Friday Info,  Twisting the Border

Visiting Historic Places

History is everywhere. This morning? History. Yesterday? History.

The older a place is, the more unusual, and/or the more connected with someone famous (or infamous), the greater the odds it might survive in some form as a historic place to visit. Might. Most don’t. But some do, and that’s the subject for today’s ramblings.

Because these are places for inspiration, education, entertainment, and connection. Sometimes all at the same time and sometimes . . . not. I believe in visiting historic sites (granted, not all–there are some I’m never setting foot in, not no way not no how) and I’ve visited a lot. I don’t have a complete list of all that I’ve visited in my life — I come by the penchant for doing this honestly & remember going to some places when I was a pre-teen.

That said, I kept track of the places I went in the southwest while the Twisting the Border and other stories began sprouting in my mind. The list is below. Some I’ve posted about here on this blog already; some I’ll do so over the next year or so.

And in a week or two, I plan a smaller blitz of visiting–not in the southwest but the midwest, mid-atlantic, and northeast. Because I feel like indulging in a fest of visitations and learning, and as a side benefit for more material for the blog. One doesn’t have to visit in person–many sites offer a lot of information and images online on their websites. But there’s nothing like standing in a place and imagining what life was like back when (among other things, it can help improve appreciation for modern conveniences such as the flush toilet!)

So here are some of the places I’ve been. I’ll expand this list down the road, after I’ve already added to it.

Where have you gone? Where would you recommend visiting?

  • Alamo Mission, San Antonio TX (2017)
  • Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson (2014, 2015, 2016)
  • Bandelier National Monument, Los Alamos NM (2017)
  • Barona Cultural Center & Museum, Lakeside CA (2017)
  • Cabrillo National Monument & Point Loma Lighthouse, San Diego CA (2017)
  • Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Nageezi NM (2017)
  • Chiricahua National Monument, Wilcox AZ (2017)
  • Coronado Historic Monument, Bernalillo NM (2016)
  • Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix AZ (2017)
  • Fort Craig National Historic Site, Socorro NM (2016)
  • Fort Davis National Historic Site, Fort Davis TX (2017)
  • Fort Lancaster State Historic Site, Sheffield TX (2017)
  • Fort McKavett State Historic Site, Fort McKavett TX (2017)
  • Fort Yuma Quechan Museum display, Winterhaven CA, (2017)
  • Huhugam Heritage Center (Gila River Indian Community), Chandler AZ (2017)
  • Huhugan Ki Museum (Salt River Maricopa-Pima), Scottsdale AZ (2017)
  • Jemez Historic Site, Jemez Springs NM (2016)
  • Kartchner Caverns, Benson AZ (2017)
  • Old Town San Diego, San Diego CA (2017)
  • Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, Dateland AZ (2017)
  • Petroglyph National Monument, Albuquerque NM (2017)
  • Pinos Altos NM (2015, 2016)
  • Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón Museum, Tucson AZ (2014, 2017)
  • Saguaro National Park, Tucson AZ (2017)
  • San Diego History Center, San Diego CA (2017)
  • San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego CA (2017)
  • South Llano River State Park, Junction TX (2017)
  • Spanish Governor’s Palace, San Antonio TX (2017)
  • Tohono O’odham Cultural Center & Museum, Topawa AZ (2017)
  • Valles Caldera National Preserve, Jemez Springs NM (2017)
  • Walatowa Visitor Center, Jemez NM (2016, 2017)
  • Yuma Quartermaster State Park, Yuma AZ (2017)
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