History of Indian Race

INTRODUCTION

Traditionally, the very beginning of the United States’ history is considered from the time of European exploration and settlement, starting in the 16th century, to the present. But people had been living in America for over 30,000 years before the first European colonists arrived.

When Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador in 1492 he was welcomed by a brown-skinned people whose physical appearance confirmed him in his opinion that he had at last reached India, and whom, therefore, he called Indios, Indians, a name which, however mistaken in its first application continued to hold its own, and has long since won general acceptance, except in strictly scientific writing, where the more exact term American is commonly used. As exploration was extended north and south it was found that the same race was spread over the whole continent, from the Arctic shores to Cape Horn, everywhere alike in the main physical characteristics, with the exception of the Eskimo in the extreme North (whose features suggest the Mongolian).

GENERAL BACKGROUND

Origin and Antiquity

Various origins have been assigned to the Indian race. The more or less beleivable explanation is following. At the height of the Ice Age, between 34,000 and 30,000 B.C., much of the world’s water was contained in vast continental ice sheets. As a result, the Bering Sea was hundreds of meters below its current level, and a land bridge, known as Beringia, emerged between Asia and North America. At its peak, Beringia is thought to have been some 1,500 kilometers wide. A moist and treeless tundra, it was covered with grasses and plant life, attracting the large animals that early humans hunted for their survival. The first people to reach North America almost certainly did so without knowing they had crossed into a new continent. They would have been following game, as their ancestors had for thousands of years, along the Siberian coast and then across the land bridge.

Race Type

The most marked physical characteristics of the Indian race type are brown skin, dark brown eyes, prominent cheek bones, straight black hair, and scantiness of beard. The color is not red, as is popularly supposed, but varies from very light in some tribes, as the Cheyenne, to almost black in others, as the Caddo and Tarimari. In a few tribes, as the Flatheads, the skin has a distinct yellowish cast. The hair is brown in childhood, but always black in the adult until it turns grey with age. Baldness is almost unknown. The eye is not held so open as in the Caucasian and seems better adapted to distance than to close work. The nose is usually straight and well shaped, and in some tribes strongly aquiline. Their hands and feet are comparatively small. Height and weight vary as among Europeans, the Pueblos averaging but little more than five feet, while the Cheyenne and Arapaho are exceptionally tall, and the Tehuelche of Patagonia almost massive in build. As a rule, the desert Indians, as the Apache, are spare and muscular in build, while those of the timbered regions are heavier, although not proportionately stronger. The beard is always scanty, but increases with the admixture of white blood. The mistaken idea that the Indian has naturally no beard is due to the fact that in most tribes it is plucked out as fast as it grows, the eyebrows being treated in the same way. There is no tribe of “white Indians”, but albinos with blond skin, weak pink eyes and almost white hair are occasionally found, especially among the Pueblos.

Major Cultural Areas

From prehistoric times until recent historic times there were roughly six major cultural areas, excluding that of the Arctic (see Eskimo), i.e., Northwest Coast, Plains, Plateau, Eastern Woodlands, Northern, and Southwest.

·        The Northwest Coast Area

The Northwest Coast area extended along the Pacific coast from South Alaska to North California. The main language families in this area were the Nadene in the north and the Wakashan (a subdivision of the Algonquian-Wakashan linguistic stock) and the Tsimshian (a subdivision of the Penutian linguistic stock) in the central area. Typical tribes were the Kwakiutl, the Haida, the Tsimshian, and the Nootka. Thickly wooded, with a temperate climate and heavy rainfall, the area had long supported a large Native American population. Salmon was the staple food, supplemented by sea mammals (seals and sea lions) and land mammals (deer, elk, and bears) as well as berries and other wild fruit. The Native Americans of this area used wood to build their houses and had cedar-planked canoes and carved dugouts. In their permanent winter villages some of the groups had totem poles, which were elaborately carved and covered with symbolic animal decoration. Their art work, for which they are famed, also included the making of ceremonial items, such as rattles and masks; weaving; and basketry. They had a highly stratified society with chiefs, nobles, commoners, and slaves. Public display and disposal of wealth were basic features of the society. They had woven robes, furs, and basket hats as well as wooden armor and helmets for battle. This distinctive culture, which included cannibalistic rituals, was not greatly affected by European influences until after the late 18th cent., when the white fur traders and hunters came to the area.

TRIBES: Abenaki, Algonkin, Beothuk, Delaware, Erie, Fox, Huron, Illinois, Iroquois, Kickapoo, Mahican, Mascouten, Massachuset, Mattabesic, Menominee, Metoac, Miami, Micmac, Mohegan, Montagnais, Narragansett, Nauset, Neutrals, Niantic, Nipissing, Nipmuc, Ojibwe, Ottawa, Pennacook, Pequot, Pocumtuck, Potawatomi, Sauk, Shawnee, Susquehannock, Tionontati, Wampanoag, Wappinger, Wenro, Winnebago.

