OUT WEST- Northern California-Redwoods

OK, Northern California near the coast, is as far west as I can go. This is the home of the giant Redwood trees. I have seen them in pictures, but I can't imagine how magnificent these trees are. I do want to see them.

OUT WEST - Tombstone, Arizona

Everybody is familiar with the gunfight at the famous OK Corral and it's legend Wyatt Earp. I have watched several movies about this historical gunfight.(My husband loves westerns.) Tombstone started out as a old mining camp. A man named Ed Schieffelin settled there to mine for silver. His friends told him he would find his tombstone there instead of silver. When he had his first big claim, he called the spot Tombstone and after that it became a booming town between 1877-1890. During this time the town produced $40 to $85 million  in silver bullion. In the mid 1880's the silver mines started penetrating the water table causing the booming to come to a halt. This is a picture of Ed. Schieffelin in 1880.

 

It continues to be a popular spot today with many tourist due to it's infamous Wyatt Earp and the gunfight at the OK Corral.

* I have learned a lot of history by doing this blog.

OUT WEST- Sky City

Acoma, New Mexico is the home of Sky City. The city was bult on top of a monolith to be protected from waring neighbors and from the Spaniards. It has been claimed to be the oldest city in America, but in history I was taught that St. Augustine in Florida was the oldest city.

Did that say "inhabited 600 A.D.-FOR REAL!!!

If I am not mistakened, this city was featured in the western movie "My Name is Nobody" with Terrence Hill and Henry Fonda in 1975. When I was in New Mexico in 2004, I tried to take the tour to the city, but we were to late for the last tours that day and I was leaving the next day. I don't plan to miss it when I visit the area again.

There are a few people that continue to actually live there, most are older and this was their home. The city is still used for festivals and tribal ceremonies.

OUT WEST- Wounded Knee

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a book I have attempted to complete on two different occassions. I have never been able to finish it. I don't believe I even got half way through the book. I do plan to finish the book one day. I would also love to visit the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where the Wounded Knee Massacre took place. As a Native American myself, this incident matters to me and I consider the land to be sacred ground. I am from the Lumbee Tribe. We are located in the southeastern part of North Carolina. Thank goodness, my people were never made to live on a reservation, but many of my ancestors were not able to own land, they were sharecroppers. My grandfather on my mother's side was a sharecropper all of his life, but worked hard to send 7 of his 10 children to college. He always wanted his children to get an education and own land. Owning land was a great and an important accomplishment. Many of the tribes out west are still struggling tremendously. Many of the Native Indian churches in my area travel out west and  help build churches and witness to the Indians on the reservations. I would also love to work with these projects.

Lakoto Pine Ridge Indian Reservation(please watch)