CIVIL WAR DEMO~ January 12, 2008

American Civil War, December 1862: Major General Ambrose Burnside, in command of the Union Army of the Potomac, sent troops to occupy the vicinity of Fredericksburg. General Robert E. Lee reacted by entrenching the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on the heights behind the town. Burnside originally planned to cross the Rappahannock River 10 miles downstream from the town of Fredericksburg, but Confederate troops arrived there and blocked him. So he decided to cross directly at Fredericksburg. On December 12th, the Federal army went over the river and through the town. Over the next couple of days, Burnside mounted a series of assaults on Prospect Hill and Marye’s Heights which proved futile. Consequently, Burnside called off the offensive on December 15 and retreated across the river, ending the campaign and resulting in a Confederate victory.

Public Domain Image: Battle of Fredericksburg by Kurz and Allison

Several families in our homeschool group stepped back in time to the day when the Union Army attacked the town of Fredericksburg in December 1862. The boys in particular really got into it and had a blast! The Battle of Fredericksburg re-enactment took place at Pioneer Village, Arizona's most historically accurate living history site, with 90 acres located off I-17 just south of Anthem.

Considering all of the unusually rainy weekends we've had lately, we were lucky that it was a beautiful clear winter day. The re-enactors said that it was perfect weather for wearing their wool uniforms - but even so, they still got hot marching out there under the bright desert sun!

We arrived at 9:00 am when the gates opened and that gave us plenty of time to visit the Union soldiers' camp before the fighting began. Both Union and Confederate re-enactors are a great bunch of guys, eager to offer information and answer questions.

A Civil War Encampment, where soldiers slept in canvas tents.

The troops would practice loading their weapons, attaching bayonets, and performing various maneuvers. The boys in our group lined up to drill with the soldiers.

"The first thing in the morning is drill. Then drill, then drill again. Then drill, drill, a little more drill. Then drill, and lastly drill."

Live demonstrations focused on Weapons, Cooking, and Camp Life. The kids rolled paper ammo cartridges, got to hold a gun (the average musket weighs 8-9 pounds), and ate a piece of hardtack (a flour-and-water biscuit, which in those days often became infested with weevils and maggots).

Relaxing around the campfire. When not drilling, standing guard, or faced with the sheer terror of battle, soldiers would spend their spare time reading, writing letters to loved ones, playing cards and other games.

Union troops getting ready for action. It was a great honor to be the flag bearer and when a flag bearer fell in battle, someone else would leap forward to take his place. But their mortality rate was quite high since the goal of the opposing force was to seize the enemies' colors.

The Union Troops Advance Through Fredericksburg!

Confederate citizens either went into hiding, ran away, or prepared to defend their homes and businesses as the Union army invaded their town.

Some of the townspeople got involved in the street fight. (It was an exciting interactive experience for the spectators, too. A gang of boys - mine included! - ran after the Union army, tossing rolled-up newspaper "rocks" at them, but there was so much commotion at the time that I didn't get a picture of that!)

The Confederate troops fall back as the Union army advances. (Newspaper ball "rocks" can be seen on the ground behind them.)

Union soldiers ransacked the town (and got back at the boys who had pelted them with "rocks" by throwing ladies' clothing at them).

Union troops gathering in front of the bank.

Hanging out at the Sheriff's Office.

The Union Army's orders were: "Push a column of a division or more along the Plank and Telegraph roads, with a view to seizing the heights in the rear of the town." In the battle of Marye's Heights, Union troops tried to take the hill, but the Confederates were already entrenched behind a stone wall.

Confederate troops on the march.

Casualties lying in the street.

The Confederates are victorious, and the Union Army retreats. The actual battles lasted from approximately 10:30 - 2:30 with a lunch break in between. We stayed for a while afterwards to wander around and chat with the Confederate soldiers, then left at 3:00 pm although we could have stayed until 5:00.

This event was sponsored by the Arizona Civil War Council, Inc. The Arizona Civil War Council (ACWC) is a non-profit association of volunteer history enthusiasts who re-enact events of the Civil War and Arizona's Territorial Period.

WANTED: ARIZONA VOLUNTEER REENACTORS: No experience is needed and gun NOT required. Instructions will be given on making or buying uniforms, men’s civilian clothes, and costumes for ladies and children. You must be over 16 to use any weapons; under 16 may be drummers, flag bearers, or cannon-assistants IF accompanied by a parent. Dues are about $20/year to cover liability insurance. Visit their website at http://www.arizonacivilwarcouncilinc.com/ for more information.

