Little Bighorn National Monument Stop in Montana

After leaving Columbus MT, we wanted to stop at the Little Bighorn National Monument which was a couple hours along I-90.

It was a cloudy day with some rain, but we stopped anyway to see the museum and the grounds.

A national cemetery is on the site on one side of the main building.

Over time, I am learning more and more about the history of the American Indian and the U.S. Government's expansion through the Great Plains.  There were many reasons for encroachments west of the Mississippi, but the lure of a quick fortune meant trappers and fur traders, gold rushers and others looking for a place to homestead, meant treaties with the Indians were broken again and again.

The tensions between the Indians and the white man varied for a number of years, specifically between 1854-1890 in what was known as the Sioux Wars.  The Little Bighorn was one of those battles of the Sioux Wars.

I liked the small but well done museum.  It had a number of interesting artifacts and displays depicting life in the 1870s on the Plains.  The U. S. 7th Cavalry was dispatched to the territory to "get rid of the Indian problem" and Lt. Col. George A. Custer was among the 700 men who fought against approximately 2,000 Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors.

Custer's Last Stand is the source of much speculation, contemplation and legend.  Since it was undoubtedly a complete rout, there were no eye-witness soldiers to substantiate different accounts.  But by most accounts, Custer's force was annihilated within an hour of engagement.

This internet map shows how the Army was positioned for a three pronged attack against the Indians gathering in the area.

It was the largest battle in the Sioux Wars of 1876.   Afterwards, the Indians divided up into smaller groups and dispersed because there was not enough grass and game to sustain the large number of forces that had gathered there.  This was the last significant battle of the Sioux Wars.  Afterwards, the Indians were chased and forced onto numbers of reservations where they were promised peace and rations and their own territory once again.

Among the displays was a display of key people at Little Bighorn including Custer, Major Reno, as well as Indians who served as scouts, guides and interpreters for the Army.

Sitting Bull inspired many of the Indians, including Crazy Horse to fight for their people.   Sitting Bull said to his warriors, "You are fools to make yourselves slaves to a piece of fat bacon, some hard tack and a little sugar and coffee."  Another leader of the day, President Ulysses S. Grant advocated the Peace Policy of 1869 which had little effect on the roaming Indians and the corrupt Indian Agents throughout the territory.

After slowly going through the museum we took a walk up the hill to separate memorials for the Army and Indians.

A monument was erected with the names of the Army fallen.

Across the way was a memorial built for the Indians.

It was worth the stop and we were glad we did.

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Four That Made Monument Valley Famous

I remember seeing pictures of Monument Valley long before I knew it was Monument Valley.  I suppose I saw images of its beauty in westerns and cowboy movies.  Not until this summer did I learn more about the place and how it became so well known.

When we visited a few weeks ago, I learned we get to enjoy this beautiful place because of the efforts of some key individuals that helped bring 'the West' into our homes:

• Harry Goulding 
• Josef Muench 
• John Ford 
• John Wayne 

Here are some brief notes of four people that made Monument Valley famous:

Harry Goulding was a veteran of World War I and was a sheep inspector for the U.S. government. It was during his time traveling through southwestern Colorado, southern Utah and Northern Arizona that he developed a love for Monument Valley, the Navajo people and the wide open spaces.

He married his girlfriend Leone (whom he called "Mike") in 1923 and they moved to Monument Valley.

Harry and 'Mike' Goulding - 1939

They were able to homestead 640 acres, became sheep herders and started Goulding's Trading Post.

With the Depression in the 1930's the hard life there got harder.  Harry heard that Hollywood director John Ford was looking for good locations to shoot Westerns.  Harry was down to his last $60 and decided to try to get John Ford to come to Monument Valley. In 1938, Harry and Mike went to Los Angeles with photographs of Monument Valley taken by Josef Muench. It was Muench's photographs that got Ford's attention and the director agreed to film in Monument Valley.

Josef Muench first saw Monument Valley in 1935 and was a professional photographer.  He and Harry Goulding became good friends during his many visits.

Photographer Josef Muench

At Harry's request he put together a collection of 8 x 10 photographs of the spectacular Monument Valley that Goulding showed to director John Ford.

Muench devoted his whole life to photography and loved Arizona.  He made over 160 visits to Monument Valley and over 200 to the Grand Canyon.  Later his photography was a centerpiece in Arizona Highways magazine where he worked over 50 years.  He also traveled extensively and photographed around the world:  Africa, Alaska, Asia, Canada, Colorado, Europe and Hawaii.  He said, "My camera is my constant companion"

John Ford was directing western movies when Harry Goulding found out that he was looking for some good locations.

Director John Ford

When John met Harry Goulding and saw his photographs of Monument Valley he was convinced it was a good place to film some Westerns.  A few weeks later, shooting began for the movie 'Stagecoach' in Monument Valley.  Hundreds of crew and support staff made their way to nearby Kayenta, AZ and Monument Valley, adding much needed income to the locals during the Depression stricken area.

John Wayne was Ford's choice in the starring role for his movie 'Stagecoach'.

