Tom Murphy's Explorations

With the hustle and bustle of today’s world, an escape from the chaotic routine of everyday life is a welcome reprieve. Taking a hike through Mt. Mitchell state park is a journey through the senses, leaving one in a state of serenity and harmony with the planet. The relatively short trek up the mountain will erase any cares or anxieties. There are faster ways to the top; any vehicle can easily travel the road that winds gently to the top. However, it would be an injustice by not taking the footpath to the top and enjoying all that the mountain has to offer.

We had not gone a rod when we found ourselves in a heap, in a heavy drift of snow. We took hold of each others’ hands, pulled ourselves out, got into the road, and the cold north wind blew us down the road a half mile south, where the Strelow boys and John Conrad had to go west a mile or more. When they reached a bridge in a ravine, the little fellows sheltered a while under the bridge, a wooden culvert, but Robert, the oldest, insisted that they push on thru the blinding storm for their homes. In the darkness they stumbled in, and by degrees their parents thawed them out, bathed their frozen hands, noses, ears and cheeks, while the boys cried in pain. “My brothers and I could not walk thru the deep snow in the road, so we took down the rows of corn stalks to keep from losing ourselves ’till we reached our pasture fence. Walter was too short to wade the deep snow in the field, so Henry and I dragged him over the top. For nearly a mile we followed the fence ’till we reached the corral and pens. In the howling storm, we could hear the pigs squeal as they were freezing in the mud and snow. Sister Ida had opened the gate and let the cows in from the field to the sheds, just as the cold wind struck and froze her skirts stiff around her like hoops. The barn and stables were drifted over when we reached there. The roaring wind and stifling snow blinded us so that we had to feel thru the yard to the door of our house. “The lamp was lighted. Mother was walking the floor, wringing her hands and calling for her boys. Pa was shaking the ice and snow from his coat and boots. He had gone out to meet us but was forced back by the storm. We stayed in the house all that night. It was so cold that many people froze.” Although most of the information that was collected or the stories that were told were in South Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota the temperatures took

On May 14, 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, leaders of the Corps of Discovery, set out on the Missouri River to explore the western world (Petrie 16). Lewis and Clark are greatly known for their expedition through the wild west in order to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. During the two years and four months that they traveled, Lewis and Clark had to endure many hardships. Some of the hardships Lewis and Clark faced were hostile Indians, harsh weather, rugged terrain, wild animals, injuries and illnesses, and starvation.

from the group and had to set out on his own. Once winter arrived, everyone

Do you think you could survive the Yukon trail, a mile wide and three feet of ice, and just as many feet of snow, in weather colder than fifty below? The story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, is about a man who tried to take the Yukon trail and get to his friends with just a dog to guide him. He was told that no one has ever made the journey alone, yet he chose to take on the journey. Through the story the man faces many conflicts not only through himself in having too much pride, but also with the physical ones such as the cold which lead to his death. The main theme in the book is the man’s perseverance to try and survive. The man on the Yukon Trail has to show perseverance through the story even with the harsh weather and signs of bad events coming upon him. In his story “To Build a Fire,” Jack London discusses the theme of perseverance through two literary elements, conflict and foreshadowing.

“The human history of the Yellowstone region goes back more than 11,000 years. From then until to the very recent past, many groups of Native Americans used the park as their homes, hunting grounds, and transportation routes. These traditional uses of Yellowstone lands continued until a little over 200 years ago when the first people of European descent found their way into the park. In 1872 a country that had not yet seen its first centennial, established Yellowstone as the first national park in the world. A new concept was born and with it a new way for people to preserve and protect

The eighth governor of Arkansas was Isaac Murphy. Isaac was governor from 1864-1868. He was not famous for just being a governor; he was famous for so many other things, but the thing that makes him the most famous was the Arkansas Secession Convention. He had a wife named Angelina A. Lockhart and he had five children with her. Isaac also had when to washington college.

