Monument Valley: A Stark Beauty Deep In Navajo Country

The title for this post comes from this LA Times article, which is part of the paper's series called “Postcards From The West.”

The article is excellent and it is illustrated by magnificent photos and a great video. It is well worth reading. It provides good information for people who may be interested in traveling to Monument Valley, and a fun read for those of us who love the place.

It also includes a time line describing some key events:

• About 50 million years ago: Wind and water start shaping Monument Valley...
• Before 1400: The Anasazi occupy Monument Valley...
• After 1400: The Dine (pronounced Di-Nay) take up residence in and around Monument Valley...

Much of the time line describes the valley's movie history:

• 1938: Eager to bring money to the Depression-ravaged valley, Harry Goulding goes to Hollywood bearing photos of Monument Valley and bluffs his way into a meeting with famed director John Ford. Soon after, Ford's cast and crew arrive in the valley to make "Stagecoach."
• 1939: "Stagecoach" revives the western genre, gives Ford's career a new direction and makes John Wayne a star. Ford goes on to make numerous movies in the valley, including "My Darling Clementine" (1946), "Fort Apache" with Wayne (1948) and "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," also with Wayne, (1949).

The time line isn't complete – it neglects to mention Forrest Gump Point and a few other spots made memorable in film. But it is interesting and worth reading.

On the web page below the Monument Valley article, the Times shows a beautiful photo of Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado, describes Antelope Canyon and then returns to describe photo ops at John Ford Point in Monument Valley.