July 6, 2025

HOW MONUMENT VALLEY SAVED HOLLYWOOD WESTERNS AND LAUNCHED JOHN WAYNE'S CAREER

HOW MONUMENT VALLEY SAVED HOLLYWOOD WESTERNS AND LAUNCHED JOHN WAYNE'S CAREER

Journey with me back to 1938 as a young couple named Mike and Leone Goulding, having invested in a trading post in Navaho Country and fallen in love with the beautiful landscape and the Navaho people who populated what we call Monument Valley Utah/Arizona today- saved their pennies and photos and took a long road trip to Hollywood to find director John Ford and convince him that their valley would be the ideal place to film his next western movie, despite there being no lodging, no restaurants, and no electricity. 

Its a great story and a few quotes and movie memories are offered. I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!