Favorite Photos

Of all the 500 photos in the book “America's Living History-The Early Years,” several stand out as being especially good at capturing a period or a place.

For us, they represent the innumerable moments - some grand, some intimate - that you can experience in your own history travels.

If you own the book and have other favorites, let us know.

Our investigations into Native American culture deepened our appreciation of Indian art. The pot shown here is on display at Walnut Canyon National Monument near Flagstaff, AZ. Though it is very old and was created by what some may call “primative” people, we never cease to be impressed by the simple elegance of its design and the energy expressed in its decoration.

Many of the historic homes featured in the book have fully furnished kids’ rooms. Unfortunately, because of space constraints, not many could be pictured. This doll, which we found at the home of a white doctor in Historic Brattonsville, SC, was just too charming to ignore. She implies much concerning the local culture.

All of these big, heavy, noisy, wooden gears and shafts were considered state-of-the-art technology in the early 1800s.Their purpose was to transfer the power of flowing water to grinding stones that turned grain into flour. This complex array of equipment is located in the grist mill at Spring Mill State Park, Mitchell, IN.

Washington DC has many awe-inspiring buildings, all of which are a treat to photograph. The classic proportions and elegant details are especially evident when the sun is low in the sky. To us, the Supreme Court Building looks like it belongs on the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

The first permanent European settlement in what we now call America was a fortified Spanish town - St. Augustine, Florida, founded in 1565. Missionaries quickly spread westward from there, converting Native Peoples to the Catholic religion and teaching them European lifeways so that they could become citizens of Spain. For them, music often played an important role. Catholic padres in California not only led choirs but also provided training on orchestral instruments (including violins, violas, cellos, flutes, oboes and horns).

During our tour of New Mexico's 850-year-old Acoma Pueblo - also known as “Sky City” - we saw several scenes of everyday living. We took no photos of the people out of respect for their privacy.

Speaking of elegance of design, we could live comfortably in this room with its natural materials, warm colors and cool comfort, thanks to the insulating adobe walls. This interior is at El Rancho de las Golondrinas near Santa Fe, NM.

As unadorned as their homes often were, the Spanish carved fine works of art on their churches. This lovely Madonna graces the façade of Mission San Jose in San Antonio, TX.

The signs of conflict in America’s history are found in virtually every state. Some relate to our early struggles for freedom; many more to our fights between ourselves; and others to the battles between indiginous people and those determined to dominate the land. Regardless of your attitudes about war, you can't help but be humbled by the memory of those who gave their lives in a struggle they believed in. This howitzer is at Yorktown Battlefield, VA,

While looking for a photo to represent the fur trade, we remembered this shot taken in Grand Tetons National Park, WY. We’ve visited this exact spot several times over the last 12 years. There used to be a lovely marsh here with a quiet pool, but recently some beavers moved in, built a dam and changed the landscape. If anything, this is now an even more accurate depiction of the way things used to be.

Fort Snelling, in St. Paul, MN, is for many people a favorite living history destination because each of the "inhabitants" of the fort are in costume and in character. That means you can ask al kinds of questions of the officers, soldiers, fur traders, merchants and their families to better understand life in the early days on the frontier.

We hope this page has given you an idea of the range of photographic subjects presented in “America's Living History-The Early Years.”

We’ll be adding photos to this page from time to time; so come back, and visit often.

All photos Copyright © 2007 Suzanne and Craig Sheumaker, and Red Corral Publishing.
All rights reserved.