Rising five stories from the base of Taos Mountain, the Pueblo is the inspiration for what is now known as Southwestern Architecture.
Yes, Taos has a casino. A portion of the revenue generated from the casino goes to purchasing land adjacent to Blue Lake. Blue Lake, an important religious site to the people of Taos Pueblo, was designated a National Forest by Presedent Roosevelt in 1906. Taos didn't even know of the forest designation until two men went to worship and where told they needed a "special use Permit" from the government. Upon visiting the area the men found that right on the site cabins, corrals, and an outhouse had been built. Many believed that Blue Lake had been lost forever, but 70 years later it was returned to the tribe. Along with 48,000 acres, Blue Lake was the first-ever piece of land returned by the U.S. Government.
Taos Pueblo has their own buffalo herd which they started in 1929. They started out with just 18 bison purchased from a Texas rancher. The rancher, Charles Goodnight, rescued buffalo calves orphaned by the U.S. Government's massacre of the herds during the 1800s. Mr. Goodnight passed on a short time after selling to the Taos Pueblo. Goodnight's rescues are the foundation of many of todays thriving herds, such as those found in Yellowstone National Park. Today, Taos Pueblo has an estimated 120-head in their bison herd. The herd is kept for traditional purposes and is not available to tourists.
