PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Introduction

The relative quiet that Pipe Spring National Monument experienced during World War II continued for the remainder of the decade. This chapter focuses on the events that took place at the monument from January 1946 to January 1951, when the United States government began aboveground testing of atomic weapons in Arizona's neighboring state of Nevada. While the post-war years are also part of the Cold War era (described in the introduction of Part VIII), impacts of the Cold War would not be directly experienced at Pipe Spring until 1951. The highlights of this period at the monument include completion of the master plan, the installation of the Bishop Hopkins collection in the west cabin, Custodian Leonard Heaton's acquisition of a new truck, and the Kanab celebration of Utah's Centennial (all in 1947); replacement of the fort's kitchen and parlor floors (1948), its big gates (1949), and catwalk (1950); stabilization and repairs to the west cabin (1950); and a community barbecue attended by Arizona Governor Daniel E. Garvey and other officials (also 1950). Also worthy of note were two reservation fires, one in 1948 and the other in 1950. The April 1948 Indian School fire - which Leonard Heaton and Moccasin residents helped to fight - was the far more destructive of the two. Finally, significant improvements were made to the Heatons' residence during 1948, in part to make the temporary structure more livable, but also to accommodate a growing family.

Conspicuously absent from these years is any dispute over Pipe Spring water between the Indian Service, Park Service, and those cattlemen entitled to a share. In the absence of contrary evidence, it can only be presumed that all parties found their needs being sufficiently met by the existing arrangement.