Peter Jenkins: An American Hero

Some heroes are those who did not attain the celebrity status of fame and fortune, but instead came from basically average backgrounds and chose to do something extraordinary with their lives, something which grants them a special place amongst American heroes. One such American of our time is Peter Jenkins-- one who took a "road less traveled," later authoring a series of books about his experiences.

Peter Jenkins, from Greenwich, Connecticut, was the eldest in an upper-middle-class family of six siblings and their parents. Feeling a general sense of discontent prior to graduating from Alfred University in 1973, he decided to set upon a course which would not only affect and enrich his own life but would eventually provide inspiration to his own and the following generations of youth. His feeling of "there must be more to life than this" was primarily focused on disillusionment with America in the days of the Vietnam War, civil unrest, and societal expectations; and he decided to find out what America was really all about-- not only the places, but mostly the people which was America in the early seventies.

In October, 1973, he began his journey in Alfred, New York, with his companion Cooper, a huge Alaskan malamute. In Washington, D.C., he was given a Nikon camera by Gil Grosvenor, editor of National Geographic magazine, to record his journey for publication.

"Meeting" America by getting to know its people took Peter into situations and lifestyles which were radically different from his Connecticut upbringing. One of the first he met was Homer Davenport, an old man who lived alone at the top of "Homer's Mountain." Homer's adeptness at cooking lamb chops on a coat hanger impressed Peter enough to reconsider his longtime vegetarian status; and after a brief stay with the old man, he found it difficult and sad to leave.

While on the Appalachian Trail, he caught influenza; after four days and three nights in his sleeping bag, he finally managed to get to a cafe for a hot meal as the illness passed.

One of the most interesting phases of his journey was in Robbinsville, North Carolina, where he stayed with Mary Elizabeth, her husband Frank Jr., and her three teenaged sons. He became as a part of their family-- working alongside them, attending church in a neon-green suit he'd borrowed from the eldest son, and encouraging the boys to continue their educations. He was especially impressed by the Mount Zion Church, which was considerably different from his church experiences back home, with its boisterous, friendly atmosphere, preaching which included the congregation's active participation, and electric guitar music.

Peter found both joy and tragedy during his stay at "the Farm," a commune in Tennessee led by Stephen Gaskin. The Farm, comprised mainly of young people, was based on the people who lived there growing all of their own food, tending to their own childbirths, and a generally self-sufficient lifestyle. Unfortunately, the Farm was where he lost Cooper, when Cooper was hit by a water truck.

Prior to meeting Governor George Wallace, Peter had had some hesitations, but was pleasantly surprised by Wallace's friendliness and interest in Peter's journey. The Governor told him the best way to dispel the misconceptions about Alabama would be to do as he'd been doing-- meet and get to know the people.

When he stopped to visit a friend who was a student at a New Orleans seminary, Peter met Barbara Pennell, who was also a student. Hesitant about the prospect of joining Peter on his travels, Barbara asked for-- and received-- a sign to let her know what she should do. The sign came in church, as an elderly woman was asked to speak to the congregation-- reading from the Bible, "Will you go with this man?" was the sign Barbara was looking for. Shortly after, they married and continued the walk together.

As "A Walk Across America" gives the stories of Peter's first part of his journey, "The Walk West" tells the story of his and Barbara's walk together. Learning about America by getting to know its people remained the goal, as they met cowboys, people of the Mormon religion, and those in a more secluded lifestyle in a Colorado winter. Expecting their first child, Rebekah, Peter and Barbara reached their destination-- Oregon, on the Pacific Ocean, in January 1979.

Their story, with photographs, first appeared in National Geographic magazine in 1977, and their cover story was published in 1979, ranking amongst the most popular in the magazine's history. Sharing these experiences gave the public a view of what Peter Jenkins set out in search of, and found-- America, through the lives of its people.

http://www.peterjenkins.com/BioAndBooks.htm