ABSTRACT
In 1990, the Town of Springerville, a small rural Arizona community, embarked on a mission to develop nearby Casa Malpais National Historic Landmark as an archaeological park. This ambitious pursuit would present many challenges but would also open up significant opportunities along the way. Nineteen years later, there is a lot to learn from this case study, which highlights some of the critical issues involved in archaeological park development, particularly with respect to rural communities. These include the important processes of identifying and evaluating sites as heritage tourism resources and their preservation and protection, interpretation and education, community involvement, and sustainability through broad-based partnerships (Pinter 2005).
