Amarillo’s Richard Daniel Baker Peace Ranch Stands For All

About 29 miles east of Amarillo, on the westbound side of I-40, lies a little-known roadside monument. It has one simple message.

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So first things first, let's get this out of the way. This monument is not the same as the Peace Farm that sits directly across from Pantex on US-60. Not too much is known about this monument and a Google search also gives the name as the Stoner Patriot Peace Garden of All Faiths. Whichever name you choose to call it, this place popped up sometime in the mid 2010's with little fanfare but a lot of metal that was well-done and well-crafted.

Walking through the entry you are immediately a wash in a few random dates plasma cut into the metal leading to the peace sign in the center. The dates here in the front are for Woodstock on the left and the death of John Lennon on December 8th, 1980

Among some of the other dates include November 22nd 1963, Which many in Baker's time will remember where they were when they got the news from Walter Cronkite that President Kennedy was shot. Interestingly enough the battle of the Alamo lies on the opposite side. The randomness of the events raises more questions than answers as some of the other events he marks is the Kent State Massacre, The Moon Landing, Pearl Harbor, The dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima and interestingly enough February 7th 1964 when the Beatles first landed in the US signaling the start of the British Invasion.

He also pays Tribute to John Lennon with the words from "Imagine" and a little love for the Plastic Ono band with Give Peace a Chance. Looking at older pictures of the monument the Rainbow color scheme was recent.

There is no shortage of references to the religion and common ground but clearly there is a nod to Christianity with a display of the Ten Commandments. Interestingly enough the commandments are one of the few objects that shows less signs of mass paint.

The Prayer bench offers one a chance to offer up if they so wish.

The military is acknowledged. What makes it more fascinating to me is the artist also pays tribute to the spouses which aren't celebrated as much as they should be.

Of course some graffiti sneaks in humor including a nod to aliens.

If you make your way out, give it it's due respect and honestly a little more understanding couldn't hurt could it?