Route 66, one of America’s original and most famous highways, has gone by a variety of names, including; U.S. Highway 66, the Will Rogers Highway, the Mother Road, and the Main Street of America. It dates back to 1926, appears in John Steinbeck’s the “Grapes of Wraith”, and was a primary route for westward migration during the Dust Bowl, and the Great Depression. Its original route went from Chicago, Illinois down through Texas and ending in Santa Monica, California. Today it has been largely replaced by the Interstate system, and state highways.
The entrance to Golden Canyon in Death Valley National Park in California as the sun rises. The image combines the warmer yellow tones of the rising sun on the desert canyon with the cool blue tones of the remaining shadow.
If this place feels familiar, its because millions of people have seen it before. Golden Canyon stands in as the part of Tatoonie where R2-D2 is moving alone through Jawa Canyon at sunset, during Episode 4, Star Wars: a New Hope.
One of the distinguishing cultural and architectural aspects of the American Southwest are historic remnants of Catholic missions that were established by the Empire of Spain in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. The goal unlike the conquest of Mexico and South America for gold and riches, was to save the souls of native american indians the Spanish saw as pagans.
One of those missions was the Tumacacori Spanish Mission Church is located outside of Tubac, Arizona. The mission dates back to as early as 1691 (though the present building dates back only to 1753), and was founded by the Jesuit priest Father Eusebio Francisco Kino of the Franciscan order. During his life, Eusebio established more than 24 missions, and country chapels in Pimería Alta (Sonora) and Baja California. The name of the current Church translates as “The Mission of Saint Joseph of the Rocky Flat Place”. The building is considered of Spanish Colonial architectural design and is similar in nature to other Spanish mission churches found in California and New Mexico. The primary mission of the church was the conversion of the local Pima Indians, and more specifically the Tohono O’odham band.
The Franciscans are a monastic Christian religious order within the Catholic Church, that was founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1209.
Another Spanish mission founded by Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, also exists up the road near Tucson, Arizona. It is known as San Xavier del Bac.
National Park Service – San José de Tumacácori Adventurous Way – Tumacácori National Historical Park