Did you know...? Gods & Generals (the prequel to the hit movie Gettysburg) showed the Battle of Fredericksburg with its street fighting scenes. In fact, one of the re-enactors on the Confederate side with whom we were talking afterwards explained how he actually played a major role in the movie Gettysburg, as well as Glory.

Additional Info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fredericksburg - Battle of Fredericksburg

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fire.htm - Fire in the Streets

http://www.nps.gov/frsp/assault.htm - Assault on Marye’s Heights

http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/soldierlife/cwarmy.htm - What was life as a Civil War soldier like? Get more details in this fascinating article from Gettysburg National Military Park.

THANKSGIVING TRIP ~ November 22-25, 2007

I don’t know about you, but the day after Thanksgiving my e-mail inbox was inundated with special sales, deals, and other offers. It seems that everyone was jumping on the “Black Friday” bandwagon. Of course I love a good sale as much as everyone else, but I don’t see why we have to be bombarded all at once over Thanksgiving weekend when most of us would rather be spending time with our families than spending money on retail commodities. Okay, I admit being a little disappointed at having to miss out on some such giveaways because I was busy traveling with my husband and children... but we had great fun on our trip together so I suppose it was a worthy trade-off!

After a big turkey dinner, we brought some leftovers with us and spent Thanksgiving night camping out in the middle of the California desert.

On Friday morning we went to the General Patton Museum.

Later on Friday afternoon and evening we took a look at Hollywood, the Santa Monica Pier, and the Third Street Promenade.

On Saturday we saw the big cloud of smoke from the Malibu fire, but the highlight of the day was getting to meet evangelist and author Ray Comfort who was open-air preaching at Huntington Beach.

On Sunday we drove back to Arizona via Route 66 from San Bernardino to Victorville and through Barstow, Amboy, and Needles.

We had a long distance to go so we didn't have much time to stop and explore along the way, but the area around Amboy in particular was a beautiful scenic (and desolate!) part of the Mohave Desert that I would love to visit again soon.

I hope you are taking an opportunity to enjoy some quality time with your families and loved ones amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Click on this link to read our family newsletter:

http://www.knowledgehouse.info/Xmas%20Letter%202007.pdf

WILLIAMS, AZ ~ June 10, 2007

On Saturday night after the Beale presentation, we left Riordan Mansion and got onto Route 66 heading west from Flagstaff toward Williams. (As you’re leaving Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, just continue straight through the intersection at Hwy. 180 to get onto Old Hwy. 66.) Route 66 takes you out of Flagstaff as it runs diagonally toward I-40. Then we had to get on I-40 for a while, but we got off on Parks Road which again is the same as Old Route 66. After a while, Parks Road just kind of turns into Forest Road 74 and heads north past the Pittman Valley Helibase and an El Paso Natural Gas compression station.

After that, the road becomes a dirt road as it continues north and curves to the east (which incidentally is where one of the segments of the Beale Wagon Trail is located). Along the way we saw a couple of deer on the side of the road and a raccoon, its large round eyes glowing with the reflection of our headlights. We set up our tent alongside FR 070. (We would have camped on FR 75 except for the grave, which was a spooky thing to encounter in the woods at night. It looked like a large mound with a white cross on top. In the morning we went back there out of curiosity and it was simply a pile of rocks and the marker said “MAX WILL’S BEST FRIEND.” Poor Max!) We also saw a large herd of deer near there, on both sides of the road.

Heading back in the direction from whence we had come, we turned onto Parks Road and stopped at the Oak Hill Snowplay Area so that we could walk to the Keyhole Sink. It’s an easy mile-long trail through the forest down to the base of a basalt cliff that has petroglyphs on it. One incredibly detailed petroglyph is a dramatic depiction of some Indians hunting a herd of deer at this very spot. While Keyhole Sink looked like the kind of place that Beale would have stopped at, there were no other markings except for the petroglyphs. Perhaps that’s because it’s not a year-round water source. When we were there it consisted only of damp mud – and lots of bugs! But it also contained a natural garden of roses and irises that were just past their prime bloom. What a wonder to see these flowers growing wild out in the middle of a forest in Arizona of all places!

When we got to the town of Williams later that morning, we were just in time to see the Grand Canyon Railway train pulling into the station. The steam train is really impressive when the steam is hissing and the bell is ringing – and it’s really loud, too! We ran right up next to it so we could even see the fire inside and the smallest valves moving. We stood there for the longest time looking at it, it’s such an interesting piece of mechanical equipment to watch. (See movie clip here) We had no idea how long the train was going to be stopped there, and by then it was noon so we walked over to the main street to get something to eat at Old Smokey’s Restaurant and Pancake House. Old Smokey’s opened for business in 1946 and it’s been in that same location for over 60 years, so it is truly a Route 66 original. When we came back out an hour later, the train was gone.

