San Antonio Missions NHP

                                                                         

A New God and King

After 10,000 years, the people of South Texas found their cultures, their very lives under attack. In the early 1700s Apache raided from the north, deadly diseases traveled from Mexico, and drought lingered. Survival lay in the missions. By entering a mission, they foreswore their traditional life to become Spanish, accepting a new religion and pledging fealty to a distant and unseen king.

17 Nov 2014
We took in all 5 of the Missions in San Antonio, yes there are 5 counting that Mission in downtown San Antonio - Mission San Antonio de Valero better known as the Alamo. The four Missions under the Park Service are all unique in their current state of preservation but still have active congregations. We enjoyed the movie offered at Mission San Jose and were able to tie these Missions to our visit of the Missions in Tucson AZ. We took in Mission Concepcion first. Its the northern most unit, but you can start at the main VC at Mission San Jose to take in the movie then head out from there
We are trying something new ---- click on the link below to see all of the pictures for this park. ( there over 170 ) so enjoy.


Click here for photos of our visit

NPS website

Our 108th NPS Unit

Lyndon B. Johnson NHP

   

"All the World is Welcome Here" 

---Lyndon Baines Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park tells the story of our 36th President beginning with his ancestors until his final resting place on his beloved LBJ Ranch. This entire "circle of life" gives the visitor a unique perspective into one of America's most noteworthy citizens by providing the most complete picture of any American president.

13 Nov 2014
We got to take in the Lyndon Baines Johnson park today. There is more to this president then there appears at a casual glance. This was a man that knew how to get his way and what it took to sway others that did not see his vision and direction he wanted to take this country. We took in the VC and his childhood home then it was off to his ranch. The ranch is still a working ranch and after a drive around the ranch dodging both cattle and deer we made it to the main house. We took the tour led by a great guild. This house was so different compared to others we have been to, just your average ranch house with not allot of fanfair. Sorry no photos could be taken in the house so I guess you will just have to go and see for yourself.

NPS Website

Our 107th NPS Park Unit

Tumacacori NHP

                                                                           

Culture, Nature, and Community

Tumacácori sits at a cultural crossroads in the Santa Cruz River valley. Here O’odham, Yaqui, and Apache people met and mingled with European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, settlers, and soldiers, sometimes in conflict and sometimes in cooperation. Follow the timeworn paths and discover stories that connect us to enduring relationships, vibrant cultures, and traditions of long ago.

08 Nov 2014
We took in this site as well as Mission San Xavier del Bac in Tuscon. San Xavier is an active Mission and we had a wonderful tour and guild to help us understand the Mission and the history behind the Missions. This led us south to Mission Tumacacori. This Mission suffered a different fate then Mission San Xavier. It is now part of the Park Service to protect the remains of the Mission. By putting the two visits together it helps to bring this Mission back to what it looked like when it was active. We enjoyed walking the grounds and exploring the Mission and learned much about the many transitions of power that took place in this area and how it shaped the religious landscape of the Southwest and into California.

NPS Webpage

Our 106th NPS Unit

Mission San Xavier del Bac

Mission Tumacacori

Saguaro NP

                                                                       

Welcome to Saguaro National Park

Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the modern city of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset.

06 Nov 2014
This was a great park to take in. We spent the first day in the West unit, the Red Hills . After taking in a great movie about the park it was time to get out and explore some. We had Molly with us and the only trail open to dogs was a short 1/2 mile paved trail. So we took it in and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the desert while looking for any signs of the local wildlife. This search resulted in two lizards but that was all. It was then on to the loop road ( dirt ) to take in the views. We learned that no two Saguaro are the same and each have there own personalities. On the way back we took the Gates Pass Road as recommended by the Park Ranger. At the top you can catch a super sunset - highly recommended!!

07 Nov 2014
We took in the East unit today. Much the same yet different. The loop road is paved and offers great views.

NPS Website

Our 105th NPS Unit and 15th National Park

Casa Grande Ruins NM

                                                                       

For More Than 650 Years the Casa Grande Has Stood as a Meeting Place and Landmark

Explore the mystery and complexity of an extended network of communities and irrigation canals. An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether the Casa Grande was a gathering place for the Desert People or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of canals and trading partners is but part of the mystique of the Ruins

05 Nov 2014
This park lays the groundwork for understanding the early Native American culture in the Southwest. Take in the movie and walk the ruins and you will get a understanding of the hardships they had to endure and the engineering they used to make this uninhabitable land into a viable and sustaining land. This park can easily be taken in with a half a day stop.

NPS Website

Our 104th NPS Unit