12/8/18 Project 1: Wall Building Exhibit

Wall Building Exhibit

I decided that I wanted to create an exhibit that would invite visitors to try and build a wall like one of the walls in the cliff dwellings. The first thing I needed to do was find some rocks for my exhibit. Collecting rocks in the Cliff Dwellings Monument is not allowed, so I hiked up the TJ Trail until I was at around 5,900 feet in elevation and collected rocks there. (The walls of the cliff dwellings are made of a sandstone conglomerate rock which can be found at that elevation.)

Jay, another volunteer hiked up the trail with me, so he could help carry down the rocks.

I couldn't help noticing how the seedheads on the grasses along the trail curled around and reflected the sunlight.

I also noticed barrel cactuses growing along the trail.

And then I saw this amazing Earthstar which is about 3 inches in diameter!

But, we were there to collect rocks for the wall building exhibit, so both Jay and I filled our backpacks with rocks and started down the trail.

We piled the rocks on the picnic table next to my camper.

The Wall-Building Exhibit is going to be housed in the Trailhead museum

We put it below this poster of the Cliff Dwellings.

I took close-up photographs of the cliff dwelling walls and taped them on the wall under the poster.

Since the exhibit has been in place, many visitors have built walls.

Here's another wall built by a visitor.

The museum houses other exhibits.

Jay recently added these Mimbres bowls.

What do you think the image in this bowl represents?

The image in this bowl represents a bat which is the symbol of the Cliff Dwellings.

This model of the Cliff Dwellings is for for blind people, so they can feel the layout of the cliff dwellings.
I enjoyed creating the wall building exhibit and am glad that it is in the Trailhead Museum with these exhibits.