·        The Plains Area

The Plains area extended from just North of the Canadian border, South to Texas and included the grasslands area between the Mississippi River and the foothills of the Rocky Mts. The main language families in this area were the Algonquian-Wakashan, the Aztec-Tanoan, and the Hokan-Siouan. In pre-Columbian times there were two distinct types of Native Americans there: sedentary and nomadic. The sedentary tribes, who had migrated from neighbor ing regions and had initally settled along the great river valleys, were farmers and lived in permanent villages of dome-shaped earth lodges surrounded by earthen walls. They raised corn, squash, and beans. The foot  nomads, on the other hand, moved about with their goods on dog-drawn travois and eked out a precarious existence by hunting the vast herds of buffalo (bison) – usually by driving them into enclosures or rounding them up by setting grass fires. They supplemented their diet by exchanging meat and hides for the corn of the agricultural Native Americans.

The horse, first introduced by the Spanish of the Southwest, appeared in the Plains about the beginning of the 18th cent. and revolutionized the life of the Plains Indians. Many Native Americans left their villages and joined the nomads. Mounted and armed with bow and arrow, they ranged the grasslands hunting buffalo. The other Native Americans remained farmers (e.g., the Arikara, the Hidatsa, and the Mandan). Native Americans from surrounding areas came into the Plains (e.g., the Sioux from the Great Lakes, the Comanche and the Kiowa from the west and northwest, and the Navajo and the Apache from the southwest). A universal sign language developed among the perpetually wandering and often warring Native Americans. Living on horseback and in the portable tepee, they preserved food by pounding and drying lean meat and made their clothes from buffalo hides and deerskins. The system of coup was a characteristic feature of their society. Other features were rites of fasting in quest of a vision, warrior clans, bead and feather art work, and decorated hides. These Plains Indians were among the last to engage in a serious struggle with the white settlers in the United States.

TRIBES: Arapaho, Arikara, Assiniboine, Bidai, Blackfoot, Caddo, Cheyenne, Comanche, Cree, Crow, Dakota (Sioux), Gros Ventre, Hidatsa, Iowa, Kansa, Kiowa, Kiowa-Apache, Kitsai, Lakota (Sioux), Mandan, Metis, Missouri, Nakota (Sioux), Omaha, Osage, Otoe, Pawnee, Ponca, Sarsi, Sutai, Tonkawa, Wichita.

·        The Plateau Area

The Plateau area extended from above the Canadian border through the plateau and mountain area of the Rocky Mts. to the Southwest and included much of California. Typical tribes were the Spokan, the Paiute, the Nez Perce, and the Shoshone. This was an area of great linguistic diversity. Because of the inhospitable environment the cultural development was generally low. The Native Americans in the Central Valley of California and on the California coast, notably the Pomo, were sedentary peoples who gathered edible plants, roots, and fruit and also hunted small game. Their acorn bread, made by pounding acorns into meal and then leaching it with hot water, was distinctive, and they cooked in baskets filled with water and heated by hot stones. Living in brush shelters or more substantial lean-tos, they had partly buried earth lodges for ceremonies and ritual sweat baths. Basketry, coiled and twined, was highly developed. To the north, between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mts., the social, political, and religious systems were simple, and art was nonexistent. The Native Americans there underwent (since 1730) a great cultural change when they obtained from the Plains Indians the horse, the tepee, a form of the sun dance, and deerskin clothes. They continued, however, to fish for salmon with nets and spears and to gather camas bulbs. They also gathered ants and other insects and hunted small game and, in later times, buffalo. Their permanent winter villages on waterways had semisubterranean lodges with conical roofs; a few Native Americans lived in bark-covered long houses.

TRIBES: Carrier, Cayuse, Coeur D’Alene, Colville, Dock-Spus, Eneeshur, Flathead, Kalispel, Kawachkin, Kittitas, Klamath, Klickitat, Kosith, Kutenai, Lakes, Lillooet, Methow, Modac, Nez Perce, Okanogan, Palouse, Sanpoil, Shushwap, Sinkiuse, Spokane, Tenino, Thompson, Tyigh, Umatilla, Wallawalla, Wasco, Wauyukma, Wenatchee, Wishram, Wyampum, Yakima. Californian: Achomawi, Atsugewi, Cahuilla, Chimariko, Chumash, Costanoan, Esselen, Hupa, Karuk, Kawaiisu, Maidu, Mission Indians, Miwok, Mono, Patwin, Pomo, Serrano, Shasta, Tolowa, Tubatulabal, Wailaki, Wintu, Wiyot, Yaha, Yokuts, Yuki, Yuman (California).

