TAKING THE OFF-RAMP

Sunshine and shadow, Dewdrops and rain, Gentle white moonbeamsIt's August again.

Indian flowers, Blooming the same, Red summer sunsets Matching their flame.

Cliffs of vermilion, Shadows of blue, Feathery pine boughs, The wind whispers through.

Dawn on the mountains, Dusk on the plain, In my ArizonaIt's August again. by Gail I. Gardner, about 1925

Hard Work of the CCC Lives On

The country knew them as President Roosevelt's "tree army." They certainly earned the name, planting about 2.3 billion trees during their tour of duty from 1933 to 1942. And, they did much more. The young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, built roads, telephone lines, fire watchtowers, bridges and, in a legacy that we enjoy to day, helped create and improve the parks of America. In Colossal Cave Mountain Park southeast of Tucson, a small museum honors the contributions of CCC workers who served there. Mementos and photos fill the walls and display cases in the adobe building that once housed the CCC park office. Within the park, you can also see CCC projects: ramadas, walls, the entrance and widened passages of the Colossal Cave, the stone buildings next to it and nearby picnic grounds. The men of this Depression-era program earned $30 a month, $25 of that sent home to their families. Information: (520) 647-7121.

In the Eye of the Beholder

Some of Arizona's first visitors failed to see the beauty of the state. Dr. John S. Griffin, with the Army of the West in 1846, wrote, "Every bush is full of thorns. And every rock you turn over has a tarantula or centipede under it. The fact is, take the country altogether, and I defy any man who has not seen it-or one as utterly worthless-even to imagine anything so barren." A forty-niner, anxious to get to California's gold fields, wrote, "What this God-forsaken country was made for I am at a loss to discover." Wouldn't they both be surprised to see Arizona today?

1880S GRAFFITI: GEORGE ROTHROCK WAS HERE

It's the kind of desecration that would merit jail time today: "Photos of this by Rothrock" scrawled on ancient Sinagua Indian ruins. But in 1878, Montezuma Well, near the Montezuma Castle ruins south of Flagstaff, was already a tourist destination, and advertising-however injurious to antiquity -meant business for pioneer photographer George Rothrock. Born to German immigrants in 1843, Rothrock learned his trade in California and spent the late 1800s photographing Arizona. In his unpublished reminiscences, he wrote that he met Billy the Kid while traveling and escaped Indian raids "... by the skin of [his] teeth." He wrote of setting up makeshift studios and darkrooms (one amid statuary behind the altar at Mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson) where he captured the vigor of the young Territory. While Rothrock became a prominent Phoenician through his photography, he also served as justice of the peace and helped to incorporate the city. As for the "graffiti" at Montezuma Well? "It's an integral part of the history," says park guide Skip Larson.

Tough but Holy

According to J. Evetts Haley's book Jeff Milton: A Good Man With a Gun, Samuel Donnelly was “a water-front tough from Los Angeles who at last got religion and got it bad.” The Scot then traded the ocean for the desert and went to the Huachuca Mountains, where in the 1880s he established a religious commune that he called Sunnyside. He and about 50 followers were known as “the holiness band” or the “Donnellyites,” according to Haley, and he made the colony prosper, partially by mining. In the midst of this prosperity, he died in 1901, and because he had said he would rise on the third day, they waited for his resurrection. Nothing happened, so with the weather being warm, he was not buried any too soon. But the colony died with him.

A Visit with T-Rex and Old Friends

Outside Tucson's T-Rex Museum, a vivid mural presents a world where dinosaurs ruled. Inside, visitors find more of the same-a tour that begins 500 million years ago. Exhibits include the age of the sea bug trilobites, the 60-foot long marine mosasaur and the king of the land, Tyrannosaurus rex. And, every step of the way, visitors can get their hands on ancient times. Most of the exhibits there have been made for touching. You can pick up the smooth gastroliths, stones found in the stomachs of dinosaurs, or run your fingers over a sea creature captured in stone a

Art Inspiration From the Missions

Leading a 1950s copy of Arizona Highways given to him in 1967 by his grandfather inspired artist Garry Monzingo of Safford. “I saw a picture of a mission. I still have that copy,” said the artist whose drawings have a mystical quality that enhances their beauty. Monzingo's pen and pencil drawings capture the structural grace of the Mission San Xavier del Bac and others. He often draws from unusual perspectives, like inner courtyards. Monzingo says, “I like missions because they are historical, and I am impressed with how they were built in the early days with just hand tools.

I want to visit more missions wherever I can.” A friend noted, “Garry's art reveals his character: He's got a fragile emotional nature. He cares deeply for people. He's the kind of guy who can walk into the room and make us smile.” Monzingo took one art class, but work prevented him from finishing it-and the professor told him he could not draw without a ruler. Monzingo made a 2004 calendar with his drawings. He sold some prints and gave many to friends. He now devotes most of his time to art. Information about the prints is available by calling the artist at (928) 428-5776.

few hundred million years old. You can also get right down in the dirt, digging and sifting sand to make your own discoveries in small pits salted with fossils, such as 75 million-year-old shark teeth. Oh, yes, and you get to pick the ones you want to keep. Information: (520) 792-2884; www.trexmuseum.org.

Question of the Month CONTRIBUTORS

Blue Water state of mind

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