The other is verification of the actual site of the massacre. Generally this is just north of Preston Idaho along the Bear River.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Recent Happennings: Bear River Massacre SIte
I have found a couple interesting articles in the desert News. From a couple days ago is a story of a ceremony honoring those killed at the massacre, now thought to be 400 making this the largest slaughter of native Americans in U.S. history. That means only about sixty to seventy Native Americans survived. The deaths included many women and children, some of whom were killed in the cross fire, while others were deliberately killed. The Northwest Shoshone now own a portion of the land upon which the battle took place.
The other is verification of the actual site of the massacre. Generally this is just north of Preston Idaho along the Bear River.
The other is verification of the actual site of the massacre. Generally this is just north of Preston Idaho along the Bear River.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Book Review: Port Chicago: Images of America
Images of America: Port Chicago by Dean L. McLeod, Arcadia Publishing, San Francisco, 2007.
Port Chicago is a city that is no longer there. The wanted to call it Chicago, but were not allowed, or the name is Port Chicago. It is on the south side of the Sacramento River, not far upstream from Benecia, which is on the north side. Port Chicago was a shipping town. The depth of the water made it a convenient port. Port Chicago played a very significant part in World War II. Because of the convenient port, a large naval magazine was located there. On July 17 1944 a large explosion on the main dock totally destroyed two Navy vessels, one was loaded and the other not. The loaded vessel was thrown through the air, and it landed upside down. The other vessel disintegrated. 320 men were killed and over 400 wounded. this was the largest mainland disaster during the war. This explosions left a crater at the bottom of the river over 60 feet deep, 300 feet wide, 700 feet long. In town almost every building was damaged, although no one was killed. The movie theater was damaged to the point it had to be destroyed.
Some conspiracy theories still persist about the accident; that perhaps it was a test of some nuclear device or a port busting bomb. The more conventional answer is that the blast was accidental.
Port Chicago was a known place for nuclear testing, and often people from Los Alamos were there. Also tested were mine clearing devices. From Port Chicago, fissionable material was placed aboard the ill-fated USS Indianapolis which delivered this material for the strike on Japan.
The town was closed by the U.S. government in 1969. It is now surrounded by fencing and barbed wire. The last residents were expelled. However, there is a national monument at the Naval magazine that exploded, and this is accessible. (Although currently closed it will reopen in March.) to visit one must get a permit two weeks before their visits. Visits are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only.
Port Chicago is a city that is no longer there. The wanted to call it Chicago, but were not allowed, or the name is Port Chicago. It is on the south side of the Sacramento River, not far upstream from Benecia, which is on the north side. Port Chicago was a shipping town. The depth of the water made it a convenient port. Port Chicago played a very significant part in World War II. Because of the convenient port, a large naval magazine was located there. On July 17 1944 a large explosion on the main dock totally destroyed two Navy vessels, one was loaded and the other not. The loaded vessel was thrown through the air, and it landed upside down. The other vessel disintegrated. 320 men were killed and over 400 wounded. this was the largest mainland disaster during the war. This explosions left a crater at the bottom of the river over 60 feet deep, 300 feet wide, 700 feet long. In town almost every building was damaged, although no one was killed. The movie theater was damaged to the point it had to be destroyed.
Some conspiracy theories still persist about the accident; that perhaps it was a test of some nuclear device or a port busting bomb. The more conventional answer is that the blast was accidental.
Port Chicago was a known place for nuclear testing, and often people from Los Alamos were there. Also tested were mine clearing devices. From Port Chicago, fissionable material was placed aboard the ill-fated USS Indianapolis which delivered this material for the strike on Japan.
The town was closed by the U.S. government in 1969. It is now surrounded by fencing and barbed wire. The last residents were expelled. However, there is a national monument at the Naval magazine that exploded, and this is accessible. (Although currently closed it will reopen in March.) to visit one must get a permit two weeks before their visits. Visits are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only.
Book Review: Forever Christmas: Tash Tudor
Forever Christmas: Tash Tudor by Harry Davis, photographs by Jay Paul, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 2000.
This is a book with a very nice peaceful feeling. This feeling comes from the original illustrations by Tasha Tudor, the photography, and the written words. The chapters give an idea of where the peace comes from:
Advent, Gifts, Snow, Gingerbread Ornaments, Animals, the Creche, Christmas Dinner, The Tree, Santa Claus and Sleigh Rides. It is wonderful how a peaceful Christmas can lead to good feelings.
One very interesting project was a snowball lantern. You make a little igloo out of snowballs, and then put a candle inside, and you have a snowball lantern.
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