Day 2: From Church to Prison in Yuma

My Yuma guides and great friends Mary Sue Kuban Crye and Ronda Wood.

After church and a delicious lunch at Texas Roadhouse, we went to the Yuma Territorial Prison.

On July 1876, the first seven inmates entered the prison and were locked into cells they had to build themselves. A total of 3,069 prisoners, including 39 women and numerous children, lived within the walls during the prison's 33 years of operation. Punishments for prisoners who broke regulations included the 'ball and chain," the dark cell, and the hot cell which was an open, stand-alone cell without walls or a ceiling in which the prisoner stood in the sun and heat of Yuma.

Day 1: The Beauty Around Us

When I began my journey, I fluctuated between extreme excitement and a fear of not knowing what was ahead. But the excitement took over and with friends and family calling every few minutes, I loaded the last box of camera equipment, my bags, and audio books that would keep me company along the long stretches of road away from the ocean.

On the road, I realized everything looked different. Maybe it was my spirit that had never been quite like this. Who knew what was ahead, but I expected it would be amazing if Gila Bend looked good.

 

Gila Bend

Colorado River in Yuma

Train crossing Colorado River in Yuma