The home and work of a gentle soul, Leonard Knight, Salvation Mountain is religion, American Folk Art, and a story of a man and the desert. If you google "Salvation Mountain" there are quite a few sites and lots of photos. The official web site is here, built by a friend of Leonard's. The web site has a very good history of the mountain and Leonard. Salvation Mountain is also represented on Facebook here.
In early February 2011 part of Salvation Mountain was subjected to fire, 4 fires, set on purpose, so it seems. If you go to the Facebook page and scroll down the messages, around February 11th you will find the first hand report, written in 3 parts. Of course, this attack on the mountain created quite the fury of "stories", in which Leonard was beaten up or died. Neither is true. We visited just 7 days later and Leonard was fine. Well, not totally fine, as the affects of living this way for so many years with no water, no power, and living in the harsh desert, are making themselves known. Leonard is now getting weaker and more frail every day. His friends and family are concerned, they are watching him carefully, softly, honorably.
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| The fires of early February 2011 were set at the far right of this photo. |
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| Leonard's home. |
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| Leonard paints everything, his cars, home, and any thing else that happens to find it's way to Salvation Mountain. |
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| Yes, even the tires. |
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| Man, following the yellow brick road to the top of Salvation Mountain. |
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| From the top of Salvation Mountain, looking down into what Leonard calls The Museum. |
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| Inside The Museum. |
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| Man walking inside The Museum, yep, those are real trees Leonard found in the desert and drug to the Mountain. |
My next post is a photo essay of the man, Leonard Knight.
* Salvation Mountain and Leonard Knight have been recognized and received, at least two awards that I saw while visiting: the National Treasure Status, which has been entered into the Congressional Record, and recognition by the Folk Art Society of America on January 1, 2001.
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