After lunch we walked to the Williams Visitor Center on the corner of Railroad Ave. and Grand Canyon Blvd., which is located near the train station just down a ways from where we had parked. At first a tour bus loaded with Japanese tourists was stopped there, but soon they left and we had the place mostly to ourselves. The building itself has an interesting history as the Santa Fe Railway depot for Williams and the Grand Canyon. Built of brick in 1901, it was later moved across the tracks for use as a freight depot. Restored in 1994, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Williams Visitor Center is jointly operated by the Williams-Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce and the National Forest Service. One half of the visitor center is full of information and racks of brochures for the local area as well as from all around the state, while also offering a variety of books, maps, and souvenirs to purchase. The other half is a museum with interactive exhibits explaining the history of Williams, the prehistory of the area, Route 66, forest ecosystems, fire ecology and water conservation. (For example, did you know that just by turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth you save 3-4 gallons of water?) A “Kids Corner” offers hands-on activities for the family.

This is an excellent, must-see visitor center – families will especially appreciate being able to view all of the interesting museum-quality exhibits for free! The Visitor Center is staffed seven days a week, and for after-hours visitors there is an interactive computer that provides information. The rangers there will be able to answer any questions that you have, too. They gave us a couple of handouts showing how to get up Bill Williams Mountain, which was where we were going next.

YUMA PROVING GROUNDS ~ March 17, 2007

On our way home from Yuma, heading north on Hwy. 95, we passed the Yuma Proving Ground. Since 1943 when General George Patton trained his soldiers there, the Yuma Proving Ground has played a significant role in testing weapon systems and training troops for battle. There is a Heritage Center Museum on the grounds although it was closed by the time we got there around sunset.

But we did stop for a photo op by the big gun at the main entrance, and you can drive a little ways in to see an outdoor interpretive area with historic military vehicles and weapons systems.

They have a great collection of tanks ("tanks a lot" - ha!), at least one of which saw battle and has the bullet holes to prove it. (More like dents and dings in the thick metal.)

This is a must-see exhibit if you have boys – plus it’s free and it’s always open even when the museum is not. At the time we were there, it looked like they were in the process of grading an adjacent area, perhaps to add another addition to the exhibit.

YUMA CROSSING STATE HISTORIC PARK ~ March 17, 2007

Yuma Crossing State Historic Park was the site of the Yuma Quartermaster Supply Depot, used by the U.S. Army to store and distribute supplies for all the military posts in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. A six month supply of clothing, food, ammunition, and other goods was kept at the depot at all times. The supplies were brought from California by ocean vessels traveling around the Baja Peninsula to Port Isabel near the mouth of the Colorado River. There, cargos were transferred to river steamers and brought upstream to Yuma. The depot was in operation from 1864-1883.

While we were at this state park we had a chance to see a 1907 Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive and Coach Car, a transportation museum with wagons and other vehicles on display (including a riverboat replica and tons of historic photos), and some nice exhibits in the Visitor Center (the centerpiece of which is a Model T Ford on a wooden plank roadway). If you venture into a side room where they show films, be sure to look at the old black-and-white photos on the wall. One of them is a photo of a local bridge from long before WWII, but guess what design is painted on the side? (We did a double-take upon seeing the swastika, but this symbol was actually found in many ancient cultures before Hitler started using it.)

Yuma Crossing State Historic Park is located on the east side of 4th Avenue. All you have to do is find 4th Avenue, head in the direction of the Colorado River, and you will see the park grounds on the east side of 4th Avenue just past the old downtown area.

San Diego Maritime Museum ~ December 29, 2006

We’ve walked past the Maritime Museum on San Diego’s Embarcadero dozens of times and admired the ships from the outside, but it was the addition of the HMS Surprise from Master and Commander fame that finally got us to pay the admission charge and take the time to venture on board. All these years, I never realized how extensive the exhibits are once you get in there! While walking around on old ships is fun as it is, there is also much more to see and do at the Maritime Museum while you’re at it.

The Maritime Museum of San Diego features one of the world’s finest collections of historic ships, including The Star of India which is the world’s oldest active sailing ship. The museum’s collection also includes the 1898 steam ferryboat Berkeley; the 1904 steam yacht Medea; the 1914 harbor Pilot boat; the state’s official tall ship Californian;a B-39 submarine; and the HMS Surprise.

The museum displays many exhibits on maritime history and offers a wide variety of educational adventures for schoolchildren and the public such as historic boat rides, sailing adventures, cannon battles, family days, and other special events. For example, the museum’s schooner Californian takes passengers out on San Diego Bay and on weekend sails to Catalina Island. Visit The Museum’s website at www.sdmaritime.com to find out what’s happening and when.

