Big Bend Administrative History

¹Ross Maxwell, Everett Townsend, and Frank D. Quinn, "Summary of Events That Led to the Establishment of the Big Bend National Park," n.d., 1949, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 101 NPS History; Memorandum of Maxwell to NPS Regional Director, "Park History Sketch," February 27, 1952, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 3, Folder: 207 Reports (General) Folder #1, DEN NARA.

² James G. Anderson, "Land Acquistion in the Big Bend National Park of Texas," unpublished Master's Thesis, Sul Ross State College, Alpine, TX, 1967, 55.

³ Maxwell, Townsend, and Quinn, "Summary of Events that Led to the Establishment of the Big Bend National Park," 12-13.

⁴ Anderson, "Land Acquisition in the Big Bend National Park," 58-61.

⁵ Ibid., 63-64; Maxwell, Townsend, and Quinn, "Summary of Events That Led to the Establishment of Big Bend National Park," 15.

⁶ Anderson, "Land Acquisition in the Big Bend National Park," 66-67; Maxwell, Townsend, and Quinn, "Summary of Events That Led to the Establishment of Big Bend National Park," 15-16.

⁷ Anderson, "Land Acquisition in the Big Bend National Park," 67-69.

⁸ Ibid., 72-78; Maxwell, Townsend, and Quinn, "Summary of Events That Led to the Establishment of Big Bend National Park," 17-18.

⁹ Anderson, "Land Acquisition in the Big Bend National Park," 78-90; Maxwell, Townsend, and Quinn, "Summary of Events That Led to the Establishment of Big Bend National Park," 18-21; "Big Bend National Park, Warranty Deed, State of Texas to United States of America For Park Purposes," Filed September 1, 1943, County and District Clerk, Brewster County, Texas, Big Bend National Park Historical Files, SRM Library, BIBE.

¹⁰ Memorandum of Conrad L. Wirth, Supervisor of Recreation and Land Planning, NPS, Washington, DC, for the Regional Director, Region III, February 23, 1940, Proposed National Parks Big Bend General Part 8 File, RG79, NPS, CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend Files, Box 823; Memorandum of Harvey H. Cornell, NPS Regional Landscape Architect, Washington, DC, for Mr. Vint, March 12, 1940, Proposed National Parks Big Bend General Part 8 File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend Files, Box 833, DC NARA II.

¹¹ Cornell to Vint, March 12, 1940.

¹² Ibid.

¹³ John H. Veale, NPS Assistant Engineer, "Report - Field Trip - March 7-14, 1941, Water Supply And Sewage Disposal, Big Bend State Park," RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areaas, 1927-1953, Box 18, Folder: 660.03.4 (CCC) Sewage; Memorandum of Maxwell for the Regional Director, March 17, 1941; John H. Diehl, Regional Engineer, NPS, "Reconnaissance and Investigation Report - Big Bend State Park," March 19, 1941, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to CCC, ECW, and ERA Work in National Forests and Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1933-1934, Box 95, Folder: Project 1004, DEN NARA.

¹⁶ Memorandum of J.E. Kell, Acting NPS Regional Chief of Planning, for the Regional Director, March 31, 1941, 857 Travel (General) Big Bend File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 847-900.02 Files, Box 837, DC NARA II.

¹⁷ Report of Field Trip of E.F. Preece, February 20 to March 15, 1941, inclusive, April 28, 1941 copied, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 15, Folder: 620.08 (CCC) Shelter Cabins, DEN NARA.

¹⁸ Ibid.

¹⁹ Memorandum of Cornell for the NPS Director, Attention: Chief of Planning Vint, May 9, 1941, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 15, Folder: 620.08 (CCC) Shelter Cabins, DEN NARA.

²⁰ Memorandum of John C. Diggs, NPS Inspector, Austin, TX, for the Regional Director, Region III, May 29, 1941, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to CCC, ECW, and ERA Work in National Forests and Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1933-1934, Box 96, Folder: 601-03 (CCC) Camp Sites; Memorandum of Raymond Higgins, NPS Field Supervisor, Santa Fe, NM, for Project Supervisor (Elmer) Devenport, Big Bend, Texas NP-1, October 28, 1941, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 14, Folder: 620.58 (CCC) Quarters for Employees, DEN NARA.

