Sometime around 1954 - 1956, Dr. Aberle and her husband, attorney William Brophy, purchased an adobe-style home on what is now known as Albuquerque's West Mesa. The home was first built by Col. Alexander Stewart, in about 1948, as a homestead property. The original house, most probably, consisted of today's visitor area and conference room.
Between their purchase and 1957, Aberle and Brophy significantly remodeled the original house to accommodate their professional work-related interests. The garage below the kitchen was converted into Dr. Aberle's office, and by 1977 the latillas and shade structure were added on the east and south sides of the house.
In 1990, Dr. Aberle agreed to sell her West Mesa home to the Department of the Interior as part of the establishment of Petroglyph National Monument. On July 11, 1996, the staff of Petroglyph National Monument celebrated Dr. Aberle's 100th birthday by inviting her back to her home. Dr. Aberle was genuinely pleased and thought it appropriate that her home, which had hosted so many tribal and federal representatives, would now be included as part of a National Monument dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of petroglyphs.
Today, the visitor center is the first stop for visitors from around the country and around the world. Park rangers and volunteers, who staff the visitor information desk, can provide maps and directions to areas where you can view many of our estimated 25,000 petroglyph images, as well as provide an orientation to our park resources. The building also houses the Western National Parks Association booktore where a selection of over 250 items are available for purchase. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, demonstrations by local native artisans take place on the visitor center patio each weekend.