This version of the inauguration process of Yellowstone National Park outlines the impact the installment of Yellowstone had on the lives and lifestyle of its inhabiting and neighboring Native American tribes. John Colter, the first non-Indian to explore Yellowstone, was guided by the Crow, whom he set up a trade alliance with, to observe the many wonders the land contained. On his return to the east, many thought his stories, of geysers shooting heated water hundreds of feet in the air, were only meager fables and entitled the area in the west he described as Colter’s Hell. It would be almost 60 years later, after Colter’s expedition, that another brave explorer would wander into the sacred grounds. In 1872, Congress established Yellowstone

Isaac Murphy was born October 16, 1802. He was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents names were Hugh and Jane Murphy. His dad's ancestors came to The United States from Dublin, Ireland between 1737 and 1840. His father worked as a paper manufacturer and died when Isaac was a young child.

One of the greatest journeys in American history is the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Under President Thomas Jefferson’s orders, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark went on an 8,000 mile journey westward. The lands Lewis, Clark, and their men explored were purchased from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Over the next three years the two men would discover new plants, animals, landmarks, negotiate with Indian Tribes, and clear the way for Americans to settle in the west. I chose to do my research paper over Lewis and Clark, because it is important to appreciate the amount of knowledge they gave to all of America. I find Lewis and Clark’s numerous discoveries fascinating, because animals like the ground hog, which is so common to us today, were unheard of back in their time. Lewis and Clark helped people see the west side of North America in a new light, and helped prepare settlers for the west by teaching them things unfathomable at the time.

We were all encouraged to choke down as much food as possible. Any kind of energy was essential. A melancholy atmosphere hung heavy as the journey progressed. Minutes walking slowly progressed into hours, the sky seemed to darken steadily. All of us were oblivious to the danger shrouded by the dim evening. Only moments after scaling a rather steep ledge did nature dice to turn sour. A deafening rumble made each climber perk up. Snow began to descend at an alarming rate. Thunder began to mic the steady beating of a drum, causing more concern among the ranks of climbers. The powdery snow became more of a risk than ever, climbing under pressure and leaving nothing to stand on. Third base was more than three hours away. Three hours wasn't possible at the rate. Snowfall this bad could be detrimental to the climb’s success. Snow obscured vision and numbed faces. Shouts and orders deemed lost in the screaming wind; people’s figure became shapeless blurs frantically shifting, hoping if they struggled against the wind hard enough, they might find someone. Of course, this was to no avail. Not a single person doubted their demise would come at this point: the stakes were high and no-one could play too well against Mother Nature. The snow crept up to knee-level, making it harder and harder to travel. Death and I were face-to-face. To some, they couldn't bare the idea of dying up here; they had families and friends, children who need parents and

Taking on a journey stretching well over 2,100 miles, covering fourteen states (from Maine to Georgia) by foot is no simple stroll where at the end of the day a comfortable bed and hot meal would await you. Instead, hiking the Appalachian Trail can be an endless battle with all the elements of mother nature: whereas in one state spring would have sprung already with wildflowers dressing the forest floors and insects buzzing through crisp air, on other parts of the trail it [the weather conditions] would be smothering heat, but meanwhile a few states north the rain would fall endlessly with gusts of cold wind, and snow would blanket the pathways of the trail and more than likely blizzards

Tom Murphy would start his day by packing up his stuff and start hiking. He would wander around until he got Hungary. Then he would eat lunch and be on his way. As he travels Yellowstone he gets to see many wonderful sights seen and praised by many. When

Murphy the goat, perhaps the most loathed living thing in baseball history, next to Steve Bartman. When the Cubs lost their 2003 postseason game against the Marlins, preventing them for entering the World Series, many Cubs fans felt like their world came to an end, though for Mr. Bartman, his world literally did, if only for a moment.

American history had been born of discovery and industrialization, however early founders believed that certain spaces that garnered appreciation and interest were deemed worthy of government intervention and policy thus incorporating National Parks into American society. There were many people of utmost significance that contributed to the founding of national parks but the person with the most influence was John Muir. The work and ideas created by Muir and several other founders led to what we today consider to be the establishment of both recognized and sanctioned national parks. To completely understand how momentous the movement for the establishment of the National Parks was, one must recognize who participated in the achievement of these environments, how these parks are inaugurated, and the prominence they continue to hold today.