Research Trip Report!

 A few weeks ago I took a research trip to the Western US to conduct research for my PhD, and visited four states, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, as most of the troops that fought in the beginning of the Philippine War were state volunteer units raised in the Western states for the Spanish American War. The trip went quite well, and I have was able to view a number of excellent collections that will provide useful for my dissertation. Of particular interest for me are seven collections that contain numerous letters that cover these men's deployments in the Philippines. Such letters help provide and insight to the conflict and help me discuss the personal aspects of Americans' imperial war (one of the collections had a twenty page letter defending the US control of the Philippines to an anti-imperialist friend in the US).  

While in the above Western states I did have some time for other activities while in Colorado, and I will share some of those pictures below.  Needless to say this is going to be a lighter post, but never the less enjoyable I hope!

The first pictures are from Golden Canyon State Park in Colorado: 

meadow in the Rocky Mountains

The mountain meadows trail

Above is a view of the Continental divide

Another view of the Continental Divide

Panoramic view of Frazier's Meadow

View from the meadows trail

I can not express the beauty of this park and the views there, this photographs do not do any justice to the real thing. I recommend visiting this park if you are ever in Colorado. 

Some photos from around Denver:

Denver Union Station

I love these old signs!

Hiking trail along Cherry Creek, old railroad bridge

Buffalo statue, which I really like, at Colorado History

The "Unsinkable" Molly Brown House:

I like the polar bear

This ceiling is pressed paper

Her husband's study and desk

Starwell glass window in the star well

The Forney Transportation Museum in Denver:

My father has some of these models

And I have some of these!

The interior of the museum, Big Boy locomotive in the back, one of the largest steam locomotives ever built

Another view of the interior

Traction Engine, I love traction engine they are just neat, I love most steam powered vehicles as they are just fascinating

Some pictures of flying into Lincoln, Nebraska. This photos show the legacy of the Land Ordinance of 1785, which set up a standardized system to survey public land and created a system whereby settlers could puchers the title of said land in the west. That is why the west is so often filled with giant squares! It is also a legacy of the United State's settler colonialism, and at some point in the near future I will discuss what exactly settler colonialism and how it is different, and yet similar to more traditional imperialism.

The large squares are a legacy of American public land survey which was used until the closing of Western settlement. At some point I will have a blog post that discusses how imerpal powers used such methods to not only understand the territory they conquered but also to impose their control and enforce Western ideas of land ownership and methods.  

 I hope that you found this interesting and a light but enjoyable read!