El Malpais In the Land of Frozen Fires: A History of Occupation in El Malpais Country

Prior to the late 1930s, mining activities were marginal in the malpais. In 1916, a small copper mine operated in the Zuni Mountain town of Dierner, supporting 10-20 miners and their families. Unprofitable, the mine shut down in the early 1930s. [24] By the early 1940s, fluorspar and pumice mines developed near Grants. Three fluorspar mines operated by the Navajo Fluorspar Company flanked the west side of the malpais near the commercially operated Ice Caves. Navajo's peak production period occurred during World War II, putting 150 families to work. Fluorspar extracted from the mines was transported to Grants where it underwent processing. Much of the mineral's production fell under the auspices of national defense contracts. Fluorspar was utilized in the manufacture and hardening of steel, use in paints and acids. The flurospar mines remained active until 1952, when foreign competition drove down the price of the mineral. [25]

Figure 7. During World War II, fluorspar mines punctuated the Zuni Mountains offering some economic relief
to the depressed region following the demise of the timber industry. Fluorspar, a translucent mineral of varying colors,
was extracted and sold to satisfy defense contracts. Fluorspar mines were active in the Zunis until the 1950s,
until cheap imports undercut domestic prices. Shown here is Fluorspar Mine Number 21, photograph taken about 1948,
from the collection of Mrs. Dovey Bright.

Figure 8. Fluospar Mine Number 21, showing conveyor belt system. Fluorspar was a multi-purpose mineral used in
the manufacturing and hardening of steel, paints and acids. Photograph taken about 1948,
from the collection of Mrs. Dovey Bright.

Pumice, an abrasive substance used for polishing manufactured products, was extracted north of Grants during World War II. The Pumice Corporation of America operated a mine located eight miles north of Grants. In the 1990s, pumice was still extracted north of Grants under the flagship, U.S. Gypsum Corporation. [26]

The mining of coal never became a large enterprise around the malpais. Heavy commercial coal mining interests developed west of the malpais near Gallup. Localized coal mines operated by 2-3 persons normally satisfied all demands and needs for coal.

While pumice and fluorspar assisted the war effort, the lava beds aided the nation's war effort in a different manner. The United States Army at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque began a search in 1942 to locate a practice bombing range. Army personnel gazed toward the malpais as an appropriate site. Under Public Land Order No. 108 dated March 31, 1943, nine square miles of rugged lava terrain in El Malpais were removed from the public domain for military purposes. [27] Practice bombing missions began soon after the June 15, 1943, declaration of taking in the condemnation case. Officially, the military called the site, Army Air Forces, Kirtland Demolition Bombing Range. McCarty's Crater, at the center of the nine square miles, became the primary target area as indicated by the number of shell fragments and pockmarks found. Although nothing is known of the type of planes or the number of bombs dropped, it was confirmed by the discovery of bomb casings and fuses that the bombs represented general purpose l00-pound bombs containing the nose fuse M103 and tail fuse M-100. [28]

Local residents like Christine Adams, whose parents homesteaded east of McCarty's Crater, remembered the exploding bombs. With the exception of frightening chickens and rattling dishes, it did no apparent harm. [29] The military continued using the bombing range on an intermittent basis for ten months. In April 1944, Kirtland closed the range, stating the area "can only be reached by walking insofar as it is located on the extremely rough terrain of an old lava flow. Since construction and maintenance of targets is impracticable, the range is excess to the needs of this command." [30] The condemnation settlement revested fee title to the private owners, changed the interest to a leasehold in lieu of fee simple, and released the United States from all claims arising from the government's use of the land. The public domain land was released to the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, by Public Land Order 344, dated January 29, 1947. On April 2, 1947, the bombing range officially became public domain. [31]

The U.S. Army in restoring the land to the private and public sector endeavored to locate all unexploded bombs. The stipulation filed in U.S. District Court for New Mexico on November 14, 1944, stated: "It is understood by the Defendant that the United States of America has policed and made an earnest effort to clear the property hereinabove described of all unexploded bombs; however, the Defendant agrees that it is impracticable to locate all unexploded bombs on said lands hereinabove described and . . . the defendant agrees to, and does hereby for itself, its successors and assigns, release and forever discharge the United States of America from any and all claims of whatsoever kind or character that may arise from injuries to person or damage to property resulting from the explosion of unexploded bombs left remaining on said lands by the United States of America." [32]

But the army continued to show concern for public safety in the defunct bombing range. In 1953, the military returned to the lava bombing range to salvage all remaining metal and to search for unexploded bombs. Ordnance experts combed the range and found approximately 80 tons of scrap metal. Captain Edward W. Kerwin reported that the former range, "is safe and free of dangerous and or explosive materials." [33] But the discovery of bombs continues. Local malpais resident, Sleet Raney, escorted Bureau of Land Management Range Conservationist, Les Boothe, to McCarty's Crater in August 1986. They found two unexploded bombs intact in trees 200-300 yards from the crater. [34] At the request of the Bureau of Land Management, the 41st Ordnance Detachment Fort Bliss, Texas, inspected the site. The two 100-pound bombs were detonated. An on-site staff sergeant indicated that from other bomb fuses found in the vicinity, more live bombs are probably in the area. This sentiment is shared by local ranchers, who claimed discovery of bombs 5-6 miles from the impact site. Rio Puerco Resource Area Manager, Herrick Hanks, requested in a letter of January 1987 to the Department of the Army Explosive Safety Board that the military "conduct a surface clearance," a request that never materialized. [35] In 1990, more bombs were discovered.

The end of World War II witnessed agriculture and mining as the two largest employers in the malpais region. By 1950, the population of Grants leveled off at 2,500. The community established itself as the trading center for nearby ranchers, miners, and the few timberman still involved in logging operations. More importantly Grants surpassed San Rafael as the regional commerce center. People from communities like San Rafael, Prewitt, Bluewater, and the few remaining homesteaders on the flanks of the malpais now focused on Grants for business. [36]

In 1950, the malpais region experienced it greatest cycle of boom. Navajo sheepherder, Paddy Martinez, discovered uranium north of Grants. Martinez's discovery touched off a wave of miners and companies to the area. By 1960 Grants' population escalated to 10,274. Many locals found work in the mines. With the increase in population, demand for additional services grew. Banks, schools, hospitals, libraries, and a community college were developed or established during the height of the uranium industry. State Highway 53, graveled in the 1930s became a paved highway in the 1960s. About the same time Interstate 40 through the malpais was built. Grants continued to grow. According to the 1980 census, Grants reached its highest population of 11,451. West of Grants and beyond the city limits, the town of Milan supplied a supporting population of 2,700. [37] On June 19, 1981, Grants and the malpais region separated from Valencia County and formed part of Cibola County with Grants as county seat. [38] The decade of the 1980s, however, was cruel to Grants and the region. Demand for uranium dropped. The economic recession that followed did nothing to revitalize the sagging fortunes of the malpais. Grants lost population and businesses folded up.

Railroad, livestock, timber, and uranium, played major roles in the development of the area. Yet, they all proved to be unstable in providing a long-term buffer from economic recession. Ambitious homesteaders had hoped to beat the odds and make a decent living from the land. Had they reviewed the history of the region, they would have discovered that climate and terrain were the dominant masters rendering the area less than conducive for agricultural pursuits.

Tourism was perhaps the one economic business in the malpais that lacked development and exploitation. The management of the natural and cultural resources in the study area for public use and enjoyment was on the threshold of discovery as the malpais entered the second quarter of the twentieth century.