CLICK HERE to take a virtual tour of the ships at the San Diego Maritime Museum.

Did You Know…? San Diego was once the tuna capitol of the world.

Every one of the ships on display at the Maritime Museum is unique and interesting in its own way. We went on the HMS Surprise first, then the B-39 Submarine, followed by the Star of India, and finally the Berkeley. If you get there a little ahead of their official opening time, they may let you on board one of the ships early which was great because we were able to get a head start and explore the HMS Surprise by ourselves before anyone else came aboard.

HMS Surprise

Movie fans will love this one! It was a great thrill to stand at the helm of the HMS Surprise just like Russell Crowe did as Captain Jack Aubrey. The HMS Surprise, from the Academy Award-winning movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, was acquired by the San Diego Maritime Museum in October 2004.

The HMS Surprise was originally christened HMS Rose when she was launched in 1970. The 179-foot full rigged ship served as a sail training vessel on the East Coast for over 30 years. The Rose underwent extensive modifications for the production of the film in 2002, in a painstaking effort to recreate a 24-gun frigate from Britain’s Royal Navy. The result is a replica vessel unmatched in authenticity and attention to detail.

It was quite amazing to realize how small and compact the Surprise is, when you consider how many men this type of ship would have carried on board. It’s a lot smaller in person than it looks in the movie. Also, standing at the edge of the ship and seeing how low the sides are, you wonder how the crew kept from falling overboard all the time during rough seas. No safety railings here! Those guys really had to be alert and watch what they were doing while on deck. Then consider all the noise, smoke, and confusion there would have been during battles besides!

The Surprise is kind of like two ships in one. First and foremost, it’s a magnificent replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate which will be enjoyed by fans of Master and Commander. When you go below, you can see the cannons, captain’s quarters, displays of uniforms, etc. At the same time, fans of Pirates of the Caribbean will enjoy all of the educational exhibits about pirates.

The “Pirates of the Pacific” exhibit highlights the exploits of William Dampier, a sophisticated buccaneer who mixed an interest in natural science and geography with a lust for adventure. Also learn about Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Chinese pirates, pirate treasures, doubloons, pirate weapons, and much more. There is even a hands-on area with paper, crayons, and samples provided for kids to draw their own pirate flag and treasure map. “Pirates of the Pacific” is a fascinating collection of artifacts, pictures, and displays focusing on these “outlaws of the ocean.”

The B-39 Submarine

The B-39 was built by the Soviets in the early 1970’s and remained on duty by the Russian Federation until the early 1990’s. Its design was based on a World War II era German U-boat, but it was larger and more powerful. The B-39 was 300 feet in length and could carry 24 torpedoes. On active duty for more than 20 years, the B-39 probably tracked and stalked many U.S. Navy ships.

Note: Anyone who has trouble bending, crouching or climbing, or who is uncomfortable in confined spaces (claustrophobic) may have difficulty touring the B-39 submarine. There are several low hatchways to go through, steep narrow stairs/ladders, and cramped tight spaces. Our 16-year-old son who is 6’2” tall had to keep watching his head so he wouldn’t whack it on a low ceiling, doorway, or pipe. The bunks all seemed short, too – I guess a submarine is not the best place for a tall person! Finally when we got down to the engine room he could stand up straight.

Also, if you have a family member who likes to read in the bathroom, he would not be a good candidate for the submarine crew. With 78 men on board, lingering in the “head” was not tolerated. (But the sign didn’t say what they would do to you!) People in our family tend to be late quite often, too, which would not be a good idea on a submarine. In case of emergency, the crew would run through the ship closing and locking the hatches behind them, and they would not be allowed to open them again – no matter who was banging on the other side. So you definitely don’t want to be running late on a sub!

Star of India

I was amazed at how large the Star of India is, especially compared to the Surprise. We boarded the main deck, went up onto an upper deck, went down into a lower deck and then another deck below that. It's long, too, so that ship could hold a lot of cargo! Now it is mostly museum and exhibit space with lots of displays to look at, a children’s education section, as well as having some working and storage areas that are closed to the public.

The Star of India is an iron-hulled ship that was built on the Isle of Man in 1863, when most vessels were still being built of wood. Back then she was called the Euterpe and often traveled to India as a cargo ship. In 1871 she embarked on a new career of hauling emigrants from England, Ireland and Scotland to New Zealand (also sometimes Australia, California and Chile).