·        The Eastern Woodlands Area

The Eastern Woodlands area covered the eastern part of the United States, roughly from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and included the Great Lakes. The Natchez, the Choctaw, the Cherokee, and the Creek were typical inhabitants. The northeastern part of this area extended from Canada to Kentucky and Virginia. The people of the area (speaking languages of the Algonquian-Wakashan stock) were largely deer hunters and farmers; the women tended small plots of corn, squash, and beans. The birchbark canoe gained wide usage in this area. The general pattern of existence of these Algonquian peoples and their neighbors, who spoke languages belonging to the Iroquoian branch of the Hokan-Siouan stock (enemies who had probably invaded from the south), was quite complex. Their diet of deer meat was supplemented by other game (e.g., bear), fish (caught with hook, spear, and net), and shellfish. Cooking was done in vessels of wood and bark or simple black pottery. The dome-shaped wigwam and the longhouse of the Iroquois characterized their housing. The deerskin clothing, the painting of the face and (in the case of the men) body, and the scalp lock of the men (left when hair was shaved on both sides of the head), were typical. The myths of Manitou (often called Manibozho or Manabaus), the hero who remade the world from mud after a deluge, are also widely known.

The region from the Ohio River South to the Gulf of Mexico, with its forests and fertile soil, was the heart of the southeastern part of the Eastern Woodlands cultural area. There before c.500 the inhabitants were seminomads who hunted, fished, and gathered roots and seeds. Between 500 and 900 they adopted agriculture, tobacco smoking, pottery making, and burial mounds. By c.1300 the agricultural economy was well established, and artifacts found in the mounds show that trade was widespread. Long before the Europeans arrived, the peoples of the Natchez and Muskogean branches of the Hokan-Siouan linguistic family were farmers who used hoes with stone, bone, or shell blades. They hunted with bow and arrow and blowgun, caught fish by poisoning streams, and gathered berries, fruit, and shellfish. They had excellent pottery, sometimes decorated with abstract figures of animals or humans. Since warfare was frequent and intense, the villages were enclosed by wooden palisades reinforced with earth. Some of the large villages, usually ceremonial centers, dominated the smaller settlements of the surrounding countryside. There were temples for sun worship; rites were elaborate and featured an altar with perpetual fire, extinguished and rekindled each year in a “new fire” ceremony. The society was commonly divided into classes, with a chief, his children, nobles, and commoners making up the hierarchy. For a discussion of the earliest Woodland groups, see the separate article Eastern Woodlands culture.

TRIBES: Acolapissa, Asis, Alibamu, Apalachee, Atakapa, Bayougoula, Biloxi, Calusa, Catawba, Chakchiuma, Cherokee, Chesapeake Algonquin, Chickasaw, Chitamacha, Choctaw, Coushatta, Creek, Cusabo, Gaucata, Guale, Hitchiti, Houma, Jeags, Karankawa, Lumbee, Miccosukee, Mobile, Napochi, Nappissa, Natchez, Ofo, Powhatan, Quapaw, Seminole, Southeastern Siouan, Tekesta, Tidewater Algonquin, Timucua, Tunica, Tuscarora, Yamasee, Yuchi. Bannock, Paiute (Northern), Paiute (Southern), Sheepeater, Shoshone (Northern), Shoshone (Western), Ute, Washo.

·        The Northern Area

The Northern area covered most of Canada, also known as the Subarctic, in the belt of semiarctic land from the Rocky Mts. to Hudson Bay. The main languages in this area were those of the Algonquian-Wakashan and the Nadene stocks. Typical of the people there were the Chipewyan. Limiting environmental conditions prevented farming, but hunting, gathering, and activities such as trapping and fishing were carried on. Nomadic hunters moved with the season from forest to tundra, killing the caribou in semiannual drives. Other food was provided by small game, berries, and edible roots. Not only food but clothing and even some shelter (caribou-skin tents) came from the caribou, and with caribou leather thongs the Indians laced their snowshoes and made nets and bags. The snowshoe was one of the most important items of material culture. The shaman featured in the religion of many of these people.

TRIBES: Calapuya, Cathlamet, Chehalis, Chemakum, Chetco, Chilluckkittequaw, Chinook, Clackamas, Clatskani, Clatsop, Cowich, Cowlitz, Haida, Hoh, Klallam, Kwalhioqua, Lushootseed, Makah, Molala, Multomah, Oynut, Ozette, Queets, Quileute, Quinault, Rogue River, Siletz, Taidhapam, Tillamook, Tutuni, Yakonan.

·        The Southwest Area

The Southwest area generally extended over Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Utah. The Uto-Aztecan branch of the Aztec-Tanoan linguistic stock was the main language group of the area. Here a seminomadic people called the Basket Makers, who hunted with a spear thrower, or atlatl, acquired (c.1000 B.C.) the art of cultivating beans and squash, probably from their southern neighbors. They also learned to make unfired pottery. They wove baskets, sandals, and bags. By c.700 B.C. they had initiated intensive agriculture, made true pottery, and hunted with bow and arrow. They lived in pit dwellings, which were partly underground and were lined with slabs of stone – the so-called slab houses. A new people came into the area some two centuries later; these were the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians. They lived in large, terraced community houses set on ledges of cliffs or canyons for protection and developed a ceremonial chamber (the kiva) out of what had been the living room of the pit dwellings. This period of development ended c.1300, after a severe drought and the beginnings of the invasions from the north by the Athabascan-speaking Navajo and Apache. The known historic Pueblo cultures of such sedentary farming peoples as the Hopi and the Zuni then came into being. They cultivated corn, beans, squash, cotton, and tobacco, killed rabbits with a wooden throwing stick, and traded cotton textiles and corn for buffalo meat from nomadic tribes. The men wove cotton textiles and cultivated the fields, while women made fine polychrome pottery. The mythology and religious ceremonies were complex.

