Putiidhem

Putiidhem was a large native village of the Acjachemen people (today this tribe goes by the name "Juaneño") from approximately 1200 CE until 1776, when the natives moved to Mission San Juan Capistrano. The site of the village, now an open field, was used until recently as a sacred site by the Juaneños. It is situated in San Juan Capistrano, California just off Interstate 5, about a mile north of the mission. For many years, rodeos and circuses were held at that location. The property is currently occupied by the gymnasium, athletic fields and performing arts complex of Junipero Serra High School. The construction of this complex was unsuccessfully blocked by the Juaneño, who protested after human remains were discovered at the site, thus giving it cultural value. The venue is variously described as an ancient village and as a gravesite.