From 1902-1923, she was owned by the Alaska Packers who renamed her the Star of India and converted her to a fishing and canning vessel. By 1923, sailing ships had become obsolete and steam powered ships ruled the seas. In 1926, the Star of India was sold to the Zoological Society of San Diego to be the centerpiece of a planned museum and aquarium. But that plan had to be canceled because of The Great Depression and World War II.

For three decades, the Star of India languished in port; it wasn’t until the 1960’s that her restoration began. In 1976, the fully restored Star of India went to sea for the first time in fifty years. The Star of India now sails at least once a year, maintained by a volunteer crew that trains year-round. Star of India is the second-oldest ship afloat, after the USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”) which is docked in Boston. The Star of India is called the world’s oldest active ship, though, since the Constitution is not in seaworthy condition and just turns around in the harbor once a year.

Did You Know…? The Euterpe (aka Star of India) survived a collision, a mutiny, a cyclone, the death of her first captain on board, and many storms at sea.

The Berkeley

The Berkeley is a historically and architecturally unique vessel from the Victorian Age and the golden age of steam. The Berkeley is one huge ferryboat! Aboard the vessel are numerous exhibits and displays, the museum store, a maritime research library, offices, workshop, model shop, storage areas, and a special events venue with room for 800 guests. Take a 360-degree panoramic virtual tour of the Berkley: http://www.sdmaritime.org/berktour/BerkeleyVT.asp

Did You Know…? During the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, the Berkeley carried thousands of people to safety.

We spent an average of about an hour on each ship, but by the end the kids were tired and hungry so we were rushing a bit on the last one. It would be nice if they would consider offering individual admissions for each ship so that we could go back to visit our favorite one over and over again instead of having to pay for them all.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum ~ December 27, 2006

The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is the largest indoor model railroad display in the world! The individual HO and N scale layouts are also among largest of their type. The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is located on the lower level of the Casa De Balboa on El Prado in Balboa Park.

The mission of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is to preserve the heritage of railroading through a series of miniature representations of California railroads. The model railroads are constructed by volunteer club members.

Train Layouts

Cabrillo Southwestern – This O-Scale exhibit is a freelance model of an imaginary prototype and features an electric trolley line. The layout is being built in place to give visitors a first-hand view of model railroad construction.

Pacific Desert Lines – An N-Scale Exhibit for which club members have won awards for their meticulous craftsmanship and painstakingly realistic details. For example, the model of San Diego's Santa Fe depot was constructed using actual blueprints of the building. The Carlsbad power plant has fiber optic strobe lights on top of its chimney.

San Diego & Arizona Eastern – This HO-Scale exhibit features an impressive 10- foot high model of the Carriso Gorge in eastern San Diego County and the Goat Canyon trestle, which was the largest timber railroad trestle in the world at the time of its construction in 1932.

Tehachapi Pass – An HO-Scale exhibit of Tehachapi Pass, which is still considered the busiest single-track freight railroad in the U.S.

Toy Train Gallery – This interactive exhibit features 3-Rail, Lionel and Brio layouts. The trains have realistic horns, whistles, engine sounds, and even smoke. A camera car broadcasts a real-time video onto a color television screen so that you can see the scene from an engineer’s point of view. There is also an underground coal mine section where kids can push buttons to operate the coal cars.

Lego City Visiting Exhibit – They really should have a permanent display of Lego trains, but luckily we just happened to go there at the time of a Lego City Visiting Exhibit which began on November 21st and ends on January 26th. This was pretty neat since we weren’t going to Legoland this year so the kids got to see a Lego exhibit anyway! This display included the usual cute details for observant viewers such as R2D2, Spiderman, etc.

TIPS: Be prepared to pick up your little one often or carry him or her on your shoulders throughout the museum. While there are steps and platforms at strategic locations, and the Toy Train Gallery is built at a child’s eye level, they will also want to see portions of the displays that are located at an adult’s eye level. Speaking of kids, we learned from experience that if you don’t like crowds it’s best to visit the museum on a school day, not on a weekend or during a school holiday. There is a snack bar conveniently located just upstairs from the museum. You can schedule School and Community Group Tour admissions, birthday parties, and they also offer summer camps.

WEBSITE: The San Diego Model Railroad Museum’s website at www.sdmodelrailroadm.com has an extensive online model railroad library, exhibit information and photo gallery, and a kids corner with a Virtual Railway. Guide your train, switch the track up, and control its route. How many different ways can you send the train around the track?

San Diego Natural History Museum ~ December 27, 2006

The last time we were at the San Diego Natural History Museum was probably about ten years ago, and boy was I shocked when I visited it this time. It sure wasn’t the same old natural history museum that I remembered! I didn’t realize that it had been renovated in 2001, with a new wing added on. I guess I’m just old-fashioned, because I liked it better the way it was. They call it the Natural History Museum of the 21st Century, but now its style is more like a hands-on science center.