²¹ Memorandum of Higgins for the Regional Director, Region III, January 8, 1942, RG79, 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, Texas/Bryce Canyon National Monument, Utah, Box 97, Folder: 800 (CCC) Protection, Service to Public and Forestry, DEN NARA.

²² Maxwell, "Statement of Ross A. Maxwell regarding fire which destroyed museum and exhibits at Big Bend, NP-1, Texas," Santa Fe, NM, January 5, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to CCC, ECW, and ERA Work in National Forests, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1934-1934, Big Bend National Park, Texas/Bryce Canyon National Monument, Utah, Box 97, Folder: 800 (CCC) Protection, Service to Public and Forestry, DEN NARA.

²³ Memorandum of Natt N. Dodge, Acting NPS Regional Naturalist, Santa Fe, for the Regional Director, January 14, 1942, RG79, 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, Texas/Bryce Canyon National Monument, Utah, Box 97, Folder: 800 (CCC) Protection, Service to Public and Forestry, DEN NARA.

²⁴ Memorandum of Milton J. McColm, Acting NPS Regional Director, Santa Fe, NM, for the Director, March 28, 1942, RG79, 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, Texas/Bryce Canyon National Monument, Utah, Box 97, Folder: 601-03.2 (CCC) Abandoned Camps; Paul V. Brown, Chief, Recreation Land Planning Division, NPS Region III, Santa Fe, NM, to Earl O. Mills, Planning Counselor, National Resources Planning Board, Dallas, Texas, April 15, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 12, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Lands #3 [Folder 2] Big Bend, DEN NARA.

²⁵ Memorandum of Tillotson for the NPS Director, April 28, 1942, 600-03 Big Bend National Park Development Outline File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 600-01 - 601 Files, Box 832, DC NARA II.

²⁶ Paul V. Brown, Chief, Recreation Planning Division, NPS Region III, "Planning Comments And Use Estimates Big Bend National Park Project," 600-03 Big Bend Development Outline File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 600-01 - 601 Files, Box 832, DC NARA II.

²⁷ Ibid.

²⁸ Ibid.

²⁹ Ibid.; Brown, "Travel Analysis Big Bend National Park," April 28, 1942.

³⁰ Memorandum of Newton B. Drury, NPS Director, for the Regional Director, Region III, June 8, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 10, Folder: 600.01 (NPS) Master Plan [Folder 2], DEN NARA.

³¹ Ibid.

³² Tillotson to Quinn, July 3, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 1, Folder: 000 General Big Bend, DEN NARA; Interview with Garner Hanson, President and General Manager, National Park Concessions, Inc., Cave City, Kentucky, September 19, 1997.

³³ Bob Hamilton, Texas State Parks Board, Big Bend Land Department, Alpine, Texas, to Maxwell, July 9, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 18, Folder: 660.05 Water Supply Systems; Memorandum of Milton J. McColm, Associate NPS Regional Director, Region III, Santa Fe, NM, for Caretaker Lloyd Wade, Big Bend National Park Project, August 20, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 14, Folder: 620 CCC Buildings, DEN NARA.

³⁴ Tillotson to Lawrence M. Lawson, International Boundary Commissioner, El Paso, Texas, August 25, 1942; Lawson to Tillotson, August 29, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 19, Folder: 660-05.4 Reservoirs NPS, DEN NARA.

³⁵ Eugene Thompson, Administrator, Texas State Parks Board, Big Bend Land Department, to J.V. Ash, Chairman, Texas State Parks Board, Bastrop, Texas, November 1, 1942, Big Bend National Park Publicity and Statistics Publicity General File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1049 Big Bend National Park 208-41 - 501-02 Files, Box 828, DC NARA II.

³⁶ Eugene Thompson to Wirth, November 11, 1942, Big Bend National Park Publicity and Statistics Publicity General File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 208-41 - 501-02 Files, Box 828, DC NARA II.

³⁷ Tillotson to W.W. Thompson, December 22, 1942, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 14, Folder: 620 Buildings Folder 2, DEN NARA.

³⁸ Bert Clark, Collaborator, Houston, Texas, to Drury, February 14, 1943, 601 Part I Big Bend Lands (1940-1943) File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 600-01 - 601 Files, Box 832, DC NARA II.

³⁹ Ibid.

