Big Bend Administrative History

¹ "America's Last Frontier and what a country!" ACCO Press, Volume XV, Number 1 (January 1937): 1-7. This journal was found in RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 94, Folder: Big Bend General, DEN NARA.

² Ibid., 5.

³ Ibid., 6.

⁴ Maier to Cammerer, January 4, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to CCC, ECW, and ERA Work in National Parks, Forests and Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1933-1934, Box 95, Folder: General Part 3, DEN NARA.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Carl White, President, White House Printers, Inc., Port Arthur, TX, to McClatchy, January 13, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to CCC, ECW, and ERA Work in National Parks, Forests and Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1933-1934, Box 95, Folder: General Part 3, DEN NARA; "Big Bend National Park," The Houston Post, January 24, 1937.

⁷ Morelock to Cammerer, January 26, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 94, Folder: Big Bend General, DEN NARA.

⁸ Maier to Cammerer, January 27, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁹ "The State's Part," The Houston Post, February 22, 1937.

¹⁰Texas Senate Bill (SB) No. 308, "A Bill to be entitled An act dedicating and establishing the Big Bend National Park in Brewster County, Texas . . . ," February 23, 1937, Townsend Collection, Box x, Wallet 24, Folder 4, Archives of the Big Bend, SRSU.

¹¹ Ibid.

¹² Ibid.

¹³ Maier to Morgan, March 5, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 94, Folder: Big Bend General, DEN NARA.

¹⁴ Morelock to Cammerer, March 10, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 3, Folder: 204-10 By Field Officers Folder 2, DEN NARA.

¹⁵ Maier to Senator H.L. Winfield, State Capitol, Austin, TX, March 10, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend; R.D. Morgan to Maier, March 15, 1937; Townsend (?) to Berta Clark Lassiter, Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, Alpine, TX, March 16, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

¹⁶ Maier to Morelock, March 22, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

¹⁷ Townsend to Maier, March 30, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend; Towsend to Maier, April 7, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-01 House Bills Big Bend, DEN NARA; "But How About The State Deficit?" Dallas Times-Herald, February 23, 1937.

¹⁸ Townsend to Maier, April 14, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend, DEN NARA.

¹⁹ Ted L. Edwards, Superintendent, S.P. 49-T, Daingerfield, TX, to Maier, April 20, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-01 House Bills Big Bend; Maier to Wirth, April 26, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

²⁰ Maier to Wirth, April 26, 1937.

²¹ Townsend to R. Ewing Thomason, May 12, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend, DEN NARA.

²² Maier to the NPS Director, Attn: Branch of Historic Sites and Buildings, January 8, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box x, Folder: xx, DEN NARA.

²³ Ibid.; A.E. Demaray, Acting NPS Director, to Dr. Hermon C. Bumpus, Duxbury, MA, February 6, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 94, Folder: Big Bend General, DEN NARA.

²⁴ R.D. Morgan to Maier, March 16, 1937; Walter Prescott Webb to Maier, March 19, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

²⁵ Webb to McClatchy, April 5, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

²⁶ Webb to McClatchy, April 7, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

²⁷ Walter Prescott Webb, "Big Bend Park Will Put Texas On Travel Map," The Dallas Morning News, April 18, 1937.

²⁸ Press Release, "The Big Bend of Texas," by Walter Prescott Webb, April 25, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

²⁹ Maier to Webb, April 26, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box x, Folder: xx, DEN NARA.

³⁰ "Dr. Walter Webb Starts Today Through Canyon In The Big Bend of Texas," Austin Dispatch, May 16, 1937.

³¹ Ibid.; "Dr. Webb Leads Exploring Trip Through Canyon," Austin Texan, n.d. (May 1937?); "Webb Defying Canyon Perils," Austin Statesman, May 17, 1937; "No Word From 4 Explorers," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 18, 1999; "Explorers On Perilous Ride," Oklahoma City Oklahoman, May 19, 1937.

³² Telegram of Townsend to Milo F. Christiansen, NPS, Little Rock, AR, May 20, 1937; Telegram of Harry J. Adams, Superintendent of Parks, Fort Worth, TX, to Allred, May 21, 1937; Telegram of Townsend to Maier, May 21, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend; W.B. Tuttle, San Antonio Public Service Company, San Antonio, TX, to Maier, May 21, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

³³ Maier to J.J. Taylor, Editor, The Dallas News, Dallas, TX, May 26, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recrational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend, DEN NARA.

³⁴ "By All Means Sign It, Governor," The Amarillo Daily News, May 29, 1937; Gene Howe, Publisher, The Globe-News Publishing Company, Amarillo, TX, to McClatchy, May 28, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend, DEN NARA.

³⁵ Maier to Departemento Forestal, Caza y Pesca, Mexico City, D.F., Attn: Srs. Galicia and Zinser, June 3, 1937; Miguel A. De Quevedo, Chief (Departemento Forestal, Caza y Pesca), to "Dear Sir" (Maier), n.d. (June 1937?); Telegram of Cammerer to Allred, June 5, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend, DEN NARA.

³⁶ Maier to Townsend, June 9, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120 (NPS) Legislation (General), DEN NARA.

³⁷ Maier to A.E. Borell, NPS, Santa Fe, NM, July 12, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 120-07 (NPS) Proposed Legislation Big Bend, DEN NARA.

³⁸ Maier to Townsend, July 13, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend, DEN NARA.

³⁹ Ibid.

⁴⁰ Maier to James R. Record, Managing Editor, Star Telegram, Ft. Worth, TX, July 13, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 12, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1, DEN NARA.

⁴¹ Ibid.