The Natural History Museum building on Balboa Park’s Prado is a registered historic site, having been dedicated on January 14, 1933. I’m thankful that at least the familiar entrance on El Prado was left intact. Nevertheless, once you step inside it looks like the building was gutted out and opened up. Originally, the north and east exterior facades were meant to be temporary walls slated for future expansion. The new wing extends from those temporary walls of 1933.

The museum now has two major entrances – the ornate historic south entrance adjacent to the main fountain in Balboa Park, and the new north-facing entrance across from a giant fig tree. The new wing is mostly a big open atrium as far as I can see, along with a snack bar, gift shop, exhibit hall, big screen theater, and large lobby. That long bronze “crack” in the floor is actually a reproduction of the San Andreas Fault, and there is a large relief map on the back wall depicting the Southern California-Baja California region.

At the time we were there, they were showing Al Gore’s propaganda film, An Inconvenient Truth. So far I wasn’t impressed. They should just stick with their “Ocean Oasis” movie. Downstairs, the traveling exhibit on “Dinosaurs: Reel & Robotic” was pretty interesting since our family likes movies and animation, and it was neat to learn about the history of our favorite monster films like “King Kong” and “Godzilla.” However, it still wasn’t what I would consider to be natural history.

Where were the rooms full of dinosaur bones and dioramas? The new construction more than doubles the size of the old building, and yet it seems like there aren’t that many exhibits. There is a comprehensive Wildfire section focusing on the San Diego fire of 2003. They also have an interactive walk-through prehistoric environment, but it’s all about evolution and extinction. I’m so sick of having evolution force-fed to us wherever we go. Now they’re spoon-feeding it to the kids with clever hands-on exhibits in attempt to show how evolution relates to us. I just want to have an opportunity to see the actual fossils and come to my own conclusions, thank you. And what about the flora, fauna, and habitats of today? I saw better displays of those at Cabela’s, and that was free!

One thing that I did like was the giant computerized globe showing the tectonic plate movement and shifting continents. That was pretty cool. And the Foucault Pendulum is still there, fascinating onlookers as they watch it swing back and forth and wait for it to knock down a small wooden tree on the floor. My 16-year-old son is studying Physics right now, and when he started telling me about the oscillation rate of the pendulum, a guy turned and looked over at him as if wondering what he was talking about.

I finally did find one room downstairs that still had the feeling of the old museum! Natural Treasures Past & Present has lots of fossils and rocks, insects and stuffed animals, in glass display cases as well as live critters including a rattlesnake, scorpion, and black widow spider.

I guess we picked a bad time to go, because I found out later that a lot more exhibits are in the planning stages but haven’t been installed yet. In the future, there will be a state-of-the-art interactive walk across Southern California – from the ocean to the mountains to the desert – with state-of-the-art dioramas, interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations, etc. Now that sounds more like it! To learn more about the exhibits, see:
http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibits/index.html
http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibits/future/index.html

By the way, tickets already went on sale a year in advance for the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition which will be coming to the museum from June 29–December 31, 2007. The Israel Antiquities Authority will be bringing one of the world's greatest archaeological discoveries to the San Diego Natural History Museum.

Did You Know…? In 1943, the U.S. Navy took over the Natural History Museum for hospital use. They added a nurse’s station and an elevator designed to handle gurneys, and turned the museum into an infectious disease ward!

Shop, Eat, Learn, and Play at this Retail Store / Tourist Attraction ~ December 26, 2006

Our family stopped at Cabela’s on the way to California since we often don’t get down to the west side of Phoenix and there were a couple of items that we wanted to get. We had gone to Cabela’s once before, about two months after its grand opening. (It opened on July 28, 2006.) It took us 3 ½ hours to explore the whole store at that time. On this, our second visit, we were just going to run in and out real quick, but it still took us an hour and a half!

Cabela’s is the largest mail-order, internet, and retail outdoor outfitter in the world. Just like their product line, the two-story 60,000 square-foot Glendale showroom is huge! They carry a wide variety of camping, hiking, hunting, archery, fishing, boating, shooting, and other outdoor-related merchandise including clothing, optics, and accessories. If you like camouflage, you will want to check out all 75 varieties of camouflage that they have at Cabela’s. My favorite –the “3-D Real Leaf” suit, which can transform you into a pile of fluttering leaves – or a swamp monster for Halloween! Cabela’s is built on such a grand scale, it even has its own specialty shops within the main store, including an old-fashioned General Store where you can buy candy and fudge, and the Bargain Cave, where you can get a good deal on slightly damaged merchandise and used returns. (In general, the store’s clothing prices seemed high to me, although the other stuff seemed more reasonably priced.)