⁴⁰ Ibid.

⁴¹ Memorandum of Isabelle F. Story, Editor in Chief, NPS, Chicago, Illinois, for William E. Warne, Director of Information, Department of the Interior, Chicago, Illinois, June 26, 1943, Big Bend National Park Publicity and Statistics Publicity General File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 208-41 - 501-02 Files, Box 828, DC NARA II.

⁴² Tillotson to Quinn, July 28, 1943, Big Bend National Park Publicity and Statistics Publicity General File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 208-41 - 501-02 Files, Box 828, DC NARA II.

⁴³ Memorandum of Tillotson for Region Three National Park and Monument Superintendents, August 6, 1943, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 12, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Land #4 [Folder 1] Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁴⁶ Ibid.

⁴⁷ "Maxwell Named Big Bend Chief," Santa Fe New Mexican, September 14, 1943; Glenn Burgess, Manager, Alpine Chamber of Commerce, Alpine, Texas, to Tillotson, October 9, 1943; Maxwell to Hillory A. Tolson, Assistant Regional Director, NPS, Chicago, Illinois, October 12, 1943; Maxwell to Burgess, October 13, 1943, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 2, Folder: 200 (NPS) Administration and Personnel Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁴⁸ Tillotson to W.W. Thompson, September 18, 1943, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 12, Folder: 610.01 Purchasing of Land #4 [Folder 1] Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁴⁹ Ibid.

⁵⁰ A.M. Mead, San Benito, Texas, to Milton West, Congressman, Brownsville, Texas, September 10, 1943, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 19, Folder: 660-05.4 Reservoirs NPS; C.E. Ainsworth, Consulting Engineer, International Boundary Commission, El Paso, Texas, to Tillotson, November 22, 1943, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments, and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 19, Folder: 660.05.4 Reservoirs (NPS), DEN NARA.

⁵¹ J.E. Sturlock, Attorney-Statistician, Board of Water Engineers, State of Texas, Austin, to Tolson, November 8, 1943, 660-05.7 Water Rights Big Bend File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 610-660.05.7 Files, Box 834, DC NARA II.

⁵² C.W. Meadows, San Angelo, Texas, to Maxwell, October 30, 1943, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 3, Folder: 201-10 (NPS) U.S. Commissioner Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁵³ Memorandum of Tillotson for the NPS Director, November 10, 1943, 201-10 U.S. Commissioners Big Bend File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend Files, Box 824, DC NARA II; Memorandum of Drury for the Secretary of the Interior, December 2, 1943, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 11, Folder: 607 Jurisdiction (General); Tillotson to Townsend, December 11, 1943; Townsend to Tillotson, January 5, 1944, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 3, Folder: 201-10 (NPS) U.S. Commissoners Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁵⁴ Tillotson, "Suggested Outline Of Concessionaire Operations in Big Bend National Park," March 29, 1944, 900-05 Public Utility Operators General File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 900-02 - 900-05 Files, Box 838, DC NARA II.

⁵⁵ Memorandum of Tillotson for the NPS Director, April 5, 1944, 900-05 Public Utilities Operators General File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 900-02 - 900-05 Files, Box 838, DC NARA II.

⁵⁶ Mrs. Josue R. Picon, Chairman, U.S. Section, Committee on the Americas, Women's International League, Detroit, Michigan, to Drury, December 7, 1943; Memorandum of Tillotson for the NPS Director, December 21, 1943, 101-01 Big Bend National Park History and Legislation Dedications File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park Files, Box 824, DC NARA II; Zonia Barber, Chicago, Illinois, to Ickes, May 24, 1944, RG79, NPS, SWRO, Santa Fe, Correspondence Relating to National Parks, Monuments and Recreational Areas, 1927-1953, Box 3, Folder: 201 Administration (General) Big Bend, DEN NARA.

⁵⁷ Memorandum of Demaray for the Under Secretary, April 24, 1944, Big Bend Historical Files, SRM Division Library, BIBE.

⁵⁸ Walter P. Taylor, Unit Leader, U.S. Fish and Widlife Service, College Station, Texas, to Tolson, May 11, 1944, 501-02 Big Bend Magazine Articles File, RG79, NPS CCF 1933-1949 Big Bend National Park 208-41 - 501-02 Files, Box 828, DC NARA II.