Further along Highway 93 we stopped at an interesting antique shop run by a lady who had moved there from Monterrey, California, trying to escape the influx of “rich people” who were starting to destroy the area. There were other roadside vendors and a bead store along the highway. I bought a gold nugget for $30, and two African belts.
While talking to the antique shop owner, she recommended that we take Highway 89 whose route went through the “dry country”. We eventually got into mountains and a National Forest. The highway was very hilly, with hairpin curves and switchbacks. Past Prescott, we took Highway 89A, which continued to be very steep, curvy, and amazing. We climbed quite high in elevation, and began to wonder if we had made a mistake, when we came upon a sign that said, “Jerome, city limits”, because we were still on a steep mountain side.
We rounded a tight curve and there was Jerome, with building clinging to the side of the mountains (photo above). Its Main Street switched-back through the seemingly vertical town . It was a neat place, full of interesting shops. After looking around, we got back in our rental car and descended the mountain to Clarksdale, where we found a motel for $45.
Since I was a kid I have always been interested in Native American history and culture, so I was happy when the first stop we made the following day was at Tuzigoot National Monument (photo below) with its stone remnants of an old Indian Pueblo which had been two or three stories high. The pueblo was inhabited from 1100 to about 1400 and had 110 rooms.
We toured the museum and were surprised to learn that among other relics, archeologists found the remains of parrots there. The residents of the ancient settlement had evidently traded with peoples very far to the south. The ruins that clung to summit of a ridge overlooked the Verde River and a swampy area. It looked like an excellent place for a settlement. We were disgusted to see that some developer was putting in a golf course right up to the boundary of Tuzigoot National Monument.
You can take a look at my paintings: davidmarchant2.ca
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