Cabela’s is much more than a retail store – it’s a museum! The building contains a 40,000-gallon walk-through aquarium with local and native fish including endangered species; a two-story “Conservation Mountain” complete with a waterfall and a walk-through slot canyon; a life-size airplane suspended from the ceiling; a wood-paneled Gun Library in which antique rifles, gold pistols, and other collectible firearms are displayed behind glass; an 8,000-square foot “Canyon Country Wildlife Museum” depicting southwestern animals; and more than 400 other animals on display in museum-quality dioramas throughout the store – from a tiny mouse to a huge elephant! All of the taxidermy exhibits are placed in detailed, realistic settings with hand-painted backgrounds depicting their natural habitat. Even the stuffed geese hanging from the ceiling are arranged in a “V” formation. The exhibits also include descriptive signs with information about each animal, just like you find in a real museum.

While the decor and exhibits at Cabela’s are certainly pleasing to the hunting, fishing, and natural history enthusiast, they would be a PETA person’s nightmare. So if you have any friends who are PETA members, DO NOT let them set foot into this store! While some of the displays are extremely lifelike original creations, many others were once real live trophy animals that have been stuffed. Not to mention that at the Cactus Flats Cafe upstairs, you can try wild game entrees such as elk, bison, wild boar, or an ostrich sandwich!

For a nominal charge, kids can try their luck at the Old West-themed shooting range upstairs. Downstairs, next to the African Big Game exhibit, there is a large-screen video shooting range for one or two players. The Cabela’s store also offers an indoor archery range.

I think this new Cabela’s store is an amazing concept that I wish more businesses would follow. Imagine if every store was a place where your kids could learn and have fun while you shopped. I know some stores do try to create an exciting, unique shopping experience. However, this is the only store I’ve seen that is a real educational adventure. Cabela’s did an excellent job, too. For example, to make sure they got everything right, the Cabela’s management team worked closely with Arizona Game and Fish on the aquarium. On your next visit, see if you can find our state fish! Cabela’s would be a great destination for school and scout groups to go on a field trip. Or take your husband there on his birthday and let him pick out what he wants!

The Cabela’s store is located east of 101 Loop, near the new Cardinals Stadium in Glendale. It’s a good idea to get there at 8:00 am when they first open, to beat the crowds that start coming between 10-11:00. Don’t forget your camera! Photos (without flash) are permitted inside the store.

Indian School Park ~ October 21, 2006

Art class, Phoenix Indian School, Arizona. Photographed by Messinger, June 1900.

American Indian Select List number 161.

Courtesy of The National Archives, http://www.archives.gov/

While we were in the area, I had been wanting to drive past the Phoenix Indian School and see it again, but it wasn’t the way I remembered it. I expected to see a big old building right next to the street, but instead it’s a large grassy park with a few smaller buildings set back from the road.

Maybe I’m thinking of something else, or maybe the building I’m thinking of was torn down. Because they say that the rubble wall of the waterfall (behind the ampitheater) is recycled from an old Phoenix Indian School building. The architect also saved the WPA (Works Progress Administration) stamps from the original sidewalks and incorporated these into rubble walls throughout the park.

Today the complex is called Steele Indian School Park, and it’s one of the biggest parks in Phoenix. A wide circular walkway called “The Circle of Life” is at the heart of the park. In the center is a concrete water cistern on which is etched a poem that explains the American Indian design theme of the park. The Arbor Bridge and Entry Garden features a spiraling walkway that winds its way past native desert plants. There are columns with plaques on them and descriptive texts about the history of the school. The park also has a green area with grass and trees, an amphitheater, lake, dog area, and neighborhood playground.

I don’t know why they would demolish some historic buildings and choose to save others, but three of the old buildings remain:

Memorial Hall – This auditorium was built in 1922 to honor the students who fought in WWI, and it will be restored as an auditorium.

Band Building – Built in 1933, this building started out as the elementary school and later became the band building. It will be remodeled into Museum/Administrative Offices.

Dining Hall – Built in 1901, the dining hall will become a Native American Cultural Center and Museum.

Founded in 1891, the United States Industrial Indian School at Phoenix, later known as the Phoenix Indian School, was a coeducational, federal boarding school. Native American Indian children were brought from the reservations to be educated and assimilated into the white man's culture.

