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More on how hard it could be on the frontier
Here's the great-grandparents' headstone in the Old Yuma Cemetery. In the wider view, atop, they're the grey one to the left of the big black headstone. Also in the broader view, you can see how some families had to make do with wooden headstones. At least they survive in that harsh climate. The day I took the photos it was 122 or 124 F. in the shade, and there was no shade. The sand (which is what the soil is there) was searing hot. No room for termites there. I didn't check dates on the wooden headstones, but there were probably contemporaneous with my ancestors', which means they'd stood for around ninety years.
Comments
I've really enjoyed your family history posts, it is a fine look into how families lived in the west.
Posted by: Rob at July 22, 2007 10:04 PM
I lived in Yuma for 13 years, ending in 1981. If it can't be hurt by sun, heat, and dryness it's probably going to last around there.
And having made trips to the Old Yuma Cemetary I have to say that headstone looks vaguely familiar (but that could be just the overall view).
Posted by: KCSteve at July 23, 2007 01:43 PM