| Show I I I N 4 r I 4 k w n o r y ANCIENT VILLAGES PRESERVED Fascinating villages built by Indians centuries ago in inaccessible caves perched high in hi canyon canon walls are preserved in hi Mesa 1 Verde National park The cliff cities of which Cliff Palace above is typical are noted for their size and excellence of building techniques I I NOT ONLY SCENERY Rain Forests Cliff Cities Show Diversity of Parks A IV N U features L' National Parks has become a synonymous phrase for superlative scenery but there are also many other diverse interests represented in the national park system of or the United United United Unit Unit- ed States In Olympic National park in Washington for example example example ex ex- ex- ex ample are unusual rain forests where as a result of a mild climate and abundant winter rains a tropical appearing jungle has been created far north cin c in the temperate zone Here also is the home of the rare Roosevelt elk for the protection of which a part of the park was established as a national monument as early as 1908 On the other hand far to the south of the Olympics in the southwestern corner of Colorado Mesa Verde National National National Na Na- park preserves the ruins of a once flourishing civilization which was brought to an end by a lack of rainfall The national parks also include two areas famous for their health-giving health springs springs Hot Hot Springs National park in Arkansas and Platt National park in Oklahoma The Olympic mountains are known to thousands of veterans of World War II who returned to Puget sound ports from the Pacific thea thea- From far out at sea these glistening snowy peaks were the first welcoming sight of home Mount Olympus nearly feet in height and a score or more National Parks of other ice- ice capped mo mountains moan moun Eighth tams are in inIn included mIn m- m In a Series eluded in the 1325 square miles of Olympic National park Occupying the heart of a great peninsula this park is surrounded on three sides by water the Pacific ocean on the west the Straits of Juan de Fuca to the north and Puget sound on the east Within a few hours of Seattle and Tacoma are virgin forests forests forests for for- ests alpine meadows deep blue lakes and sparkling trout streams which constitute one of the finest unspoiled unspoiled unspoiled un un- spoiled wilderness areas in the United United United Unit Unit- ed States The rain ram forests are found inthe inthe in inthe the lower valleys on the western western western west west- ern slopes where from September Septem Septem- ber 1 to June 1 there is an average average average aver aver- age annual rainfall of inches nearly 12 feet In these rainforests rainforests rain rainforests forests are Douglas Dougas firs measuring measuring measuring meas meas- up to 17 feet in diameter and feet in height There are many miles of foot and horseback trails in Olympic National National National Na Na- park and a motor highway encircles encircles encircles en en- circles the peninsula From this main highway other roads radiate for short distances into the park I I IN THE CORNER of Colorado where the Rocky mountains meet the arid highlands of the Southwest there rises a high topped flat table- table shaped mountain Early Spanish explorers called it the Mesa Verde for the table top heavily forested with pinon and juniper was always green On this green mesa and in its caves and canyons peaceful farming Indians lived for 1300 years cultivating the soil and built their villages or pueblos To preserve the ruins of these fascinating villages villages villages vil vil- vil- vil lages Mesa resa Verde National park has been established The area of the park is 80 square miles According to archeologists the Indians Indians Indians In In- came to America from their Asiatic homeland by the northern route thousands of years ago and for many centuries lived as roving hunters About the beginning of the Christian Era certain of early hunters hunters hunters hunt hunt- ers arrived in the region of the Mesa Verde They liked the security afforded afforded afforded af af- af- af forded by this high mountain with its peculiar cliffs and settled down downto to farm First inhabitants of the Mesa Verde were known as Basket Makers for while they made excel excel- lent baskets they had no pottery nor did they use the bow and ar ar- ar- ar row They lived in open caves and hunted with the throwing stick Later Later Later Lat Lat- er they learned the art of pottery making acquired bows and arrows arrows arrows ar ar- ar- ar rows and built simple pit houses About the time that Charles Martel Martel Martel Mar- Mar tel was defeating the Moors at Tours or roughly In the Eighth century a new people joined the Basket Makers on the Mesa Verde and together they made remarkable remarkable remarkable remark remark- able cultural progress On the mesa top they built hundreds of villages some with buildings of mud and others of stone They improved their pottery and began the weaving weaving weaving ing of cotton cloth These people apparently were peace loving and in the century about the time that William William William Wil Wil- liam the Conqueror was landing landing land and anding ing in Britain they also were were beset by enemies Many 1 of them therefore moved off the open mesa top and aud constructed their villages in inaccessible caves located high in canyon walls These villages many of them well preserved today are astonishing both for their size ize and excellence of building tech tech- Toward the end of the century century century cen cen- tury a year long dr drouth forced these people to abandon their cliff cities and move to more favorable lands HOT SPRINGS National park lo located located located lo- lo in a mountainous region of central Arkansas contains in its its thousand acres 47 mineral hot I springs reputed to have therapeutic value These springs were known to the Indians and early Spaniards and were used by them Within the national park are free campsites and there is a free government bathhouse for people who cannot afford afford afford af af- af- af ford to pay for private baths PLATT NATIONAL park containing contain contain- ing bromide and sulphur springs is located at the town of Sulphur Okla Small in area this park park- parkis is known chiefly by those for whom the waters are prescribed The park parkis is provided with free campgrounds and picnic areas and overnight accommodations accommodations accommodations ac ac- ac- ac may be found in Sulphur rY Y u 4 t a tr f fa a Y VIRGIN FOREST Large spruce trees abound along Hoh Hob river in Olympic National park one of the finest uns unspoiled wilderness wilderness wilderness wilder wilder- ness areas in the country |
