Mesa Verde Ancient Architecture is the true story of two men's gift to the world and to posterity. The book contains two essays written by Jesse Walter Fewkes about the Native American ruins at Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House, the two premier sites at Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. Fewkes began his work of documenting and preserving these ruins in 1908.

Larry Nordby took up where Fewkes left off and thus both men have helped document a national treasure, Mesa Verde National Park. Fewkes discusses the architecture and unique construction styles, the ethnology, and the art of these prehistoric cliff dwellers. Larry Nordby is the current resident archaeologist, and first since Fewkes, at Mesa Verde National Park.

Nordby's Introduction provides a current update on the contemporary research being done at theses sites and the perspective placed by current standards on Fewkes' research.
This is an intimate look at an astounding archaeological site through the eyes of the first professional to study it. Mesa Verde is a huge area, and contains some of the Southwest's most spectacular architecture.