Friday, April 24, 2009

McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains, Part 3

(Here are McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains posts Part 1 and Part 2.)

Sometimes on a nature hike you run across some interesting cultural/history stuff. Well, this time, we got to see something very cool - the homestead of Wallace Pratt - a geologist who worked in the area and obviously fell in love with the canyon. In 1957 he GAVE the house and nearly 6,000 acres to the U.S. Government (i.e. - all of us) and this was the beginning of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. What a guy!!!  Here's some pics:


Look at that stonework:


Even the ROOF is stone (don't think I've ever seen such a thing):


Nice porch complete with Adirondack style chairs:



View ain't none to shabby:



Cute little bedroom:



Cute little bathroom:


Great timbers:


I could cook in that kitchen!:


Well, that was our rest stop before we turned around and headed back down the canyon. Maybe there will be some wildflowers/insects to report on in Parts 4 and 5?

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