⁴² Towsend to Record, July 9, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁴³ Record to Dom Adams, Brewster County Chamber of Commerce, Alpine, TX, July 13, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁴⁴ Adams to Record, July 16, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁴⁵ Townsend to Maier, July 16, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁴⁶"Texans Asked to Give For Park in Big Bend: Campaign for $1,000,000 Launched to Purchase Land for Project," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 18, 1937.

⁴⁷Morelock, et al., "Local Park Committee," Brewster County Chamber of Commerce, to the Citizens of Texas, July 19, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

⁴⁸ McClatchy to Maier, July 19, 27, 1937; Townsend to Maier, July 26, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

⁴⁹ Dawson Duncan, "Rich Gold and Quicksilver Lodes Are Found on Texas School Lands," Dallas News, August 8, 1937; "Big Bend Gold Story Scouted," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, September 9, 1937.

⁵⁰ David C. Chapman, President, Great Smoky Mountain Conservation Association, Knoxville, TN, to Morelock, October 8, 1937, Townsend Collection, Box 6, Wallet 23, Folder 17, Archives of the Big Bend, SRSU.

⁵¹ Ibid. The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Fund was named for the wife of industrialist John D. Rockefeller, Senior, and was managed by his foundation.

⁵² Webb to McClatchy, August 10, 1937; "Officials Aid Fund For Park," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 12, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

⁵³ Webb to McClatchy, August 10, 1937; "Pres" (Presley Bryant) to "Leo" (McClatchy), n.d.; Maier to Webb, August 19, 1937; William R. Hogan to Region III, NPS, Oklahoma City, Attn: Mr. Hagerty, August 12, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

⁵⁴ L. Vernon Randau, Assistant - Projects, NPS, ECW Region Three, Oklahoma City, to William F. Ayres, Inspector, NPS, Austin, TX, August 17, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box x, Folder: xx, DEN NARA.

⁵⁵ Maier to the NPS Director, Attn: Miss Isabelle Story, Editor-in-Chief, August 18, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

⁵⁶ J.F. Kieley to "Leo" (McClatchy), August 23, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2, DEN NARA.

⁵⁷ McClatchy to Berta Clark Lassiter, Secretary, Brewster County Chamber of Commerce, Alpine, TX, August 24, 1937; Memorandum of Morelock to the Superintendent of Texas State Parks, September 4, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 0-30 Big Bend International Park Part 2; Ernest F. Coe, Director, Everglades National Park Association, Inc., to Morelock, September 21, 1937; Coe to Will Mann Richardson, Chief Clerk, Texas State Parks Board, Austin, TX, September 21, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁵⁸ Ross A. Maxwell, "The Reported Gold-Quicksilver Deposits in the Big Bend Park Area," submitted to R.D. Morgan, Superintendent, Big Bend SP-33-T, Marathon, TX, September 23, 1937: 1, NPS Big Bend National Park Service NS 12 File, Southwest System Support Office (SSO), NPS, Santa Fe.

⁵⁹ Ibid., 1-2.

⁶⁰ Ibid., 2-4.

⁶¹ Ibid., 4-5.

⁶² Ibid., 6-7.

⁶³ Morelock to The National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, September 25, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 8, Folder: 501.02 Magazine Articles; Townsend to McClatchy, October 2, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 8, Folder: 501.01.1 Roadside Advertising and Road Signs, DEN NARA.

⁶⁴ "Soldier's Prophetic Cartoon 21 Years Ago Foresaw Park," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 10, 1937.

⁶⁵ "Ickes Dedicates Two Texas Dams," San Antonio Express, October 17, 1937; "Official Urges International Big Bend Park," Amarillo News, October 17, 1937; "Secretary Ickes' Speech," Houston Chronicle, October 17, 1937; "Ickes on Big Bend Park," El Paso Times, October 17, 1937.

⁶⁶ Maier to Morelock, October 18, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend; Morelock to Galicia, October 22, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 9, Folder: 504 (NPS) Publications (General) [Folder 2], DEN NARA.

⁶⁷ Morelock to Maier, October 26, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend; Townsend to Hogan, October 28, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to CCC, ECW, and ERA Work in National Parks, Forests and Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1933-1934, Box 96, Folder: 600-03 CCC Development Outline; Maier to the NPS Director, Attn: Isabelle F. Story, November 6, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 8, Folder: 501.03 #1 Newspaper Articles (Folder 2), DEN NARA.

⁶⁸ "Big Bend Park Termed ‘Peace University' By Southwest Magazine," Alpine Avalanche, November 5, 1937.

⁶⁹ Demaray to Maier, November 12, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 8, Folder: 501.03 #1 Newspaper Articles (Folder 2), DEN NARA.

⁷⁰ H.C. Bryant, Assistant Director, NPS, Washington, DC, to Acting Regional Director, Region No. 3, NPS, Santa Fe, November 19, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 8, Folder: 501.03 #1 Newspaper Articles (Folder 2), DEN NARA.

⁷¹ "Statement of Secretary Ickes at the Colorado-Big Thompson hearing," November 12, 1937, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 609 (CCC) Leases; B.N. Timmons, "Park Plan Aid To Friendship," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 23, 1937; Fred T. Johnston, Acting Assistant Director, NPS, Washington, DC, to Morris Sheppard, U.S. Senate, November 30, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to CCC, ECW, and ERA Work in National Forests, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1933-1934, Big Bend National Park, TX/Bryce Canyon National Monument, UT, Box 97, Folder: 601-03.2 (CCC) Abandoned Camps, DEN NARA.

⁷² "CCC Company In Park Area Gets Definite Orders For Removal," Alpine Avalanche, December 3, 1937.

⁷³ Townsend to Maier, December 23, 1937, RG 79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #1 Big Bend, DEN NARA.