Bluff, Utah

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under the direction of John Taylor, Silas S. Smith led about 230 Mormons on an expedition to start a farming community in southeastern Utah. After forging about 200miles of their own trail over difficult terrain, the settlers arrived on the site of Bluff in April 1880. The trail followed went over and down the "Hole In the Rock", which now opens into one of the tributaries of Lake Powell. The town’s population had declined to seventy by 1930, but rebounded during a uranium prospecting boom in the 1950s. With the uranium decline in the 1970s, Bluff again declined and now remains a small town with about 300 residents.

Four Corners

 

The Four Corners is the only place in the United States where four states (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado) come together at one place. Here a person can stand in four states at the same time. The unique landmark is managed by the Navajo Nation and is open to the public.

Petrified Forest, Arizona

 

 

 

 

 

 

Petrified Forest National Park is a United States national park in Navajo and Apache counties in northeastern Arizona. The park's headquarters are about 26 miles east of Holbrook along Interstate 40, which parallels a railroad line, the Puerco River, and historic U.S. Route 66, all crossing the park roughly east–west. Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, the park covers about 146 square miles,encompassing semi-desert shrub steppe as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands. The site, the northern part of which extends into the Painted Desert, was declared a National Monument in 1906 and a national park in 1962.

The Petrified Forest is known for its fossils, especially fallen trees that lived in the Late Triassic, about 225 million years ago. The sediments containing the fossil logs are part of the widespread and colorful Chinle Formation, from which the Painted Desert gets its name. Beginning about 60 million years ago, the Colorado Plateau, of which the park is part, was pushed upward by tectonic forces and exposed to increased erosion. All of the park's rock layers above the Chinle, except geologically recent ones found in parts of the park, have been removed by wind and water. In addition to petrified logs, fossils found in the park have included Late Triassic ferns, cycads, ginkgoes, and many other plants as well as fauna including giant reptiles called phytosaurs, large amphibians, and early dinosaurs. Paleontologists have been unearthing and studying the park's fossils since the early 20th century.

Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona

 

 

 

 

Chester E. Lewis had other motels along Old Route 66 in the 1930's in other Arizona cities. He saw his first Wigwam Village in Cave City, Kentucky in 1938. A man by the name of Frank Redford already had a couple of Wigwam Villages built in Kentucky by that time.

He decided he would like to build a Wigwam Village of his own. In that time period, the term franchises or chain motels were not known of, much less used. Mr. Redford was more interested in sharing his novel idea than making money. Mr. Lewis and Mr. Redford came to an agreement that radios would be placed in each Wigwam that would play for one half hour for a silver dime. Mr. Redford would then receive the dimes from the radios for a period of some years in payment for the use of his plans.

There were seven of these Wigwam Villages built from the 1930's to the 1950's from Florida to California. The one, here in Holbrook, receives a lot of media attention due to it being located on Route 66 and located near several Native American Reservations,Navajo, Hopi, White Mountain Apache Reservations. There are several vintage automobiles that are around the perimeter of the property.

The Wigwam Motel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 2002.

Aztec Ruins, Colorado

 

 

 

 

This Ancestral Pueblo great house has over 500 masonry rooms. When you look up in those rooms you can see original timbers holding up the roof.

Spider Rock, Canyon De Chelly, Arizona

 

 

 

Spider Rock stands over 800 feet high in Arizona's colourful Canyon de Chelly National Park. Long ago, the Dine (Navajo) Indian tribe named it Spider Rock.

Spider Woman possessed supernatural power at the time of creation, when Dine (Navajo) emerged from the third world into this fourth world. At that time, monsters roamed the land and killed many people. Since Spider Woman loved the people, she gave power for Monster- Slayer and Child-Born-of-Water to search for the Sun-God who was their father. When they found him, Sun-God showed them how to destroy all the monsters on land and in the water. Because she preserved their people, Dine (Navajo) established Spider Woman among their most important and honoured Deities. She chose the top of Spider Rock for her home. It was Spider Woman who taught Dine (Navajo) ancestors of long ago the art of weaving upon a loom. She told them, "My husband, Spider Man, constructed the weaving loom making the cross poles of sky and earth cords to support the structure; the warp sticks of sun rays, lengthwise to cross the woof; the healds of rock crystal and sheet lightning, to maintain original condition of fibres. For the batten, he chose a sun halo to seal joints, and for the comb he chose a white shell to clean strands in a combing manner." Through many generations, the Dine (Navajo) have always been accomplished weavers. From their elders, Dine (Navajo) children heard warnings that if they did not behave themselves, Spider Woman would let down her web- ladder and carry them up to her home and devour them!
The children also heard that the top of Spider Rock was white from the sun-bleached bones of Dine (Navajo) children who did not behave themselves! One day, a peaceful cave-dwelling Dine (Navajo) youth was hunting in Dead Man's Canyon, a branch of Canyon de Chelly. Suddenly, he saw an enemy tribesman who chased him deeper into the canyon. As the peaceful Dine (Navajo) ran, he looked quickly from side to side, searching for a place to hide or to escape. Directly in front of him stood the giant obelisk-like Spider Rock. What could he do? He knew it was too difficult for him to climb. He was near exhaustion. Suddenly, before his eyes he saw a silken cord hanging down from the top of the rock tower. The Dine (Navajo) youth grasped the magic cord. which seemed strong enough, and quickly tied it around his waist. With its help he climbed the tall tower, escaping from his enemy who then gave up the chase. When the peaceful Dine (Navajo) reached the top, he stretched out to rest. There he discovered a most pleasant place with eagle's eggs to eat and the night's dew to drink. Imagine his surprise when he learned that his rescuer was Spider Woman! She told him how she had seen him and his predicament. She showed him how she made her strong web-cord and anchored one end of it to a point of rock. She showed him how she let down the rest of her web-cord to help him to climb the rugged Spider Rock. Later, when the peaceful Dine (Navajo) youth felt assured his enemy was gone, he thanked Spider Woman warmly and he safely descended to the canyon floor by using her magic cord. He ran home as fast as he could run, reporting to his tribe how his life was saved by Spider Woman!

Petroglyphs at White Bird Recreation, Colorado

 

Mystic Seaport

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a living history museum consisting of a village, ships, and 17 acres of exhibits depicting coastal life in New England in the 19th century. So much fun!

Red Canyon, Flaming Gorge

 

 

 

 

I never realized how GREEN the Green River is until today. It's incredibly beautiful!