TRIBES: Apache (Eastern), Apache (Western), Chemehuevi, Coahuiltec, Hopi, Jano, Manso, Maricopa, Mohave, Navaho, Pai, Papago, Pima, Pueblo (breaking into: Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Picuris, Pojoaque, Sandia, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zia), Yaqui, Yavapai, Yuman, Zuni.  Am strongly thinking about

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Marin’s Small Towns Charm Bay Area Tourists

Visitors to San Francisco will find a different world just a few miles north of the Golden Gate bridge where charming communities boast recreation opportunities you might find in a state or national park.

That’s why Marin County is an attractive place to live — as much as half the acreage is in open space, so residents enjoy an endless selection of trails and visitas, all quite clost to home. It’s expensive to live here, all right, but then how many places offer you a multi-cultural city of sophistication on one side of the bridge, and quiet trails and solitude on the other? If you crave recreation in the Great Outdoors but drive a Mercedes, you just might be a Marin County resident.

What’s nice is that any of us can stop by and experience — for a weekend, anyway — this lifestyle for ourselves. We took a little time to visit the southern part of the county, setting up our base of operations at the San Anselmo Inn, a charming European-style lodging in Northern California’s antiquing capital, San Anselmo. It was easy to drive short distances from there to explore many nearby attractions and communities;

The San Anselmo Inn is on San Anselmo Avenue, an especially enchanting downtown street that gently winds its way through the town’s historic buildings. The streets in this area are narrow and buildings close together, so the European feeling extends well beyond the inn itself. On a bright fall weekday, a wide variety of shops and stores

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California Governor Proposes Closure of 220 State Parks to Make up for Budget Shortfall

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to close over 200 state parks to public meet predictable criticism.

The Governor said that the state can no longer afford to sustain the parks after noting a budget defect of nearly billion. He is hoping that the closure of the parks would save the state millions of dollar in service costs over the next twelve months. Predictably the public are not taking to this suggestion easily.

This proposal would affect nearly 80 percent of California’s state parks and restrict access to nearly 30 percent of California’s coastlines.

The proposal would affect parks all down the state from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Big Sur beaches down south. Preventing access to giant redwoods and such features as Lake Tahoe.

At least 2,000 jobs would be threatened, affecting park rangers, biologists and lifeguards, who would be laid off due to the Governor’s plans.

But the National Park Service are threatening to seize some locations if Schwarzenegger goes through with the legislation.

Of the areas that the Service have threatened to siege are San Francisco’s Angel Island,  which is where Chinese immigrants were barracked, Mount Diablo, Point Sur historical park in Big Sur and three beaches Ford Ort Dunes near Monterrey.

In his warning letter National Park Service director Jonathan Jarvis warns that the state could lose any future park funding.

Speaking on Schwarzenegger’s behalf a representative remarked: “We’re reviewing the letter and state parks director Ruth Coleman is in the process of talking with the National Park Service and Jon Jarvis about these very issues.
“They are discussing a variety of outcomes and solutions depending on what final budget package is passed by the Legislature.”

So far the Governor has rejected the democrats proposal for a annual fee for vehicle registration in order to help maintain the parks.

A spokesman for the National Parks Service said that another option is to cut down the park hours rather than cut them off completely. “We want to work with them, and see what they have to offer” he said “because we don’t want to close the parks and I’m sure they don’t want to either”.

Conservationists have been raising concerns about the implications of leaving the parks untended. They suggest it would costs as much to keep people out of the parks, and in future repairs, as it would to keep them open. They also point out that the parks are a great source of revenue for the state and closing them down may impinge on tourist revenue.

With the threat of the closure of Lake Tahoe to the public many people with property being let as Lake Tahoe vacation rentals are also upset by the proposition along with a large number of businesses and hotels relying on tourist money.

A representative of The National Parks Service had this to say, “Each visitor to a state park is worth per visit. The parks have generated millions throughout California. It’s almost as if they are shooting themselves in the foot.”

The American Automobile Association

The American Automobile Association, also referred to as AAA, is a non-profit organization that has over 50 million members. Its headquarters are located in Heathrow, Florida; right outside of Orlando, Florida. The group is a service organization as well as an organization that sells vehicle insurance to its clients if they wish to purchase it from them. Members of the American Automobile Association can renew their membership with the organization whenever their current membership expires and anyone in the country can join the organization if they want to. AAA doesn’t just offer services for motor vehicle owners but it also offers services for its members when they are not on the roads but traveling on planes, ships, and trains.

