Editor’s Note: The following is a diary written in 1963, and has been edited minimally to maintain the original spirit in which it was written. Included in the record are photographs taken by the family on the trip, as well as postcards saved by the Eaton children.

In the summer of 1963, Nancy Eaton of Greenville plotted out a cross-country roadtrip for her and her five children: Betsy, 15, Jane, 14, Chuck, 13 and Susan, 12, and Dick, age 10. In their station wagon, the family went from Greenville to California, hitting some of the United States most famous landmarks. This is the third installment of 10 in the diary she kept along the way.

In the previous entry, the family left off at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. They pick up again in New Mexico at Bandelier National Monument, and travel to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. They get to see the Grand Canyon and then Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park in Utah.

In Santa Fe, we visited the oldest house and Mission and the Governor’s Palace, which has a fine collection of (Native American) relics, etc. In the front, (they) sell their wares set out on cloth – jewelry and pottery.

We went on from Santa Fe to Bandelier National Monument. Walking Stick Cactus, which grows 3-4 feet high is in blossom, a pink flower two inches across profusely blossoming and beautiful – another low, sharp leaved cacti has large yellow flowers. Then driving along, one sees clumps of bright blue, yellow, salmon and white flowers. usually clumps 1-3 feet in diameter.

At Bandelier we immediately went on the self-guided walk. Came back and had a tuna salad for dinner. It had been so hot. The folder will tell about it. We talked with an archaeologist about further sightseeing in this area. She recommends National Monument Park on way to north rim of the Canyon and then Zion and Bryce Canyon.

June 26

This was not our day. First, on wrong road for one mile. Then, on construction and after several miles, inquired and found it was wrong road, but after lunch had a flat tire – apparently cut, perhaps by construction, near rim. Difficulty replacing – children all irritable. At 5:45 p.m., tire on, had good restaurant dinner and went on to Mesa Verde. At park entrance attendant said he’d turned away 32 people, but someone said there was room for two more in the first overflow. We found a place to stretch our tarpaulin and sleep and at 5 a.m., when the trailer pulled out of the next slot, I moved in.

Betsy and Chuck now have colds – Betsy asthma.

We had our first open fire, it was so cold. Orange juice (Tang), coffee and french toast, cooked potatoes for has browns for supper, and hard boiled eggs. Didn’t use the stove at all.

June 27

There is lots to see at Mesa Verde. First it was a long, winding trip to the top of the Mesa. We took the first trip at 9, then to Balcony House where the children took another hour trip while I mailed cards. Then we stopped at many viewpoints and left early in the afternoon to stop at Monument National Park. This is supposed to be like the Painted Desert. It was almost sunset when we arrived.  It was a big, open, sandy area, hot and very windy. We hated it, and finally decided just to sleep in the care and head out at daylight. Some slept well, everyone was quiet. At sunrise, Jane got a good picture. We took off about 6:00, and arrived at the North upper rim of the Grand Canyon soon after noon. Betsy cooked the steak and hash brown potatoes she’d planned for last night when we ate canned stew instead. Then, we drove to Cape Royal and Angel’s Window for view and talk. Took in the other drive to Point Imperial, too (some 50 miles) which took about 2.5 hours. Back in time sandwich and walk to Angel Point behind the Grand Canyon Lodge. This is where I might think that Mother and Father stayed when they came here in the 1920s.

The canyon is over 1 mile deep and 7-9.5 miles across. All the different strats of rocks are different colors and different textures from schist, shale to sandstone, colors vary from gray blue, green to red (much red).

Dick and I went to the 8:00 p.m., campfire lecture and enjoyed it – “Indians in North Arizona, Hopi, Hurachi and Navajo.”

We drove through the Navajo reservation yesterday, which is 800 square miles and saw quantities of hogans, which are built of brick, boards or brush according to the status of the (Native American). These are covered with mud, which a hold in the center. For summer, they may have just a frame covered with green brush. The Navajo are around stores and trading posts to sell their wares and pose for pictures. The woman wear bright colored satin, full skirts and velvet, long-sleeved tops. There are many postcards of the women weaving. We saw none weaving but many men, boys, and girls herding cattle, some on horseback and some on foot.

