Agate Fossil Beds Administrative History

An Exciting First Visitor Season

On June 15, Superintendent Miller met with Mrs. Cook and the Hoffmans. He reported that "the Hoffmans were greatly interested in the progression of events which will take place. They were reassured that we wouldn't be rushing in and taking their place. They have been very cooperative, and I feel have considerable trust in the National Park Service." [37] On June 30, Miller returned to Agate to supervise the installation of a trailer the quarters for the seasonal ranger. Clearance to use the lobby area of the Agate Post Office had been secured from the U.S. Postal Service. There the seasonal employee could dispense interpretive brochures and answer questions. [38]

Frank W. Frailey, the first employee of Agate Fossil Beds, entered on duty July 1, 1965. The seasonal park ranger (general), a biology teacher at Scottsbluff High School, arrived at Agate after two days of orientation at Scotts Bluff National Monument. Frailey had a desk in the post office while nearby he and his family occupied the rental trailer. Since the Service had no actual authority in the area, visitors were not encouraged to go to the fossil beds. Those who persisted were told they had to make their own arrangements with the landowners. The only physical evidence of visitor facilities were two pit toilets, borrowed from Fort Laramie National Historic Site, which arrived on site July 3.

Ranger Frailey maintained a daily log of events which he submitted each week to Scotts Bluff. In July, he counted 460 visitors, eighty-seven of whom were from out-of-state. Most of the latter came believing the monument was already developed. Local people were only interested in fishing the Niobrara or using the Cook's picnic area. In between visits by Keith Miller, Margaret Cook was interviewed on July 14 by Scotts Bluff Historian Earl R. Harris and Seasonal Historian R. Jay Roberts. Roberts was charged with writing a history of the area to be used in future planning efforts. [39]

In September, Keith Miller transferred to the Midwest Regional Office, and a new superintendent arrived at Scotts Bluff. Richard L. Holder's first visit at Agate Fossil Beds was on August 9, to meet with Mrs. Cook, the Hoffmans, and others. Reporting 367 visitors during August, Holder informed the Regional Director:

There is little doubt that the presence of a National Park Service employee (in uniform) has been most beneficial. Mr. Frailey has carefully logged all of his contacts, and has worked very well with Mrs. Cook and the other landowners in the vicinity. In addition to his other duties, Mr. Frailey has compiled a list of the flora and birdlife at Agate.

Practically all visitors are interested in fossils, and have stopped because of a desire to look at or dig for them. Publicity about the area (from non-NPS sources) does not make it clear that development has not begun, that no fossils are presently exposed to view, and that permission to visit the quarry sites must come from the landowners. [40]

Holder commended the Region's preparation of an excellent public folder. Although the text plainly stated the site was undeveloped, for those who did not read the "fine print," stamped on the front of each folder was a simple message: "At the present time there are no visitor facilities at the Monument, nor are there any exposed fossils to be seen at the quarry sites." [41] Only people known to Mrs. Cook were permitted to go to the quarries.

On August 26, the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Association held its first annual meeting since passage of the organic act. Richard Holder addressed a crowd of 200 people gathered at the Agate Springs Ranch on the Service's development plans. After the meeting, Nebraska Governor Frank Morrison officiated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Mitchell to Harrison highway followed by a steak dinner on the lawn of the ranch. [42]

Frank Frailey's final day at Agate Fossil Beds was September 6, Labor Day. With the end of the first visitor season, the rented trailer residence was taken away. Richard Holder looked forward to the establishment of a permanent Agate Fossil Beds employee to take charge of more mundane affairs which would then allow Holder to concentrate two- to three-days a week at Agate on development, master planning, land acquisition, and visitor contact concerns.

In this context, Regional Chief of National Park System Studies Harry Robinson and Dinosaur National Monument Paleontologist Dr. Theodore White came to the new park on September 28. On a preconstruction survey, their purpose was to appraise paleontological values and formulate opinions on development. [43] On October 14, William Pulford, Recreation Specialist from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, came to conduct a physical review of all lands included in the 1967 fiscal year acquisition program.

October brought the welcome news that the Regional Director approved a new position at Scotts Bluff, Management Assistant GS-09. Holder decided to locate the employee at Agate by the time the 1966 visitor season began. [44]

The final field data were gathered November 15 and 16 by members of the Master Plan team: Park Planners Frank Hirst, Don Rickey, and Keith Miller of the Midwest Regional Office, and Landscape Architect John Adams and Engineer Jim Bainbridge of the Western Office of Design and Construction. By keeping local landowners informed of these planning efforts, Superintendent Holder cultivated trust and friendship. On the biggest obstacle, Holder noted:

Relations with the principal landowner, Mr. George Hoffman, are steadily improving. Mr. Hoffman is not in good health, and the uncertainty of the situation has aggravated his ulcers to the point that an operation is needed. I feel relatively certain that it will be possible to deal with the Hoffmans when the time comes. [45]

From a Service viewpoint, a court ruling in early November was a positive development in the internal squabbling of the Cook family. The Nebraska Supreme Court affirmed the Sioux County District Court ruling which favored Mrs. Margaret C. Cook in a dispute with three stepdaughters over the Harold J. Cook will. [46] The status quo—Mrs. Cook's promise to donate the Cook Collection as well as land for administrative purposes—remained unchanged.