PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Monument Administration (continued)

1961

On February 8, 1961, the 35th anniversary of his coming to work at Pipe Spring, Leonard Heaton reminisced in his journal (as he often did at such times) about all the progress that had been made since 1926. Gone were the cattle, the cowboys and horses, the chuck wagons. No one had lived in the fort for 25 years. He was rightfully proud of all that had been accomplished under his tenure, particularly all the Mission 66 developments. He noted that annual allotments for the monument's administration had gone from $300 when he first came to $20,000 in 1961. With the completion of the Hurricane-Fredonia road anticipated, visitation would soar from 10,000 perhaps to as high as 60,000 in five years, he speculated. [1724] As it turned out, visitation only increased about 50 percent, from 10,465 in 1961 to 16,181 in 1966.

Furnishing of the fort continued, as Heaton and Peterson (and later his successor) did their best to acquire and arrange displays in ways that were appealing and conveyed information about the area's early history. Early in the year, Heaton made trips to Panguitch, Enterprise, St. George, Cedar City, Kanab, and other towns hunting for and purchasing "old relics" for the fort.

103. Seven Zion National Park superintendents, assembled at Zion for the dedication of its new visitor center, June 17, 1961.
From left to right: Frank R. Oberhansley, Paul R. Franke, Charles J. Smith, Preston P. Patraw, Thomas J. Allen, Eivind T. Scoyen, and Richard T. Evans.
(Courtesy Zion National Park, neg. 3332-A).

Shortly after the new residences were constructed, Heaton was contacted on several occasions with requests from the Kaibab Paiute to buy the old residence for reuse. He decided in November 1960 to let it go. [1725] On April 26, 1961, the old board-and-batten infirmary that the Heatons had lived in since 1940 was partially dismantled by Kaibab Paiute men to be moved to Kaibab Village. By May 10 it had been taken out in four sections. [1726] Heaton reported during the moving process, "Some very tight squeezes getting [it] out of the monument." [1727] The previous year (in May 1960) Ray Mose had removed the underground fuel storage tank, the 3/4-inch copper pipeline, and the underground electric cable associated with the old residence. [1728] In June 1960 Mose dismantled then filled in the old CCC-era storage cellar used by the Heatons for storage. By this time, there was little evidence of the monument's first residence.

No Establishment Day celebration was held at the monument in 1961. In May 1961 Clair Ford built 10 new wooden picnic tables and benches while Ray Mose cut up the five remaining old CCC poplar log tables for firewood. The new tables were placed in the campground in July. The main project undertaken in June was the construction of the east entrance sign (see "Planning and Development" section). On July 5, 1961, Heaton received a 30-year service pin at the Zion staff meeting. On the same day, he drove back to the monument in a new green Chevy pickup truck, having traded in the old 1952 Chevy pickup.

Rattlesnakes seemed more abundant than usual at the monument in August 1961. Seven were killed on the monument just during the first half of the month, some near the residences and office trailer. Superintendent Oberhansley made an inspection visit on August 10, 1961, while Max Peterson was on duty. It was a week-day and Heaton's day off. Heaton received a letter the following week directing him to take his day off during the weekend and chastising him for Peterson's evaporative cooler being out of order and for the restrooms not being clean. Oberhansley also objected to the messy barn area and animals there (cows and sheep) and to some of the kinds of work Heaton had Mose doing.

Leonard and Edna Heaton were both upset by the tone of the letter. Heaton later wrote in his journal, "It looks like the Supt. Oberhansley is trying to find something to get me out before I retire. I know that a lot of men would like to see this monument abandoned just because it is Mormon history and such. If I have 30 years of service in by the time spring comes around they can have the place as I will be 60 years old and eligible for retirement, which I will take." [1729] Heaton had been taking his days off during the week so that he could cover the monument on weekends, when the park historian was off-duty. By shifting his days off to the weekend, the monument was left with no one on duty, a situation Heaton found appallingly insensitive to the needs of visitors. On August 20 he wrote in his journal, "Beginning today, by orders of the Supt. [of] Zion Park, my free day will be Sunday and Saturday, so officially I am not on duty or the fort open. But [out of] common decency to the visiting public I opened the fort and had some members of the family [there] 2 hours and I was here on duty 7 hours, having 56 visitors. Someone here practically all the time." [1730] The following spring Heaton asked Zion officials for permission to hire a seasonal guide for the weekends but his request was turned down.

To make matters worse, Max Peterson resigned his park historian position at the monument on August 19, 1961, to teach school in American Falls, Idaho. Peterson told Heaton he and his family didn't care for the remoteness of the site and felt his job lacked advancement opportunities. Heaton was disappointed to lose him and later mused in his journal, "I know it is harder for young people these days of fast activities than when I came here at the beginning of auto days. I was in hopes they would stay to take over when I leave." [1731] Peterson had been at Pipe Spring just short of one year. His successor, Robert ("Bob") W. Olsen, Jr., began duty as park historian on August 28. Olsen was from Salt Lake City, where his wife and four children remained. [1732] From time to time, Olsen's wife would drive down with the children, or Olsen would bring his wife and children (or sometimes just the children) to the monument for brief visits. During the last two weeks of September, Olsen was in Zion for orientation training. After returning to the monument, in addition to providing guide service, Olsen engaged in historical research. His initial research included reviewing old diaries and the John Wesley Powell journals (which appeared in Utah Historical Quarterly), and locating suitable pictures for use in the historical handbook. [1733] Olsen noticed right away that visitors to the monument were often curious about the local Indians and their history, so he began preparing an outline on that topic along with making a study of early trappers and Mormon settlers of the area. [1734]

On October 19, 1961, during one of his research trips, Bob Olsen had an auto accident in Johnson Canyon. The Park Service truck he was driving left the road and rolled over into a wash. He was uninjured, but the truck sustained $410 in damages. Several Zion officials came out on October 25, one to question Olsen about the accident and visit the scene where it occurred, and another to talk with Ray Mose about the permanent caretaker's position that was to be funded. Heaton wanted to hire Mose for the position, but feared Mose's lack of electrical and carpentry skills might prevent him from meeting the position's requirements. [1735] At the end of the year, Zion informed Heaton that because of the monument's low visitation, there wasn't enough work there to justify hiring a permanent caretaker. None was hired in 1962 or in 1963. Ray Mose continued to work as a seasonal, part-time laborer at the monument during those years. Other laborers employed part-time or seasonally during the early 1960s included Grant Heaton, Sherwin Heaton, Clifford Heaton, Clair Ford, and Harry Judd. Leonard P. Heaton was hired from time to time to provide guide service. Not infrequently, Edna Heaton and son Claren were also pressed into guide service.

Bob Olsen prepared the 1961 Annual Report on Information and Interpretation, reporting an increase in visitation that was attributed to improved roads. Plans were still being made for the nature trail along the old quarry trail, but no funds were available for its construction. Olsen reported that visitors, especially those from outside the area, found that "... the Indians are as interesting as the pioneers. We are looking forward to the time when we will be able to [do] a better job of interpretation by a display of Indian artifacts in the projected visitor center." [1736]

The flock of Gambel quail introduced to the monument in 1938 was still in evidence more than 20 years later. Heaton reported in November 1961 that about 100 of them were at their "old roosting place," the willow patch at the monument's southwest corner. Coyotes and bobcats were still quite common, and Heaton reported that coyote howls could often be heard in the morning and evening at Pipe Spring. [1737]