Tucson:
Since we really enjoyed the Thorne miniature rooms at the
Art Institute of Chicago, we decided to check out the Mini Time Machines: Museum of Miniatures
in Tucson! This is the collection of
Patricia Arnell and it spans different eras in history while telling individual
stories. Here are just a few of my
favorite pieces:
 |
| "Tiny Stitches" by Pat Arnell (1/4" scale) |
 |
| "Brooke Tucker Christmas" by Brooke Tucker |
 |
| "Miniature Dolls" by Elaine Cannon |
The above frame includes 52 dolls in their original glass domes. Each doll is formed from a grain of wheat, with painted features, sculpted hair, and a body and limbs of wire wrapped with thread!
I love to visit old missions and churches. Texas is rich in both, especially the missions
around San Antonio and the painted churches near Schulenburg, Texas. However, the Mission San Xavier Del Bac
in Tucson offers another perspective of history between Mexico and the United
States as well as some of the most beautiful mural paintings and the original
statuary. We arrived just in time to
take a free tour – a must to really understand the significance of the building
and its objects.
 |
| Fry Bread Taco lunch at nearby restaurant -- YUM YUM! |
A trip to Tucson would not be complete without visiting the town of Tombstone. We spent an entire day in this historical western town.
We learned more about the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, even
participating in a re-enactment! Our
participation was primarily to “boo” the bad guys and “yea” the good guys. Of course, there may be some question as whether
the Earps and Doc Holliday are really the good guys!
We then sauntered down to Big Nose Kate’s Saloon for some grub. Kate had been Doc Holliday’s girlfriend.
We then ambled over to the Tombstone Epitaph Newspaper Museum where the
oldest newspaper in Arizona is still published.
Here we were able to read the original 1881 reports of the gunfight at
the O.K. Corral and see how The Epitaph
was printed in the 1880s.
As we moseyed toward the Bird Cage Theater, we delighted in the names
of some of the shops:
The Bird Cage Theater is the only building in Tombstone original to the
date it was built in 1881. Not only was
this a theater, it also featured a saloon, gambling parlor and a brothel.
 |
| Theater - "cat boxes"on 2nd level |
 |
| Bordello room |
 |
| Sight of the longest running poker game in history! |
The Tombstone Courthouse Museum is another great place to visit,
especially to learn more of the history of the area.
We will continue our Arizona experience in Phoenix ...