Gran Quivara National Monument

Over 200 burro-loads of Spanish gold and silver church treasure, a hoard of gold bars, statues, ornaments and raw gold and silver was buried on two knolls overlooking the old mission site within site of the Gran Quivara National Monument and to the south of Mountainair. The cache, valued at over 120 million, was buried by Padre Francisco Letrado. The mission was established in 1627 and abandoned in 1679.