Aztec Ruins Administrative History

SECOND ENLARGEMENT OF AZTEC RUIN NATIONAL MONUMENT

Before the first tract of Abrams land was proclaimed a national monument, Morris made a survey and suggestions for a second section to include all the prehistoric structures to the east of West Ruin. This was a parcel that was temporarily eliminated in the protracted dealings with Abrams. After an inspection trip in 1925 by H.C. Bumpus, former director of the American Museum of Natural History, Wissler instructed Morris to initiate a plan with Henry Abrams's five heirs for acquisition of this plot.

The second addition took in 12.6 acres and a dozen ruins, the East Ruin being the most prominent. Working through Boyd, the eldest Abrams son who took over the original farm, Morris proposed a one-year option to purchase the tract for $3,500. The money again was to come from the Archer M. Huntington fund. Previous difficulties with encumbrances made both parties distrustful of extras being committed to paper. It was agreed verbally that a natural water course between the West and East ruins was an allowable means of carrying off waste water from the cultivated area to the north. Should waste water ditches be relocated in the future, other provisions would be made for drainage of the Abrams farm. [45] The hay barn to the northeast of East Ruin could be used until money for its removal was obtained. [46] Because negotiations were unsettled before Morris had to depart again for Yucatan, he asked Mrs. H.B. Sammons, of the First National Bank in Farmington, to be the museum's agent in securing the option, having a survey done, and filing the legal documents. [47]

Exactly a year later, in January 1927, the American Museum purchased the second piece of land. The deed was under the scrutiny of the museum's legal advisor. With that transaction, it became the responsibility of Fassel to watch over the property until Morris himself resumed his role at Aztec Ruin in July. Wissler continued to bait Morris with the possibility of future research at Aztec, as he wrote, "What pleases me more is that we have been able to carry out in part, at least, your ideals with respect to the group and to place the ruins in a position where you can at some future time continue their exploration, if that seems advisable. It is of course possible that Mr. Mills [Ogden Mills, New York legislator and later Secretary of the Treasury] may be interested in providing for the exploration of these new ruins in which case I will take the matter up with you before making other arrangements." [48]

The American Museum wanted to add the new tract to the monument as expeditiously as possible. In laying the ground for this second gift to the National Park Service in the name of Huntington, President Osborn contacted Director Mather in March: "On this plot is one major ruin about as large in ground plan as the Aztec Ruin, also three smaller ruins of similar form, and lastly, a unique circular structure [Mound F], well preserved, and promising to be of unusual interest," he explained. "Further our experience in the National Monument leads us to anticipate that a number of older ruins will be found underneath the soil of this new plot." [49]

Just as it appeared that the latest process of increasing the monument size would go through without a hitch, the museum legal staff discovered an error in the deed. It occurred as figures from the original document were transferred to the heirs' deed. Rectifying the mistake took up the fall and winter months of 1927. [50] Then, the gift of the land with the token payment of $1.00 was accepted.

On July 2, 1928, the second Aztec Ruin proclamation was signed by President Calvin Coolidge (see Appendix A). [51] It enlarged the boundaries of the federal holding to incorporate a total of 17.2 acres and 13 ruins and changed its name to Aztec Ruins National Monument (see Figure 5.1). On-the-scene oversight of the second tract passed from Morris, American Museum representative, to Boundey, National Park Service custodian.