Forgot to say, on way down Panhandle of Texas we passed Dreamland Cemetery on the way to Happy, Texas.

As we drove up to the Canyon yesterday, two cowboys came dashing down the side of the road, trying to lasso a steer. It was real West.

June 29

It was very cold last night. We used wool blankets with our sleeping bags in closed tent, and the boys slept in the car. Most of us had a hot breakfast at the inn, which is a stone’s throw from our tent.

We left Grand Canyon about 10:30 and drove to Bryce Canyon – several stops for gasoline, cantaloupe (8 for $1), groceries. Had our picnic lunch in the tenting area of Bryce Canyon over-looking canyon and then made the tour of the canyon. Bryce Canyon is much more colorful and spectacular than Grand Canyon, but of course it is not as great in size. The shapes of the rocks make ones imagination go rampant.

Before leaving Bryce, we stopped at the Lodge and they teletyped reservations for us in Zion. They had no room (June 29) at the Lodge, but kept reservations for us at the Inn. My watch had stopped and it was after eight. We had a cottage with two rooms and connecting bath. Betsy and Jane stayed home to shower and shampoo while the rest of us went to the lecture. It was a sound track of animal noises with the Park ranger talking – excellent slides and then one of the excellent Disney wildlife movies of the Elk on Olympus. They are all wonderful and this is one of the best I’ve seen.

It is 11:30 p.m. here. There is a nice breeze through the window, but it seems hot to lie down.

At Bryce, one is on the top of the mesa looking down on the orange rock formations. Here at Zion, one is at the bottom of the valley.

I don’t think I was ever dirtier than I was tonight – perspiration and desert dust make quite the combination.

I am to call Archie tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. His request to call him at 10:00 a.m., before he went to church was changed when I thought of the four hour time change and calling at 6:00. It happens to be only three hours time change for we haven’t gotten to Pacific Time yet. All three of these parks are run by the Utah Park Com. – rate, etc., all the same. Breakfast at Inn, cafeteria style – 70 cents to 1.25. Dinner at the Lodge was $3, lunch at the Inn $1.25-$1.50 and a la carte service, too. Our accommodations, $15.50 and 3% tax.

On the way down here we passed through 2 tunnels —- the second, 1 mile long.

Sidebar from the diary of Jane Eaton, age 14

June 24, 1963

What a day! Mother, who planned to get gas in the next town, ran out. A man stopped to help, and Mummy rode on with him to a station where she got a can of gas and came back with a man who was on his way back. After getting the car started, we stopped suddenly because the carrier was opened. Things in the road made us think that we had lost things, but Mummy backed up to run over a beer can and finds some rags. She kept another can of beer that was unopened.

Then, we were held up by a train that was loading cars right on the road!

We did reach Carlsbad Caverns. They were much prettier than Mammoth Caves, but similiar. (I got 12 postcards.)

June 26, 1963

We had quite a day. We got on the right road and were sent back. Then we were sent back to where we had been in the first place. This road was under construction and apparently caused a flat tire. Lovely! We didn’t have the guarantee and some places couldn’t replace it, but we did get it replaced at last – on the garage owner’s honor to send us the money when he received the guarantee papers from Daddy.

But we DID have our luck! When we did at last reach Mesa Verde, it was late. The ranger at the entrance said that he had turned away 32 cars, but a few men had told him that there was still a little room. We slept out under the stars in a clearing that was not meant to be a campsite. The next morning, when our neighbors moved out, we moved in.

June 28, 1963

...The Grand Canyon at last! After we arrived and while we were setting up camp, Betsy made a steak and hash brown potato dinner. Mmmm, good!

We drove on a scenic road, going to Cape Royal first to hear a talk and then completed the trip. Point Imperial was beautiful and I was tempted to take a picture, but didn’t There were postcards of it! When we got back, I bout postcards and had some “pop” as they call it down here. I got back to camp and started to catch up on my diary, but started right off on a trail to Bright Angel Point, where we watched the sun go down and hurried back to camp so that we wouldn’t be caught in the woods in the dark. I slept without my air mattress because it leaked. I slept real well.