by what he termed "the fissure type [[pueblo]]" he found there. In his journal he sketched dry masonry, bridging fissures, upon which the pueblo is constructed.

Unique and unusual features characterize the site. The Great [[Kiva]], painstakingly constructed of volcanic rock, is the centerpiece. A steep [[basalt]] staircase set into a crevice of the high red cliff wall leads to the top of the mesa.

Both the [[Hopi]] and [[Zuni people|Zuni]] people still consider Casa Malpais a sacred ancestral place.

The town contains one of the twelve ''[[Madonna of the Trail]]'' monuments created by sculptor [[August Leimbach]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.route40.net/history/madonnas/az.shtml |title=Madonna of the Trail Monuments - Arizona |access-date=June 4, 2006 |archive-date=August 14, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020814173321/http://www.route40.net/history/madonnas/az.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The town is close to the [[Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests]], which run along the [[Mogollon Rim]]. It is also close to the [[Sunrise Park Resort|Sunrise Ski Resort]].

The El Rio opened in 1915, making it the oldest movie theater in Arizona. It was originally called the Apache Theater, until it was changed in 1937 to the El Rio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.elriotheatre.com/el-rio-theatre.html|title = El Rio Theatre &#124; el Rio Theatre}}</ref>