Manzanar Japanese Relocation Center

My final destination was Death Valley National Park but I made plans to first stop at the Manzanar Japanese Relocation Center just up the road from one of the park entrances.  It wasn’t at all what I expected because I thought there would be more buildings but in fact there were none, only a couple of replicas. 

The museum and movie were informative and gave me a better understanding of what life was like there.  It was one of those events that were not reported on much for the general public.  There were 10 relocation centers in remote deserts, plains, and swamps of seven states. Manzanar is located along the Sierra Nevada Mountains. About two-thirds of all Japanese Americans interned at Manzanar were American citizens by birth.  I’m not going to give a history lesson here but I do think everyone should learn about this event in out history.  I admire the way they made the best out of a bad situation.

“We had about one week to dispose of what we owned, except what we could pack and carry for our departure by bus…for Manzanar” said William Hohri.  Each family had a tab that they attached to their clothing to make sure they arrived together.  Sort of like a baggage tag.

They lived in barracks and Rosie Kakuuchi wrote, “…one of the hardest things to endure was the communal latrines, with no partitions; and showers with no stalls.”

Here is a good youtube video showing some of the history.

 

 

 

Crystal Grottos

My nature writing book group had just finished discussing Barbara Hurd’s book Entering the Stone when someone suggested we explore a cave. We all agreed that we were not up for crawling around in the muck and mud like Barbara but something more commercial with lights like Crystal Grottos near Boonsboro, Maryland was chosen.

We met outside in front of the small entrance. The cave was discovered in 1920 when State Route 34 was being paved and they needed to quarry for limestone. A drill bit disappeared into a hole, and the road crew realized that had found a cave. Later they blasted an opening into the cave.

Flow stone and stalactites are abundant. Isn't it just amazing what can be right under your feet. I find geology to be one of the hardest disciplines to learn as an amateur naturalist but it sure is exciting to see. You can't help but leave such a place of wonder with a head full of thoughts and questions.

The second day of our collecting trip

The next day we met up with Kevin who drove us to his favorite places in Wood and Ritchie county.  We, or I should really say they botanized along the way.  I mostly took photos and listened in awe at their extensive knowledge of plants.  I am particularly interested in ferns so I was delighted when we stopped along the road to identify this Silvery Antherium.

Here is the underside.

Jane spotted this Sparassis (also known as cauliflower mushroom) from the car.

There were two of them and they really were the size of a cauliflower.

For me this plant was the coolest of the day. 

It is a Climbing Fern (Lygodium palmatum)  

and from what they said, in WV, it is only found in a few places.

The majority of the leaves are infertile and look like the palm of a hand.

The stems are very thin and tough.

Here are the fertile fronds.

We drove along the Little Kanawha River stopping to identify this

 Long Beaked Arrowhead (Sagittaria australis).

Along the way Kevin told us about the geology and natural history of the area. Jane grew up near by and told an interesting story about a town and how they made Mountain out of Mole Hill, WV. In  July of 1949 representatives of the Borden Milk Company approached the people at Mole Hill with a plan to help them get a paved road to their community if they would be a part of a publicity stunt. At the time Route 47 was described as a "narrow snake path" except for the short concrete section just outside of Pennsboro. They had the understanding that if they went along with the stunt and changed their name to Mountain as part of the Borden County Fair events, the governor and other politicians would come a they would soon get a new road.  Well like a lot of promises from industry and the government this one was not kept, yet the people at Mole Hill are now stuck with the name Mountain and to make matters worse there isn't even a mountain near by. According to some, the locals still call it Mole Hill and there isn't even a post office there any more. They did get the road...ten years later but that had nothing to do with the name change.  I guess when they say, "don't make a mountain out of a mole hill" it is good advice to follow.

Back at Kevin's I found this Tan Crab Spider (Xysticus transversatus) muching on an ant and

 

a Ray Spider (Theridiosoma gemmosum) egg case.

For more adventures in the ourdoors visit Outdoor Wednesdays.

Fairfax Stone, West Virginia

Fairfax Stone is one of those places I like to visit every now and then because it is a nice quiet little park. I love to take friends there to see if they are impressed...but they never are.  It is a couple of miles off Route 219 near Thomas, West Virginia and easy to find.

The marker reads:

This monument at the headspring of the Potomac River marks one of the historic spots of America. It's name is derived from Thomas Lord Fairfax who owned all the land between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. The first Fairfax Stone marked "FX" was set in 1746 by Thomas Lewis, a surveyor employed by Lord Fairfax. This is the base point for the western dividing line between Maryland and West Virginia.

Below is the stream flowing out of the spring that eventually ends up as the Potomac River. I actually find that fact rather awesome and love to straddle the river here with one foot on each "shore".  Of course there are a lot of other headwaters that go to make up the Potomac and they are equally important. Many of our headwater streams are being endangered with chemical pollutants from farms and mining and need protection.  This little spot is protected but much of the waters journey is not.

The original stone was destroyed by vandals in the 1880s, and later replaced by a concrete marker on August 12, 1910.  Then again in 1957 that stone was replaced by the one you see here.

King Charles II of England granted a loyal follower Lord Culpeper the land as a reward for service. Eventually it was held by the 2nd Lord Culpeper and his only child, Catherine, who married Thomas the 5th Lord Fairfax. Until that time the land was basically ignored. Eventually in the early 1700's the land boundaries came into question between Lord Fairfax and the Governor of Virginia. So Lord Fairfax hired surveyors to settle the matter once and for all. What I read of their trek across West Virginia sounded like it might make a good adventure movie or at least an interesting documentary.  When you think about it you realize what a hugh amount of land is involved, almost the whole state. Now we have Fairfax county in Virginia, Fairfax malls and the like. The name is very common, especially in Virginia.   I had a friend who's family owned land in Hedgesville that was given to them by Lord Fairfax and she had a framed document to show the grant given to her family. She has since died but I believe the land is still in the family and will eventually be donated to the Nature Conservency, at least that was her wish.

I write a lot about natural history and often forget the role of people in the development of our land but every now and then when I scratch the surface I find the origins of these little monuments. We have a tremendous influence on the land we live on and it is not something to be ignored.  Thomas is almost a ghost town now and this little marker is all just a tiny spot on the map, it makes me realize how fragile our efforts are and yet how destructive they can be.

Check out other watery scenes at Watery Wednesday.