AAA is a discount club along with being an automotive club. The American Automobile Association not only provides emergency roadside services and maps to their members. They also provide services in four other main areas that include travel, financial services, car buying and car insurance. As a member of AAA, the company can help people with rental car reservations, lodging reservations, dinner reservations, procuring tickets to plays and sporting events, booking cruises, booking flights and much more. Their financial services include providing their members with gift cards or gift checks instead of carrying around cash when traveling to other areas of the country. If you are looking to purchase a new car then AAA can also help in this category. How? They can help their members find a car, negotiate the price, arrange the financing and even perform the financing on the car when service is due. AAA not only offers vehicle insurance from their company but also health, homeowners, and life insurance to their members.

The American Automobile Association was founded in 1902 in Cleveland, Ohio in response to the lack of roads and highways suitable for automobiles. The original membership consisted of 1,000 charter members. The first maps published by AAA were released in 1905, the company’s first hotel guides were published in 1917, and their safety school program began in 1920. One of their separate entities, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, was created in 1947 to conduct studies regarding motorist safety. Members of the American Automobile Association belong to individual AAA clubs across the country such as AAA Mid-Atlantic, AAA Northwest Ohio, and AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah. The American Automobile Association also has arrangements with affiliates throughout the world, including the Automobile Association of the United Kingdom, the Canadian Automobile Association, and the ADAC in Germany.

The AAA automotive services offered by the company are wide ranging. They include tire changing, towing, jump starting a dead battery, delivery of gas and much more. Members of AAA will need to prove that they are members when calling for emergency roadside assistance by reading the operator their member identification number on the front of their member card. Being a member of AAA will also help you get discounts in a lot of places including restaurants, book stores, clubs, car service shops and much more.

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Oregon Tourist Attractions

There are varied Oregon tourist attractions; the most popular vacation destinations here are Mt. Hood, Greater Portland and the Oregon Coast. You can just spend your entire day in such lovely places. It is said that Oregonians are adventurous, inquisitive and wild in nature, you can explore the place all on your own, it has so much to offer for people who love food and adventure. You can have a great meal, enjoying the powdery sloppy mountains, town lighthouse views and salmon running over the place. While you are this lovely place, we advise you to become one like Oregonians enjoying good sense of humor and love for adventure. There are some of the best things you can do here while on a vacation here as the place has some greater things to offer. The famous and most visited Oregon tourist attractions includes Oregon’s regions of Eugene, Bend, Grants, Klamth Falls, Pendleton, Portland, Salem, Sunriver, Medford, Pass, Sunriver and much of other places. The most popular list of things to do and visit are Oregon Zoo, Crater Lake National Park and Train mountain railroad museum.

Abacela – Abacela is a famous winery and vineyards where you can enjoy the taste of different and finest wineries of the world. The place is located at sunny south sloping rocky hills that grows fruits like Syrah, Malbec, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo and other varieties in unique microclimate. The fruits are handpicked that are of finest quality and optimally ripen, they are gently fermented and processed in gravity flow that preserves the quality. The main objective is to produce the finest quality wines that give the pleasure of a grape variety and its terroir.

Crater Lake National Park – The National Park is famous for its intense blue color giving greater view, visitor visits during the place especially during summers – you can take a walk around the Rim Drive lake. Here you can enjoy your time in the boat tours, camping at Mazama village, visiting and staying at the historic Crater lake Lodge and enjoy the hiking adventures.

John Day Fossil beds national Monument – It is a world renowned site famous for heavily eroded volcanic deposits that gives the beauty to the place across the scenic river basin with well preserved fossil records of plants and animals. The records of these animals dates back to more than 40 years of the total 65 million years of the Cenozoic Era. Cenozoic Era is termed as the age of mammals and Flowering plants. The monument is spread over 14,000 acre park that is divided in three wide units including the Clarno unit, painted hills unit and the sheep rock unit. The headquarters of the monument are located at Cant Ranch visitor center.

King of the Rogue Outfitters – the Rogue outfitters provides you with the highest and finest experiences of the southern Oregon and Northern California. You can enjoy the activities of mild whitewater rafting and also enjoying the fishing trips of Salmo, smallmouth bass and steeelhead.

Oregon Zoo – Oregon zoo is one of the most popular Oregon tourist attractions that takes you down the trip enjoying the animals in all its natural habitat looking over the birds, monkeys and crocodiles. The Savanna takes you down to the journey to visit zebras, giraffes and rhinos graze.

Fort Rock Homestead Museum – It was one of the last regions of the continental USA that is open for homesteading. It possesses the collections of original buildings that starts from the early 1990s that are arranged in the village setting. The place includes land office, church, homes, schools and log cabins, they are all furnished with tools and sundry objects used in olden era.

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Medford Oregon – A Great Place for Entertainment in the Rogue River Valley

Medford Oregon is well known as being the professional, retail and touring center of southern Oregon and northern California. The many cultural, business and recreational opportunities make it one of the most popular places for visitors in the Northwest. In addition to its natural scenery and diverse landscape, there is a myriad of entertaining activities available.

