One of the reasons we are so diligent in writing this blog is that if we don’t we tend to forgot pretty quickly what we have done and where we have been. It serves to jog our memories and hopefully at the same time offer some information and entertainment for others.
We’ve been on the road for 4 weeks and it’s time to push in the proverbial clutch and just coast for a bit. To start we took an entire day to travel back up to Sedona for some R&R. We stopped along the way at Montezuma's Castle National Monument and at the town of Jerome AZ.
We’ve been on the road for 4 weeks and it’s time to push in the proverbial clutch and just coast for a bit. To start we took an entire day to travel back up to Sedona for some R&R. We stopped along the way at Montezuma's Castle National Monument and at the town of Jerome AZ.
Montezuma's Castle National Monument
Montezuma's Castle is not a castle and it had nothing to do with Montezuma. The structures are cliff dwelling built by the Sinagua people about 700 A.D. When the dwellings were “discovered” in the 1860’s they were mistaken attributed to the Aztec emperor Montezuma. Montezuma it turns out was born 100 years after the dwellings had been abandoned by the Sinagua
Although certainly dramatic the 50-room cliff dwelling at Montezuma’s Castle is not large in comparison to Mesa Verde or even the 100-room pueblo ruins at Wupatki. Maybe our experience was jaded by the hoards of folks who decided to make this site a stop on their Memorial Day weekend excursion. Given that we typical travel in the “low seasons” we frequently find ourselves alone at the smaller sites. This was not the case today.
Or maybe it was because of the timeline display in the visitor’s center. It contrasted what was happening in other locations to the events at Montezuma’s Castle. I let out an audible gasp when I arrived at the panel illustrating 1775 and the copy indicated that the First battle of the American Revolution happened at Concord, MA. Those around me were, of course, interested in the reason for my outburst and I took the opportunity to inform them of the error and invited them all to visit the place where the American Revolution actually did begin.
Since the ranger’s didn’t seem perturbed by their error I made sure to fill out a comment card. Do not fear my fellow history buffs back home – I’m doing my best to rid ill informed of their misconceptions regarding exactly where that “First Shot” occurred.
Although certainly dramatic the 50-room cliff dwelling at Montezuma’s Castle is not large in comparison to Mesa Verde or even the 100-room pueblo ruins at Wupatki. Maybe our experience was jaded by the hoards of folks who decided to make this site a stop on their Memorial Day weekend excursion. Given that we typical travel in the “low seasons” we frequently find ourselves alone at the smaller sites. This was not the case today.
Or maybe it was because of the timeline display in the visitor’s center. It contrasted what was happening in other locations to the events at Montezuma’s Castle. I let out an audible gasp when I arrived at the panel illustrating 1775 and the copy indicated that the First battle of the American Revolution happened at Concord, MA. Those around me were, of course, interested in the reason for my outburst and I took the opportunity to inform them of the error and invited them all to visit the place where the American Revolution actually did begin.
Since the ranger’s didn’t seem perturbed by their error I made sure to fill out a comment card. Do not fear my fellow history buffs back home – I’m doing my best to rid ill informed of their misconceptions regarding exactly where that “First Shot” occurred.
Photos of Montezuma's Castle National Monument (placeholder)
Jerome AZ
Three Ladies we saw in Jerome
Jerome AZ has many claims to fame.
“America’s most Vertical City:
“Largest Ghost Town in America”
“The Almost Mile High Town” (80 feet short of that distinction)
After it’s founding in the late 1800’s it was a copper mining town. It’s population peaked in 1920 when 15,000 hardy souls lived up and down the hillsides. By 1950 it was a ghost town and the few remaining residents promoted it as such. Then came the artists, musicians, authors who are always followed by the shopkeepers, restaurateurs and real estate developers and voila you have a destination town. All in all its a pleasant place to spend the afternoon.
“America’s most Vertical City:
“Largest Ghost Town in America”
“The Almost Mile High Town” (80 feet short of that distinction)
After it’s founding in the late 1800’s it was a copper mining town. It’s population peaked in 1920 when 15,000 hardy souls lived up and down the hillsides. By 1950 it was a ghost town and the few remaining residents promoted it as such. Then came the artists, musicians, authors who are always followed by the shopkeepers, restaurateurs and real estate developers and voila you have a destination town. All in all its a pleasant place to spend the afternoon.
Photos of Jerome AZ (placeholder)
White House Inn, Sedona
We’ve settled into the White House Inn a bit away from the main action. It is a small 20 room facility. The hands on owner who shortens his Indian (not native American) name to Hersh is a delight. The room is large clean, with a balcony with a view of some of those red rock formations. The fridge and microwave mean we can lay off restaurant food for the week. Best of all it is affordable in a town where most of the names of the lodging ends in "... Resort".
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