exploring: the old, old west, the old west and the reimagined west (bonus: and a day for the birds)

Our next stop was Kartchner Caverns State Park southeast of Tucson. What? You've never heard of Kartchner Caverns? Don't feel bad, it was discovered about 40 years ago and kept secret for another ten or fifteen years, so it hasn't been around all that long. But, the cool thing about it is that it was a pristine cave, ie no people had been inside, only bats. So they are quite strenuous about protecting the interior of the cavern. Only small escorted tours, two sets of vacuumed sealed doors, a humidifying chamber to go through, shoes sprayed, nothing extra can go into the cave (no phone, backpack, purse, food or drink). And, NO pictures, not just no flash, no pictures I have to confess, I sort of felt like I was going on a tour of Ft Knox! The other thing I should probably confess is that I'm not a real cave person. 🙄. I mean, they're ok, but I'd pretty much rather do anything above ground and look at the sky than wander around in a dark cave looking at stalactites and stalagmites and curtains and draperies, and what nots. Wait, it's not that bad ... I'm happy to look for fifteen or maybe even twenty minutes (if they're spectacular) but I don't see any reason to spend any more time than that underground. I suppose it's not too surprising, after all, I'm of farming stock not mining stock, so I think it's in my DNA. 🤔 However, Martin enjoyed them and if you like caves … they're pretty interesting, I guess.

But mostly we chose this park because of it's location and it was a beautiful park with trees, spacious sites, nice views and some good hiking trails.

So, on to the history: the old, old west.

I have to confess that as a product of Vermont schools and being a proud Vermonter and, thereby a proud New Englander, I was fully aware and immersed in the role we played in the "settling"* and founding of our country. I mean, it's all about the pilgrims, right?

Sure, there was "something" about the Spanish … but that was way down in Mexico and they were just looking for gold and silver. And of course, the French, but they were mostly just hunters and trappers, not settlers.

It was all about the pilgrims, 1620, the Mayflower, from which the eurocentric exploration and settlement of our country went east to west.

Uhh, needle scratch, double take. That is not exactly true. 😱 Let me repeat, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY TRUE!

The history of the eurocentric exploration and settlement of the southwest-west coast is completely different from the New England-east coast. So, let's go back to the Spanish.

Yes, they were exploring in "Mexico" which at that time went all the way up the west coast to meet the Russians coming down! Russians??? Yes, Russians. (Remember we got Alaska from them.) So we can freely admit that the Spanish who were exploring in "Mexico" were exploring in what we think of as the U.S. today.

Now we just have to sort out some dates. When were the Spanish making inroads into what is now the U.S.?

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a large contingent: 1500 Spanish, 700 Mexican Indian allies, 1500 horses, 12 dogs, 4000 cattle, sheep and goats and an unknown number of slaves, women and children from what we would consider current Mexico through the Huachuca mountains at Montezuma Pass into current US territory. They traveled by foot for three years and 5500 miles, as far east as Salina, Kansas, as far west as the Baja peninsula and as far north as Ead, NM. Among other things, they discovered the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. They met with many of the indigenous, native Americans, American Indian peoples along the way. Spanish Catholic priests followed Coronado and built missions to convert, organize and "help" the native peoples. Did they need help? Did they need converting? From a eurocentric point of view they did, but from an indigenous point of view, they likely did not. However, it was done and it was done so long ago that many of the skills and attributes that we associate with certain native American tribal groups came from these early interactions with the Spanish. Intricate silver work, jewelry making, rug and blanket weaving and horsemanship to name a few. But when you say. When did this happen???

Coronado in 1540-1542 and the earliest Spanish missions were established by 1598. Ummm, that was way before the pilgrims … Am I the only one for whom this was a surprise??? 🤷

I still love the story with the pilgrims … and an proof of that heritage, but as is usually the case, there is more to the story and always more to learn.

*I fully recognize that "our country" was already settled by the indigenous peoples, native Americans, American Indians and had been for hundreds of years. I mean no disrespect. I'm approaching this argument purely from a eurocentric point of view regarding the "settling" of America.

Moving forward in history a few hundred years: the old west, Tombstone.

