When NASA was preparing for the Apollo moon landings in the late fall of 60 and early fall of 70, they did some astronaut training along the Navajo Indian reservation in SW. One day, a Navajo elder and his grandson were herding animals and came across the space crew. The old man, who spoke only Navajo, asked a question, which the grandchildren translated: “What are those men in suits doing?” One crew member said they were training for a trip to the moon. ‘ Then, recognizing a promotion opportunity for rotary-doctors, added, ‘We’ll leave a special record with greetings in multiple languages and the like. Would the old man be interested in giving us a greeting to include? “
After the translation, the older man got excited and excited about the idea of sending a message to the moon with the astronauts. The people of NASA produced a tape recorder, and the older man recorded his statements that the grandchildren resisted the urge to laugh… but he refused the service.
After Apollo 11 successfully landed on the Moon and brought home its astronauts, a new team trained in the desert when one of the NASA officials recognised the Navajo elder and his grandson. Grandfather. He went to tell them that the older man’s message was indeed on the moon that was seen with laughter.
Ultimately, the NASA representative discovered that not all was as simple as he had thought and requested a translation. With a laugh, the young man replied, “Beware of the whites; they come to rob your land!”
It was in 1880 when the violent and bloody community of Two Guns in Canyon Diablo came to life—having been born by pure accident when the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad ordered the wrong span length for the bridge to cross the canyon. When the bad parts for the bridge arrived, the bridge was at the lip of the canyon and for six months, all work ceased until the right parts could arrive and work could resume, so the community of Two Guns was born.
Originally the structures were a few tents and some hastily built rock shacks that could meet the needs of the railroad workers. But quickly, more tents and huts could be seen, followed by actual buildings. They were even setting up a stagecoach route from the town to Flagstaff. Numerous brothels, saloons, gambling houses and dance halls comprise most of the town. Very quickly, the city was home to over 2,000 souls from all walks of life.
With every Wild West town comes outlaws and gunslingers. But Two Guns, it can be argued, was the most deadly. Numerous shootouts, stabbings, robberies and straight-up assassinations were commonplace here. Within the first year, the town received its first marshal. It is documented that the marshal was sworn in at 3 pm and was being buried by 8 pm on the same night! Five more town marshals would quickly follow, the longest lasting only a month. All were killed in the line of duty.
It didn’t take long for Two Guns to form its own “Boot Hill Cemetery”. The first 35 graves to be dug were for men who all met very violent ends. The 36th grave, however, was for a man named Herman Wolfe, who died several miles away and was brought into town to be buried. Herman is noted as being the only man in the city who died from a non-violent death. Countless lynchings occurred, and many of those men who were hanged and shot were either left hanging or left to rot in the desert, never being buried in the cemetery.
-This was a dangerous and deadly place to visit-
The town didn’t last long, though. When the railroad bridge was completed, the city died. The original bridge was replaced in 1900, and by 1903, the only thing remaining in the canyon was a Navajo trading post.
Not much of this town exists aside from a few building foundations, the ruins of the old trading post and the grave of Herman Wolfe.
Now As Far As Treasure Goes…….
There were so many robberies and hold up’s from the stagecoach that went from Canyon Diablo to Flagstaff that the Army dispatched troops to escort the stage, but it didn’t help as it still was held up regularly. One of the many outlaws who prayed on the stage was a young man named John Shaw, who was killed in the canyon during a shootout. Another was William Evans, who was killed in a shootout following a robbery.
The immense treasure, however, is of a robbery on May 10, 1881, where $125,000 was stolen from the stage as it made its way to the town. Five men held it up, and after the hold-up, a large posse with the aid of Army soldiers at a spring tracked them down. All five bandits were killed in the gun battle that followed, and their stolen loot was never recovered and still to this day is waiting to be found!!!
If, while on your adventure this week, you happen to be along the I-40, maybe stop and check out the area, as you never know what you might find!
To access the canyon, you will need a high-clearance vehicle with 4×4 capability. It is located off of exit 230/Two Guns from I-40.
(Please be sure to follow State, Federal laws and private property, if in doubt, ask permission.)
I hope everyone has a safe, exciting and adventurous week!
Stay Safe, Stay Alive, Keep Treasure Hunting!!!!
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