The campus had fourteen brick and twenty frame buildings which included a large schoolhouse, a two-story building containing employee quarters and a student dining hall, a shop for vocational training, several dormitories, a bathhouse, boiler house, water and sewer system. There were acres of fields where they grew hay, turnips, cabbages, tomatoes, and melons. They also had horses, mules, cattle, pigs, ducks, turkeys, and chickens. These provided for the vocational education of the students and also contributed to the school’s self-sufficiency.

An act of Congress, signed by President Ronald Reagan in November 1988, was to close the Phoenix Indian School and pass its administration from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the National Park Service. Nineteen students, the last graduating class, walked up to the stage inside Memorial Hall and received their diplomas on May 24, 1990.

Websites

http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/sisp.html (Steele Indian School Park.)
http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/phoenix/ (Archaeology of the Phoenix Indian School.)

Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott ~ September 30, 2006

The Smithsonian Institution and other participating museums celebrated Museum Day, September 30, by offering free admission. I’d been wanting to go to Sharlot Hall Museum for a long time, so we decided to go there on that day. However, even their regular admission prices are quite reasonable at $5 for adults and free for anyone under 18. That makes it a great place to go if you have a large family!

Sharlot Hall (1870-1943) was a ranch woman, poet, newspaper reporter, historian, and founder of the museum that bears her name. In other words, my hero! She had traveled from Kansas to Arizona by wagon train with her family when she was 12. Largely self-educated and highly literate, most of her learning took place on the ranch. However, she did attend a few terms in a log-and-adobe schoolhouse near her family’s Lynx Creek homestead and boarded in Prescott for one year of school in town. Hall was appointed Territorial Historian in 1909, making her the first woman to hold a public office in Arizona. In 1927, she started a museum in the Governor’s Mansion to store her extensive collection of documents and artifacts, thus preserving the history of territorial Arizona.

The Sharlot Hall Museum has since been expanded to include an assortment of buildings on three acres, making it the largest museum in the central territory of Arizona. Structures include: the old Governor’s Mansion (1864); Fremont House (1875); the Victorian style Bashford House (1877); Fort Misery (1863); a Ranch House replica; an heirloom vegetable/herb garden; a Rose Garden; a replica of Prescott’s first schoolhouse; a print shop; an 1885 Iron Windmill; a transportation building (1937); the Sharlot Hall Exhibit Building; and the Visitor Center.

The large log mansion and Fremont House are filled with period furnishings. It’s amazing to see the difference in sophistication between them considering the fact that they were built only ten years apart. The mansion is rather austere and rustic but walking into the Fremont House was like visiting my great-grandma’s house!

The Sharlot Hall Building contains extensive exhibits on Prescott history, along with Native American artifacts. The Transportation Building, once an automobile-repair garage, now houses the Museum’s vehicle collection. On display are Sharlot’s 1927 Star automobile, a stagecoach, covered wagon, high-wheeled bicycle, and more. The Victorian style Bashford House is now a gift shop. The rooms are small and there are breakables, so watch the kids or let them play outside while you go in. They do have a children’s section with museum-quality books and toys.

The Visitor Center houses a research library, offices, lecture hall, and additional exhibits. I was surprised to see at the back of the lecture hall they had a big exhibit on the history of prostitution in Prescott – do they really want to glorify and memorialize sin? I certainly didn’t appreciate that, but it was pretty easy to skip over and I would hope they don’t include it on the school tours!

You definitely won’t want to miss the Sharlot Hall display adjacent to the front lobby which features her famous copper dress. Whether you’re into fashion or not, you will admire the workmanship that went into that amazing dress! And if you’re wondering what a copper dress could possibly look like, just imagine delicate copper chain mail with fancy trim, or a copper version of Frodo’s mithril vest from The Lord of the Rings!

The museum is staffed by volunteers and living history re-enactors, so expect to be greeted when you visit the houses and feel free to ask them questions while you’re there. Also, at the information desk in the Visitor Center you can ask for a scavenger hunt paper for the kids to work on. It will keep them busy looking for things in each of the buildings and they’ll be sure to learn something while doing so.

The Sharlot Hall Museum regularly hosts special events such as lecture series, book festivals, living history programs and cowboy poetry gatherings, especially during the summer months. We just happened to be there when a speaker was presenting a slide show on the history of Colorado River rafting. So we got to sit in on that which was pretty interesting to see how the boats changed over the years from General Powell’s wooden barge to modern inflatable rafts.

The Sharlot Hall Museum is located at 415 W. Gurley Street in the heart of downtown Prescott, Arizona, two blocks west of the Courthouse Plaza. Visit the museum’s informative website at www.sharlot.org where you can find out about upcoming events, view photos, read descriptions, see maps, and study the online archives.