We spent a day in Tombstone, AZ. Yes, it could sound familiar, especially to western history buffs. Shoot-out at OK Corral. The Earp brothers and Doc Halliday (the law) vs The Cowboys (the outlaws). Oct 26, 1881 at 3:00pm. It lasted 30 seconds. Two Earp brothers wounded, Doc Halliday grazed, and of the Cowboys? Tom and Frank McLaury, brothers, and Billy Clanton killed. Besides that immortal moment in history, Tombstone was a mining town. As the mines closed many nearby towns became ghost towns, but Tombstone reinvented itself by concentrating on its historic importance in settling and taming the old west by focusing on tourism. We were able to see a reenactment of the shootout, walk on the boardwalks, check out other historic buildings and have ice cream. The motto for the town is "Tombstone, too tough to die".

The old west, dead: Fairbank

We visited a ghost town, Fairbank. The mines closed and so did the town.

The old west reimagined: Bisbee

We also visited Bisbee. Another former mining boomtown, but as the mines began closing, Bisbee chose another route for survival. It became a sort of artists colony. They welcomed creative types and moved in a completely different direction from mining than Tombstone. We found the quirky, anything goes, bohemian atmosphere to be a lot of fun!

Lastly we had a day for the birds, literally. We went to the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Nature Conservancy Preserve for a birding walk and then to Paton's Hummingbird Sanctuary. I was in heaven.

It seems like no matter where we go, I continue to be astounded by the beauty, by how much there is to experience and by how much there is to learn about this vast country of ours.

On to the pics!

Views from hiking around our campground

Grinding Holes. The depressions in the stone are where native Americans would use a stick to grind seeds or mesquite beans

Buckhorn Cholla fruit. I thought the yellow at the end of the stems was so pretty. True confessions, I didn't try any!

Further south from our campground at Coronado National Memorial. Lots more of the "fruit" on the Cholla here. This pic is a Southern view so those plains and mountains are in Mexico.

More views from the top of Coronado National Memorial. You can see the border wall in both of the following pics.

It was a beautiful day with some fascinating clouds. I took several pics that feature mountains and clouds. 😂

Reminders of past fire, that even in the face of devastation, one can find beauty.

Last year's flower, yucca.

More mountains and clouds

The hiking trail. Mexican border, 1.0 mile.

The Arizona trail is a hiking trail that runs through Arizona. One end of it is the Coronado marker at the Mexico border. People drop their packs to do the down and back hike at the beginning or end of their trek. We met several people who were starting out. A couple were going all the way to Canada! Reminder the mountains in the mid and background are in Mexico!

This is a rainbow cactus

Montezuma Peak

Tombstone. When the area mines shut down it became an old west tourist town.

Shootout reenactment, the preamble

The Earp brothers, Doc Halliday and the sheriff out on the street

The cemetery in Tombstone

The graves of Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton of the shoot out at the OK Corral fame.

Some other gravestones that caught my eye. There was rarely a "natural" death, most were violent in nature. There were a few women who primarily died in childbirth.

"Stinging Lizard shot by Cherokee Hall"

"Harry Gurry, 1882, killed by Indians"

"Six-shooter Jim, 1885, shot by Burt Alvord"

Pics from Bisbee.

As most of the mines closed, Bisbee recreated itself into a creative artist colony.

We went on a tour of the last, partially active mine, the Queen mine.

Bisbee

We stopped for a beer at a local brewery

Bisbee at night

and a ghost town, Fairbank. It was a mining town, and when the mine closed, everyone left and the town closed.

Our stop at the nature conservancy.

I'm not really certain what kind of hummingbird this is ...

A western bluebird admiring his reflection in a solar panel

and one on a post

The next three pics are a Vermillion Fly Catcher. Just a stunning bird. This little guy followed us around on most of our walk.

We saw some javelinas far across a field

A Says Phoebe

Then we went to Paton's Hummingbird Sanctuary. A couple, who loved birds, bought a little ranch house along the Sonoita river and started feeding the birds in their yard. Then they invited friends and fellow bird lovers to come to their yard and watch the birds. Eventually they put out bird books and binoculars, chairs and a canopy and left a jar for donations for bird food. The Paton's Hummingbird Sanctuary was born.

The ladderback woodpecker