Welcome to View Master Travels, an adventure that takes you back in time to the late 1940s.
I’ve a vast collection of vintage 3D reels, each containing seven 3D photos of various places around the world, and I’m visiting those places to see how they've changed.
This time, we’re looking at Reel A3632, one of several View Masters of the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, and I’ll find each of the pictures to see what's there now and learn some history along the way.
The Petrified Forest area consists of two regions in Arizona, the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest, where people have lived for over 8,000 years, but it was mostly abandoned around 600 years ago. The Painted Desert was explored by the Spanish in 1540 when they were searching for the seven cities of gold. The area became famous after the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, where samples of petrified wood were on display for the first time.
A 1946 Route 66 guidebook mentioned an Inn and Museum located two miles north of the route at the painted desert, and after driving into the park, I found the Painted Desert Inn. Originally built as a lunchroom, bar, and hotel in the early 1900s, the building was purchased by the US government in 1936 and redesigned as a museum and restaurant in the Pueblo Revival style.
Though it has undergone many changes over the years, including stints as a Harvey House and a ranger station, it remains a must-visit for history buffs and travelers alike.
The View Master pictures aren't always what they seem, as the landscape is changing rapidly. Many of the famous log pedestals have collapsed due to erosion and famous views, like Eagles Beak, are long gone. However, visitors can still enjoy the park's beauty, as the petrified wood can be seen in several "forests" throughout the park. The park road also takes visitors through all of them.
The Blue Mesa trail offers a breathtaking and alien landscape with blue hills and petrified wood fragments, which the hiker calls their favorite part of the park. As I followed the trail, I eventually stumbled upon a distinctive striped hill, realizing I was standing in the same spot as the View Master picture taken years ago.
The Petrified Forest was difficult to reach in the 1800s, but a train station named Adamana was built nearby in 1896, making it easier for tourists to visit. Al Stevenson and James Donohue forged some of the original tourist trails in the early 1900s, taking people on horse and wagon tours through the park. With the introduction of Route 66, tourism increased greatly and several tourist attractions were built, including the Stone Tree House hotel, Lion Farm, and Painted Desert Tower. A northern loop road was also created to make it easier for hotel customers to see the painted desert.
In the 1950s, officials began planning to upgrade the Petrified Forest from a national monument to a national park, but there were still tourist traps along Route 66, such as the Lion Farm. To bypass these attractions, officials suggested re-routing the road, which ultimately led to the closure of the Lion Farm and other businesses. The land became cheaper, and the park service purchased it, allowing the area to become a National Park in 1962.
The only stretch of original Route 66 protected within a national park is found within the Petrified Forest, preserved since the road was rerouted in the 1960s. As you enter the park, you can see remnants of the old road, including telephone poles and garbage from car windows. This unique feature has remained untouched and protected for over 60 years.
It’s surprising how quickly history gets lost to time - today, the remains of the Lion Farm are just as hard to find as pueblo artifacts; the old Eagles Beak is completely gone; and only the last few log pedestals remain.
From the name “Petrified Forest” I assumed things were frozen in time forever - but it turns out that these sights are changing fast.
Sound Effect Credits:
Cafeteria sound: freesound.org/...
Wind in the grass: freesound.org/...
Campsite ambience: freesound.org/...
Outdoor crowd: freesound.org/...
Car passing: freesound.org/...
Icons used in educational film segment:
noun-dinosaur-5473715
noun-tree-5494250
Негізгі бет The Story of America's Fight to Protect The Petrified Forest
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