John Wayne in 'Stagecoach'  

He was on location in Monument Valley for that and some other movies made there including 'Searchers' and 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.  'Stagecoach' was a hit and elevated John Wayne into stardom.  He had been on screen for nine years previously and his career was languishing among the lesser known 'B' movies.   

Now when I think of Monument Valley I will remember these people and their roles in its history.  In the museum at Goulding's Trading post, a note John Wayne wrote to Harry Goulding said something to the effect "We both know how much we owe to this place..."

And we owe a lot to them for helping us see more of the beauty and history of the West!

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Monument Valley

After a few days in beautiful Cortez, Colorado we headed south and west toward Monument Valley, Utah.  We were headed for one of those "we-are-so-close-we-have-to-stop" places and spent a few minutes at Four Corners where the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah touch.

 It reminded me a little bit of Key West "the Most Southern Point of the Continental U.S." where people wait in line to have their picture take "at the spot".

About an hour down the road we arrived at our campground and got all set up.  We looked at the weather and it was supposed to rain the next day.  We had booked a 3 1/2 hour tour through the valley but had plenty of time and changed the tour to later that afternoon.  We left at 3:30 PM from the campground and it worked out great.

We picked up some folks at the Goulding Lodge and then went over to a hogan where our driver and guide, Don, gave some history of the Navajo traditions.

He also introduced Lucy who gave a demonstration (with one of our fellow tourists) on the ladies hair bun.  After she gave a demo on spinning wool and explained the loom where she makes blankets and rugs, she offered to sit for pictures and Pam took her up on it.

Next we headed into the valley and it was the "Wow" factor at every turn.  These mountains in the distance all have names: El Capitan, Eagle Rock, the Setting Hen, Brigham's tomb, Left Mitten, Right Mitten, etc

There is no way we could keep them all straight we were just started out on the tour...

This is the road where John Wayne was in "Stagecoach" - the movie that launched his career.

We stopped along the way and our guide indicated the hill was a good vantage point to see up the valley.  

I thought is was ironic that a 'No Hiking' sign was posted nearby...

Good shot of "Left Mitten" and "Right Mitten".

 Totem Pole on the left in the distance.

 About an hour into it, we stopped near John Ford's Point where a local Indian is on his horse and getting ready to let a girl from Belgium (who was with us), sit on the horse for a unique photo.

While she was doing that we had some authentic frybread.  It was tasty and reminded me of soapapillas.

We were not the only open wagon tour mobile on the property and we all got quite dusty.  It was part of the experience and not a lot we could do about it.  Good thing it wasn't blowing hard or raining.  That would have been tough...

We went along and rounded Rain God Mesa and Thunderbird Mesa

 Moccasin Arch

 North Window

 As you can imagine I took hundreds of photos during our tour and only have a few here.  It was worth the time and effort to book the tour and one of those memories we will enjoy for a long time.

This whole area defies description.
Awesome.
Beautiful.
Desolate.
Mysterious.
Ancient.
Different.

Have you been?  What word would you use?

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!

Rex Allen - Singing Cowboy

On our way to the Chiricahua National Monument, we passed through Willcox, AZ.

Years ago I remember passing the sign on I-10 "Rex Allen Museum".  Willcox is the boyhood home and location of the museum bearing his name.  So, though we didn't plan on it, we had to stop and check it out.

We were with Paul and Bobbi, who were glad to 'highlight' my photo of the entrance to the museum:

Paul and Bobbi are friends from years ago whom we met at a Habitat for Humanity Care-A-Vanner build in Santa Fe.  They travel months at a time from there home in California.  We saw them in Quartzsite a few weeks ago and knew they were going to be in Benson AZ for a few weeks and got to spend the day with them.

Rex Allen was a movie star, cowboy singer and the Voice (narrator) or some Walt Disney films.  To be honest, I barely remember him.  I remember Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, but very little about him.  But I love Westerns.  And he made quite a few of those. 

So off we went into the museum.

I was very impressed - lots of information, and good displays - like the giant painting of him aboard his horse "Koko".

I can't remember a seeing a single movie of his, but he was in 19 of them.

He also had his own radio show for a while.

But I don't remember that either.  Maybe that was where I first heard of the 'Sons of the Pioneers'.  Or maybe I heard about them from their association with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans?

I probably first heard of Rex Allen when he narrated Walt Disney's "Incredible Journey".  

Back to the museum...

I liked the layout and 'small town' feeling of it.  It was full of displays that I thought was very well done.

Though his movie career was relatively short (making most of his movies in the early 1950's), he had a long singing/entertainment career.   Along the way he worked with some well known people

I could have stayed in the museum a couple of hours

But it was getting near lunch time and we had a lot to do.  Down the street was the Dining Car

restaurant.

It was worth the wait for the Special of the Day -pulled pork BBQ sandwich- it was great!

Then a couple of photos back near where we parked the car

We had a good time and I'm glad we stopped in Willcox to learn more about Rex Allen.

Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Until next time...