What would it have been like to travel from Utah to Arizona in the late 1800s? What if your destination was one of the four small Little Colorado River colonies? It is not difficult to get a feel for the challenges faced by the pioneers. It is only necessary to get a good look at the land surrounding modern-day Joseph City, Arizona.
One way to get an on-the-ground experience is through Google Maps' Street View. Here is a view of the country just a mile or two south of Joseph City on the McLaws Road:
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Of course, you have to imagine there being no road and no telephone poles but otherwise this is a pretty good representation of the way the land looked over 130 years ago.
Pretty discouraging? I should say. Here is a view from Interstate 40 of the present town of Joseph City. Unfortunately, Google hasn't made a drive through Joseph City yet. Use your mouse to look around 360 degrees and get an idea of what it might have been like to arrive in the 1800s:
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These are fun! They sure picked a day with pretty clouds to take the photos.
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