Intro
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Sedona
Geology Sedona History
Exploring Sedona
Sedona
Geology
Saturday morning we drove north on I-17 toward the Grand Canyon.
On the way, we encountered the beautiful scenery of Sedona.
Sedona's famous rock formations have been created slowly for over 350 million
years. The geological events of the Sedona area, from oceans and desert
formation to
volcanic eruptions, have all contributed to the red-rock vistas seen
today. |
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If one were to cut a 5,000-feet-high (above sea level) slice of the land of
the Colorado Plateau, one would see about ten layers of sedimentary rock
signifying different geological events that occurred from 330 to 7 million years
ago. The formations of Sedona reveal layers ranging from 300 to 250 million
years old that were originally deposited by swamps, coastal floodplains, and
wind-blown red sand. The exceptional scarlet color comes from red iron-oxide
stains formed when floodplain deposits of iron minerals mixed with oxygen
available at the time. |
The rock formations appear today because of the rock's unusual susceptibility
to erosion. About 7 million years ago the area's layers were topped with
volcanic lava and cinders, but geologic faulting helped creek waters break
through the lava cap and carve today's canyons and buttes.
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Sedona History
| The Sedona area has been occupied by humans since about 8,000 B.C., when
Paleo-Indians hunted Ice Age mammals. By 700 A.D., the Hohokam had moved into
the area and introduced irrigation farming, producing crops of corn, beans, and
squash. Next the Sinaguan tribe arrived, but they were forced to leave after a
violent volcanic eruption in 1066 A.D. They were followed by the Anasazi,
attracted by the fertile soils created by residual volcanic ash. They
disappeared very suddenly in the late 1300s for unexplained reasons.
White men
arrived in the region about 1583 looking for gold. Pioneers, prospectors, and
trappers began to arrive in the early 1800s, and battles with Native Americans
soon ensued. In 1876 John "Jim" Thompson built a cabin in Oak
Creek Canyon, becoming the first permanent white settler. In 1901, a
Pennsylvania Dutch couple, Theodore and Sedona Schnebly, moved to the area and
purchased 80 acres. "Schnebly" being too difficult a name to grace a
post office, in
1902 the town was officially named after Sedona. In 1923 the locally
filmed silent movie "Call of the Canyon" became a success, and film
crews began flocking to Sedona's red rock country. Hundreds of movies have been
filmed there since. [At right, one of many roadside trees decorated for the
holidays.] |
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Exploring Sedona
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After taking many photographs along I-17, we stopped in downtown Sedona,
walked along main street, and ate lunch on the back deck of a cafe [left].
After lunch, while Jan took in some sun, Amy and Cameron shopped for
jewelry and souvenirs.
Then we headed north up tree-lined Oak Creek Canyon, which looked more and more
like the mountains of Washington State as we approached the top of the
pass. We stopped at the top, where Native American artisans are allowed to
sell their wares, and we
purchased a beautiful Navajo vase.
Later that day we arrived in Williams, where we stayed for two nights. For evening entertainment, we drove about 1/2 hour east to
Flagstaff and saw the town's Christmas parade, replete with floats from
the local Kiwanis Club, Boy Scout troop, and towing companies; specially
lit cars from the Classic Car Club; and marching bands from area schools.
It was charming and fun, true small-town America. |
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