Located in the heart of the Rogue River Valley, Medford has all the conveniences of any large metropolitan area in a setting that also allows access to vast natural landscapes. The wide diversity makes it a memorable destination for anyone who enjoys a blend of urban and outdoor activities.

Of course, the main attractions lie among the vast forests, mountain wilderness and natural beauty of this spectacular region. People flock from all around the world to take advantage of the parks, campgrounds and nature trails. Biking, hiking, hunting and fishing facilities are available in great abundance throughout the region.

The crowning glory of the landscape is the Rogue River. As the river winds gracefully through the valley, it is surrounded by some of the most magnificent and diverse terrain in the world. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968.

There are spots where the waters are calm for boating and fishing enthusiasts. Canoes and kayaks are welcome and the river provides miles of pleasurable, leisurely paddling. Trout are plentiful and fishing is a major pastime for anglers who venture to the more secluded spots along the river.

For those who are a bit more adventurous, white water rapids here are a big attraction along the more rugged portions of the waterway. White water rafting tours are available most of the year, with equipment and experienced guides for a safe and fun experience. These trip packages range from a few hour day trip to four day adventures.

Northeast of Medford you can find the deepest lake in the United States, which is also the ninth deepest in the world, at the Crater Lake National Park. Most any outdoor activity imaginable is offered here. Backpacking, rock climbing and hiking draw many people, with plenty of room for everyone to enjoy the wide open spaces.

Crater Lake became a national park in 1902 and has all the modern amenities you might expect, while maintaining its pristine beauty. Accommodations are easy to reserve with a number of options to suit most any traveler. Hotels, motels and lodges can be found near the park, with camping available inside the park itself.

Just down the road from Medford, you’ll find the historic town of Jacksonville. Located in Jacksonville is the world famous, non-profit organization called the Britt Festivals. This is a premiere summer performing arts festival presenting lively summer concerts. It features many musical genres including blues, folk and pop, among others, in a naturally formed outdoor amphitheater.

Fine courses cater to golfers and networks of trails fulfill the needs of horseback riders. Music, shopping and a variety of entertainment are always readily accessible. Whatever your tastes, Medford Oregon has something around every corner.

Cultism And Immorality: An America Envisioned By Secret Societies

I hate to be one of the Nay Sayers who predict doom and gloom for our glorious nation. I believe in our system of government and have great respect for the members of the military that daily lay down their lives for the pursuit of freedom. However, fear has entered my soul. It’s a fear brought on by the knowledge that many of our leaders have lost their love for liberty and sold their souls for wealth and status.

Abraham Lincoln has said:

”What constitutes the bulwark of our liberty and independence? It is not our frowning battlements, our bristling seacoasts – these are not our reliance against tyranny. Our reliance is in the love of liberty, which God has planted in our bosom. Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men in all lands, everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism around your own door.”

I first heard those powerful words in 1964 after visiting the New York World’s Fair with my parents. I was just eight years old when we entered the Illinois Pavilion at the fair and experienced “Great Moments with Mister Lincoln.” The exhibit was created by Walt Disney and featured animatronics in the form of a robotic President Lincoln that spoke, stood up and moved around like a living human. Those that visit the Hall of Presidents at various Disney Parks can enjoy an expanded version.

The Lincoln presentation was powerful and inspiring. My parents purchased a packet for me that contained a book and record of the presentation. I enjoyed listening to spoken word and speech recordings and had a decent collection of them. I listened to the Lincoln presentation over and over again. I knew the words were important and wanted to comprehend what they meant.

After a discussion about the speech with my father, I suddenly understood the message that Lincoln was passing on to the ages. The spirit of Liberty is not a fragile thing, but it requires people that believe in and act on the principle to keep it strong. Acting on the principle sometimes means helping others to obtain the freedom that we have. However, it doesn’t using freedom as a come on or a gimmick to further some other agenda.

It has become painfully obvious to me that many of the leaders of this nation and our world have sold their souls to a dark power that does not love and, in fact, loathes freedom. They have betrayed the American People and the very concept of liberty. That betrayal takes the form of membership in cult-like secret societies like the Bilderburgers and the Bohemian Grove group.

My knowledge of and concern about secret societies and their influence over government officials began with my introduction to the John Birch Society years ago. As a member, I took part in a number of campaigns to help reduce big government and the influence of outside agencies, groups, other governments and secret societies on America. I attended meetings and heard a number of lectures at yearly gatherings including two by the late Robert Welch, a founding member.

One reason that I eventually left the JBS was because it was simply hard for me to believe that the entire power structure of our government had been taken over by cultists and members of various secret societies. I guess I was just too young to believe that betrayal on such a massive scale could exist in what seemed like a free society.

My opinion on these issues changed in the late 1980s. I was booked as a guest on a talk radio program in Austin, Texas, where I was presenting a seminar. Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives from opposite sides of the aisle were in-studio guests just before me. They were in town for some big political event and seemed roundly annoyed with each other during the program.

