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In March 2016, we spent a week near Monument Valley, Utah. We also visited the Valley of the Gods, which also contains beautiful Cedar Mesa sandstone monoliths, pinnacles and other geological features and is known as a Miniature Monument Valley. These sandstone sentinels were eroded by wind and water over eons of time. We stayed at Goulding’s Monument Valley RV Park. Goulding’s has an interesting history.
“Harry Goulding was a sheep trader looking for a new business opportunity and a place to call home. In the early 1920s, Harry and his wife Leone, whose nickname was “Mike,” visited Monument Valley and were enamored with the area. Although Monument Valley had once been part of the Paiute Indian Reservation, the reservation relocated, and areas of land opened up for sale. The Gouldings jumped at the chance to purchase a substantial plot of land in Monument Valley and quickly set up a Trading Post.
Starting out in tents, the Gouldings conducted business with the local Navajo people, trading food and other goods for handcrafted items like rugs and jewelry. After several years of living and working in tents, Harry and Mike constructed a permanent building, now the Goulding’s Trading Post Museum.
When the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, the Navajo Reservation suffered immensely. Harry heard of a movie production company scouting out locations in the Southwest to use in films. He believed that bringing movie production to Monument Valley would help the local Navajos with much-needed income.
So Harry and Mike set out on a journey to Hollywood, California, with their last $60. By luck and perseverance, Harry met the famous director John Ford. When Ford saw Harry’s photos of Monument Valley, he knew it was the perfect location for his next movie. The Gouldings received an advanced payment, and in a few days, John Ford and his crew began filming Stagecoach starring John Wayne.” —Goulding’s History
An interesting experience we had during our stay here was during a dust storm; the red dust of the surrounding site was so fine (like flour) it got into all the nooks and crannies of our 5th Wheel. We cleaned and cleaned, but there was probably still red Monument Valley dust in places we couldn’t get to until the day we sold it.
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Our 5th-Wheel RV is parked in the photo below of the Goulding’s RV Park. Look for a silver dually truck parked crossways in front of a 5th Wheel RV near the center of the photo.
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*Recollections from a more distant perspective (time-wise) while digging through photo archives from our three years (2015-2017) of full-time RV’ing. Most photos haven’t been published before, but a few are being ‘reimagined.’ Please forgive my ramblings.
I think I can see your dually! What a sight to wake up to every morning.
You probably can., it’s the only truck parked across the front of an RV in the photo. It is a visually striking area. Thanks, Ken.
I’m loving these trips back to memory lane with you. I assume it is also good for you two. Interesting to think about the heart and spirit of people back in those days. I am one who loves this sort of terrain and the red colors that abound. I can skip the fine red dust, though. That is also quite the hike to get that last image of the RV park.
It was a different time, and I don’t know if any of the last few generations have seen the movie, “Stagecoach.” No doubt I’m dating myself. 😊 These ‘trips back to memory lane’ are sometimes bittersweet but enjoyable. I believe I was on a trail that originated at the park and was walking Maggie when I made that park photo. Funny how we remember so much more about the photos we’ve made.