Another long drive

For those that read this everyday (and I guess that doesn't range farther than my parents), yes, there was no post yesterday. I had a horrible shooting day and didn't want to show the devastation that I reluctantly put my name on.

Today I started out at Sugar Creek [thanks for catching this, Marc, :) ] Elementary in Bentonville as a group called Project WET (water education for teachers) provided a hands-on set of stations allowing local fourth-graders to learn different aspects about water and our water system. There really wasn't a lot of art opportunities here, but I made what I could of it. These kids were passing colored beads down a line to a collective jar demonstrating how rivers/streams collect various pollutants.

Afterwards gave me another long drive. I have now visited Carrollton, Ark. As I'm driving east on U.S. 412, my GPS tells me I still have about 5 miles to Carrollton. I call my boss and let him know that I'm getting a little concerned. I've seen signs for several towns along the way but no signs for Carrollton. Luckily, I saw my first sign shortly after -- the sign that says Carrollton limits.

Anywhoo, the point in going to Carrollton is actually an interesting story. But first, the back story:

On Sept. 11, 1857 (they refer to it as "the first 9-11"), a large wagon train, known as the Fancher-Baker train, left Caravan Springs and headed for California. They camped in Carrollton to intercept the Cherokee Trail. Months later, the wagon train came under siege by the Mormons in southwest Utah at a place called Mountain Meadows. The Mormons murdered 121 men, women and children after assuring their protection. Only 17 small children were spared from the massacre (the Mountain Meadows Massacre). The dead were left exposed to the elements until 18 months later when U.S. Army troops buried the remains in several mass graves. A cross and stones were placed over one such gravesite containing 34 of the victims. The surviving children were brought back to Arkansas and spent their first night at the site of the Old Yell Lodge in Carrollton. On Sept. 25, 1859, the orphaned children were reunited with families.

And now, 150 years later, the Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is somewhat admitting to the history and sent representatives to Carrollton from Utah to announce that the Church will seek National Historic Landmark designation for the Church's holdings at the Mountain Meadows site to memorialize the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Pictured are the two guys from the Church.