As their segment ended the two seemed thoroughly disgusted with each other’s point of view, or so it appeared. Once the microphones were turned off, they settled down and retreated to the lobby. Taking a bathroom break just before my segment, I went out to the lobby to find a restroom and saw the two politicians talking with each other and laughing. It bothered me. That same situation repeated itself several more times in different places as I observed politicians with opposing views leaving radio or television studios congratulating each other on a job well done. A job well done for WHO or WHAT?

It eventually sunk into my head that I was nothing more than a pawn for powerful people to play with and that my vote was a joke. No matter who I voted for, the winner would be someone that belonged to some horrendous cult. My realization explained many things including why politicians from both major parties wanted the few remaining freedoms I had to vanish. They were creating the perfect Orwellian Society of people enslaved to unnatural standards and false values.

I recently viewed a copy of a DVD produced by Alex Jones entitled, Dark Secrets: Inside Bohemian Grove. The presentation sickened me. Like most people that hear about various secret societies, I just assumed that the ceremonies involved were harmless and even a bit silly. In fact, I became very upset with a fellow JBS member years ago when he gave a speech that claimed influential members of the Masonic Lodge (including U.S. Presidents) were actually worshipping the devil and various demons. I may owe him an apology.

I believe in freedom of religion, however, my tolerance does not extend to accepting the fact that elected male politicians are running around ancient California redwood trees worshipping a demon called Moloch and taking part in nothing less than immoral acts that mock the very idea of marriage or commitment to a monogamous relationship of any kind.

You cannot love liberty and commit to its principles while serving a group or entity that teaches physical, emotional and spiritual slavery. I urge all freedom-loving people to investigate these matters and draw their own conclusions. I urge you to stop by http://conspiracy.canyoustandthetruth.com/ and learn more about these matters.

This is a video tour of room 4 at the Turtle Rocks Oceanfront Inn in Trinidad, CA. Please see our website at www.turtlerocksinn.com for more information.

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The Most Famous Oregon Tourist Attractions

There are varied Oregon tourist attractions; the most popular vacation destinations here are Mt. Hood, Greater Portland and the Oregon Coast. You can just spend your entire day in such lovely places. It is said that Oregonians are adventurous, inquisitive and wild in nature, you can explore the place all on your own, it has so much to offer for people who love food and adventure. You can have a great meal, enjoying the powdery sloppy mountains, town lighthouse views and salmon running over the place. While you are this lovely place, we advise you to become one like Oregonians enjoying good sense of humor and love for adventure. There are some of the best things you can do here while on a vacation here as the place has some greater things to offer. The famous and most visited Oregon tourist attractions includes Oregon’s regions of Eugene, Bend, Grants, Klamth Falls, Pendleton, Portland, Salem, Sunriver, Medford, Pass, Sunriver and much of other places. The most popular list of things to do and visit are Oregon Zoo, Crater Lake National Park and Train mountain railroad museum.

Abacela – Abacela is a famous winery and vineyards where you can enjoy the taste of different and finest wineries of the world. The place is located at sunny south sloping rocky hills that grows fruits like Syrah, Malbec, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo and other varieties in unique microclimate. The fruits are handpicked that are of finest quality and optimally ripen, they are gently fermented and processed in gravity flow that preserves the quality. The main objective is to produce the finest quality wines that give the pleasure of a grape variety and its terroir.

Crater Lake National Park – The National Park is famous for its intense blue color giving greater view, visitor visits during the place especially during summers – you can take a walk around the Rim Drive lake. Here you can enjoy your time in the boat tours, camping at Mazama village, visiting and staying at the historic Crater lake Lodge and enjoy the hiking adventures.

John Day Fossil beds national Monument – It is a world renowned site famous for heavily eroded volcanic deposits that gives the beauty to the place across the scenic river basin with well preserved fossil records of plants and animals. The records of these animals dates back to more than 40 years of the total 65 million years of the Cenozoic Era. Cenozoic Era is termed as the age of mammals and Flowering plants. The monument is spread over 14,000 acre park that is divided in three wide units including the Clarno unit, painted hills unit and the sheep rock unit. The headquarters of the monument are located at Cant Ranch visitor center.

King of the Rogue Outfitters – the Rogue outfitters provides you with the highest and finest experiences of the southern Oregon and Northern California. You can enjoy the activities of mild whitewater rafting and also enjoying the fishing trips of Salmo, smallmouth bass and steeelhead.

Oregon Zoo – Oregon zoo is one of the most popular Oregon tourist attractions that takes you down the trip enjoying the animals in all its natural habitat looking over the birds, monkeys and crocodiles. The Savanna takes you down to the journey to visit zebras, giraffes and rhinos graze.

Fort Rock Homestead Museum – It was one of the last regions of the continental USA that is open for homesteading. It possesses the collections of original buildings that starts from the early 1990s that are arranged in the village setting. The place includes land office, church, homes, schools and log cabins, they are all furnished with tools and sundry objects used in olden era.

