PASSPORT

To Our National Parks & Monuments

By David Hardy
Up The Beginning Native Amer. Westward Ho The Wars The Famous OOPS...!

 

Westward HO...!!

The Native Americans didn’t have a chance.  The American Frontier was fair game for all.  Everyone had a different reason for  going "West".   Some, like the Spanish and Mormons, wanted to further their religious beliefs, some wanted to strike it rich during gold strikes, and others just wanted a fresh start.

No matter what their reason, each left his or her mark on this unsettled land which soon grew into a world power.

El Morro

New Mexico

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Many left their marks as graffiti on rocks and trees.   It is frowned on today, but when it is well over 100 years old it becomes the center of attraction at El Morro National Monument, 30 miles south of Gallup, NM.  The rocky butte has guided travelers to the only water hole for miles.  Indians, Spaniards, American military, and traders passed by and left their marks on Inscription Rock.  It is a solemn remembrance of those who crossed our nation in search of their future, which is now our heritage.

Tumacacori Mission

Arizona

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The first mission at Tumacacori National Historic Park was established in 1691 by Father Eusebio Kino.  Today’s structures were built between 1800 and 1828.  They stand as a shrine to the Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries who brought Christianity to the American Natives of the Southwest.  It is located halfway between Tucson, AZ and the border city of Nogales, Mexico.  Just up I-19 is the former Presidio of Tubac, AZ.  Today it is an art colony with over 30 galleries and studios.

San Antonio Missions

Texas

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We loved San Antonio, TX! We stayed 2 weeks and would go back for more.  Of course there is the Alamo, which isn’t a National Monument, but the three missions of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park are  fascinating to visit. Pictured here are, Mission Espado (above) and Mission San Jose (below).

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Lewis & Clark Expedition

Oregon

Lewis and Clark left St. Louis, MO in May of 1894 to trek across the unknown expanse of the northern United States.  Their expedition was as dangerous as man’s first trip to the moon.  By December, 1805, they reached the Pacific Ocean and wintered at the site of Fort Clatsop National Memorial south of Astoria, OR. The first trail across the Northwest had been blazed.  It was another historic "First step for mankind".

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Fort Laramie

Wyoming

Fort Laramie National Historical Site is one of the most completely restored frontier forts we have visited.  It is located 50 miles west of Scottsbluff, NE on Route 26.  These Officers’ Quarters are almost back to their original condition.

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Fort Larned

Kansas

Most western forts were built in isolated areas to protect settlers and travelers from marauding Indians.  Fort Larned National Historic Site is located 60 north east of Dodge City, KS and was an oasis on the flat dusty Kansas plain.  Life in these forts was hard and monotonous.

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Fort Davis

Texas

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Fort Davis National Historic Site pays special tribute to the black soldiers who served on the American frontier between 1854 and 1891.  These forces were called Buffalo Soldiers by the Indians because their hair resembled buffalo hide.  The ruins, outside Fort Davis, TX, are more extensive than other southwestern forts.

Fort Union

New Mexico

Fort Union National Monument was established in 1851 and operated for 30 years as a stop on the  Santa Fe Trail as a protective force in the Southwest.  Today, some structures have been reconstructed and others, like these chimneys are left as sentinels in natural decay.  The site is just off I-25 between Raton and Santa Fe, NM.

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Hubbell Trading Post

Arizona

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J.L. Hubbell opened the Hubbell Trading Post in 1876.  Today, it is still a meeting and shopping place for the Navajo Indians.   They sell or trade their arts and crafts for staples sold at the Post . When asked if there are any of Hubbell’s descendents still living in the area, our Navajo Ranger guide responded, "Only the Indians, Ma’am!"

Golden Spike

Utah

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What a thrill!! We drove 30 miles from Brigham City, UT through barren desert to find the Golden Spike National Historic Site. To our amazement the site features two full scale, operating replicas of the Union Pacific Engine #119 and the Central Pacific Engine, Jupiter.  The original engines steamed to Promontory Point on May 10, 1869 where railroad representatives drove the Golden Spike  linking the East and West Coast via the transcontinental railway.

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