In northern New Mexico, “querencia” is a folk concept used to express a sense of longing for and belonging to a specific place. For many Spanish and Mexican land grant heirs, querencia is an essential part of cultural identity; heirs are defined by their connection to a shared homeland, which is the site and setting of their cultural heritage. In this talk, Dr. Jenks digs into the meaning of querencia by describing what has been learned through collaborative archaeological research on the Cañón de Carnué Land Grant. Most of this research focuses on the plaza of San Miguel de Loredo, settled by grantees in 1763 and abandoned seven years later following a devastating attack. This project offers new insights into the histories connected with this land grant. It also challenges us to consider how we might apply the concept of querencia in our management of heritage sites.