When I had stopped off for dinner in Blanding, Utah, after visiting Natural Arches National Monument, I had a decent cell signal. I checked my mail and found out that HistoriCorps had a project that needed an extra hand in Sedona. Since it fit in with my schedule, I volunteered. I got a phone call the next day that they wanted my help and could accommodate my trailer. That explains why I returned to Sedona so soon.
According to the HistoriCorps website, this is their mission:
“We are a nonprofit organization that provides volunteers, students and veterans of all skill levels with a hands-on experience preserving historic structures on public lands across America. Volunteers and students work with HistoriCorps field staff to learn preservation skills and put those skills to work saving historic places that have fallen into disrepair.”
The team I was to be part of was working on Crescent Moon Ranch. It is an historic ranch from the early part of the twentieth century. There were a variety of buildings we were going to work on. My work while I was there focused on the main house, which can be rented out.
Do you remember my last visit to Sedona? I ended up having to camp quite a ways away. This time, I couldn’t have had a better site with a better view!
This is Cathedral Rock. According to some information I found after the fact, if you follow the creek upstream, you will come to a vortex site known as Buddah Beach. Too bad I didn’t go upstream. I did take a stroll by Oak Creek after work one day, but I went downstream.
The first day, we took a tour of the site.
In addition to the cabin, there was a stone building.
I’m not sure what its original purpose was. I think I heard someone say it was a blacksmith shop.
The stonework was in pretty good shape, but some of the other parts were a little rough.
Speaking of rough condition, this was the canning shed. Apparently the famers used to do a steady business selling their canned fruit. One of the old cottonwood trees fell on it and took out a good-sized chunk of the roof.
The last building on our tour was an old water wheel. The wheel was still turning, but I think it was being turned by the wind. I didn’t see any water passing over it. The archeologist that was leading the tour said that when the ditch carrying water was cleaned out, the water did power the wheel.
After that, we got to work.
My first job was to remove some inappropriate caulk from the masonry by the pergola at the front door. See that nice clean crack? I did that! Believe it or not, it took me hours to pry it out.
My second job was to work with Willie to stain one of the decks.
Here’s my partner in painting.
You will notice that Willie is wearing gloves and I am not.
This is what happens when you don’t wear gloves.
And this is what happens when you don’t wear sunscreen and you feel like the tops of your ears are getting burnt.
I am not sure about who was leading the project, but there were three people who were making things happen:
Megan
Ruth
and Steve.
Good thing I’m not getting graded on this report.
There was a lot of work going on at the Canning Shed.
Most of it was off the ground work.
I don’t do off the ground. In fact, standing on the deck and staining was adventurous enough for me.
The group of people who were taking part in the project while I was there was an interesting group.
First of all, there were the names. We had three men named William – although two went by Bill and one went by Willie. There were two Johns. There were even two Kims! They tried to call me Tex, because of my license plates, but that didn’t seem to stick.
We had a retired dentist and a retired FBI agent. I’m not sure I’ve even met an FBI agent before – retired or not.
And, they were just overall nice people.
It rained the last day I was there – I had to leave early to get to Phoenix to get Flo repaired. Luckily, the sun came out in time for a group shot.
I’m looking forward to my next project with HistoriCorps. I will be working to help restore the first school George Washington Carver attended in Neosho, Missouri.