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Giving Certain Travel Locations A Second Look

Celebrating the holidays at home each year can become tedious. Going on a trip is one way millions of Americans avoid the winter doldrums and how most hotels plus travel agencies and resorts get their business numbers up. The choices are numerous when it comes to potential winter holiday stops. Travel packages can be had in both the tropical places and the winter spots via ski resorts and hotels so people have tons of options when it comes to out of town vacations. Special travel rates during the holidays are likewise provided by several cruise firms.

For holidays covered in white you can try the ski resorts in the west at Lake Tahoe all the way to the east at the Stowe area in Vermont. Colorado houses many of the more famous ski resort areas. Vail which has a ski terrain totaling 3800 acres is where the stars go to spend most winters. There is snowmobiling along with bob or dog sledding for the family plus bobsledding and dog sledding not to mention sleigh rides as well as ice hockey and cross country ski tours.

Colorado is also home to Telluride which boasts of interesting resorts that have lately captured the attention of rich luminaries.  There are great hotels providing accommodations along Beaver Creek with one even featuring 300 rooms at over 8000 feet in height plus ski lifts right outside. Other fantastic Colorado ski resorts are located in Breckenridge, Keystone and Copper Mountain. Southern California has Mammoth and Big Bear while Northern California has the Lake Tahoe slopes for skiers eager for challenging slopes within the West Coast.  Skiers with limited finances can still have a grand time minus the exorbitant resort lodging prices.

The well known cross country and downhill ski locations are next to a bunch of hostels. Taos Ski Valley and Jackson Hole not to mention Killington as well as Aspen and Squaw Valley promise not to disappoint.

Vacationers bringing along kids have tons of choices. Children can snack on certain special items on most NY hotel food menus like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and then go bake something or fly kites or build sand castles or scavenger hunt. The Blackberry Farm found within Walland in Tennessee rests close to the Smokey Mountains and has seen many a vacationing family for 70 years take pleasure visiting it. This place features mountain sunrises, woodland trails, fireside gatherings and home furnishings that recall colonial times.

Tourists also love dropping in at Disneyland Florida to fulfill longtime holiday fantasies. You will see Douglas firs lined with lights along with toy soldiers moving forward plus the elaborate parades and musical presentations. Those who always have room for something sweet are bound to enjoy touring Hersheypark in the state of Pennsylvania.  Travel destinations that offer local flavor and historic leanings dot the United States like a lighted tree. In Virginia specifically Williamsburg travelers are treated to a Colonial American vacation complete with the 17th century Jamestown Settlement holiday commemoration by the city fathers.

A Nashville hotel holds a country Christmas each year and New Orleans does something in the spirit of France. Between jazz cruising aboard Creole Queen and the rebellion dinners thrown by local eateries the entire city simply comes alive. A cruise is another nice way to keep the holiday mood up. Most major cruise lines offer special holiday destinations.  If the shopping gene didn’t kick in before the holiday, then exercise while on your winter sojourn. Large hotels in most major cities offer special rates that make out of town shopping a treat. The upscale crowd have lots to look forward to in the Bay Area.

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Where Did The Window Boxes Go?

I just happen to love window boxes and miss seeing them in the more modern neighborhoods these days. My neighbors who lived across the street from us had just painted their older rather plain, small house a medium gray with white trim. Clean, but boring I thought. With two large windows on each side of the front door, I had visions of painting the front door red and adding 2 red window boxes beneath those windows. Talk about adding some impact!

Window boxes can take a plain nondescript house and give it the look of a charming country cottage in no time. Window boxes are also particularly wonderful when you are limited for planting space in a small yard. You can fill them with low growing and trailing flowers, vines or even herbs. You may be hard put to find ready-made window boxes at your local garden store these days, but they are still available online.

If you want to make your own window boxes, cedar or redwood would be the wood of choice. If you can’t find some kind of a plastic or metal liner to fit, I would further protect the wood by lining the boxes with plain old tarpaper before adding the planting mix. You can then mount them to the window frames with the proper sized brackets. Your neighborhood hardware store can guide you in the right direction.

Make sure you drill some holes in he bottom of the window boxes for good drainage and water daily during the summer months. Once every few weeks are so, add some fertilizer for container plants, then sit back and enjoy beautiful blooms from both the outside and inside of the house.

Some good flower choices for window boxes would be geraniums, marigolds, trillium, alyssum, and any other low growing flowers that love the sun. For the shady side of the house, try fuchsias or the beautiful non-stop begonias. Some useful herb choices would include chives, rosemary, parsley and thyme. If you like fresh mint, don’t plant any other herb in that particular window box as the mint will take over all other plants.

Explore Fern Cottage, an 1800’s home of Humboldt County pioneers, William and Zipporah Russ in Victorian Ferndale, just a short drive from the redwoods. From 101 Milestones with Bill Morrill.
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