PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Monument Administration

During the 1940s, Leonard and Edna Heaton's growing children provided increasing assistance to their parents in carrying out everyday chores, both with personal and monument work. One of the more notable aspects of the post-war years, in terms of day-to-day work, was Heaton's frequent references to help given him by his sons. By the second half of the 1940s, six of the boys - Clawson, Dean, Leonard P., Lowell, Sherwin, and Gary - were of sufficient age and size to help him with many routine maintenance tasks and projects around the monument. Heaton reports in his journals during these years that the boys assisted him with the following kinds of work: dragging the monument roads, hauling cedar wood from the area sawmill for campground and residence fuel, cleaning the fort ponds, cutting up dead limbs, painting monument signage, digging up and cleaning out irrigation pipes, hauling and spreading gravel on monument roads and walkways, and other types of maintenance work. [1325] In addition, all but t he very youngest children were pressed into guide service for the fort during Leonard's absences. His son Gary was only nine years old when Heaton left him "in charge of the fort" for two days while he took annual leave to tend to his fields in Alton, Utah. [1326] Edna Heaton, of course, would have remained on site when Leonard was away, but had much work of her own to do. In addition to her other domestic responsibilities, she took care of three new children born between 1942 and 1947.

Frequently, Leonard Heaton had to be away from the monument. The custodian was required to make two trips a month to Zion National Park to attend staff meetings. Heaton usually picked up supplies at the same time or had repairs made to the truck or generator. He was also expected to attend certain in-service trainings at Zion. In addition to work-related absences, Heaton often spent holidays and annual leave tending to his wheat farm in Alton. His usual days off were Saturday and Sunday, although this schedule sometimes changed to accommodate increased summer weekend visitation. [1327] (Heaton preferred having Sunday off to attend church and to perform church service work. [1328] ) Trips made to get coal in Alton or wood from the area sawmill took him away from the monument, sometimes for the entire day. A typical winter trip to the Alton mine might require waiting in line for four or five hours in an unheated truck, picking up a ton of coal, then having one or more flat tires coming home with the heavy load. [1329] During all these absences - including weekends — Edna Heaton and the older children made themselves available to guide and assist monument visitors. For example, in April 1946 Heaton went to Zion for a five-day fire school, leaving his family in charge. He then took leave to tend his farm in Alton. He wrote after his return, "Back in the job after a week's annual leave. Mrs. Heaton has done a very good job of looking after the monument and visitors have been out." [1330] As in the past, all work performed by Heaton's immediate family members during this period was unpaid.

The Challenge of Living in Post-war Rural Arizona

The early post-war era was a time when many homes in cities and small towns were becoming equipped with such conveniences as electric stoves, refrigerators, and washing machines. Rural areas, however, often lacked commercial electricity for such luxuries. While small gasoline-powered electric generators were not uncommon, such as the one used by the Heatons at Pipe Spring, they varied in how much power they could produce. While Kanab had commercial power from the early 1930s, it would be another 27 years before Moccasin residents enjoyed such service. [1331] This wasn't for lack of interest, however. In 1946 the community of Moccasin attempted to get government assistance in bringing electric power to their area by arranging a meeting with a representative of the Rural Electrification Administration (REA). The REA was established by executive order on May 11, 1935, under powers granted President Roosevelt by the Federal Emergency Relief Appropriation Act. Its purpose was to formulate and administer a program of generating and distributing electricity in isolated rural areas that were not served by private utilities. The REA was authorized to lend the entire cost of constructing light and power lines in such areas, on liberal terms of three percent interest, with amortization extended over a 20-year period. The Moccasin REA meeting was held on September 27, 1946. Among its attendees was Leonard Heaton. Heaton wrote later that the government representative at the meeting "felt there was not enough homes or users to justify a new setup at this time..." [1332] (Presumably, Kaibab Village did not have electricity either, other than that produced by generators.) In 1949 Heaton reported, "Some REA Government men were out signing up for a power line through this area. Hope we get the power soon." [1333] As with many such hopes, patience on the Arizona Strip was a virtue. Moccasin, Kaibab Village, and Pipe Spring National Monument would not get commercial power until April 1960.

One convenience the Heatons did have was a telephone. On numerous occasions, the Heatons received calls at the monument and communicated urgent messages to their neighbors who didn't have phones. [1334] One other "improvement" came to the monument in 1946: a new product for controlling insect pests called "DDT." [1335] While Leonard Heaton did not entirely abandon his old method of pouring gasoline on ant beds he, like millions of his countrymen, now also sprayed them liberally with DDT. A later caterpillar infestation in the willow patch in the spring of 1949 was also treated several times with DDT. Heaton even found this chemical cocktail to be effective against bedbugs when sprayed on the family beds. (Use of DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972.)

Being some miles off the beaten track (in this case, U.S. Highway 89), official visitors to the monument often dropped in without warning, usually en route to or from southern Utah parks and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. As Park Service staff worked to finalize the 1947 master plan and prepared to make use of the "on-the-shelf " drawings executed during the war years, Heaton received numerous unscheduled visits from landscape architects, planners, or other officials stopping by to review development plans or to familiarize themselves with the site. As in earlier years, Heaton was quite embarrassed during such unannounced visits, particularly if he was in the midst of an arduous maintenance project and in dirty work clothes. He would later write in his journal comments like, "Enjoyed their visit very much but wish they would notify me when they were coming in so that I would be somewhat prepared to meet them." [1336] Surprise visits by Park Service officials continued to be a bit unsettling to Heaton throughout his tenure at Pipe Spring, for he always wanted them to see the monument - and its custodian - at their very best. At a staff meeting Heaton attended in March 1947, he learned that he would have to get a new uniform that summer and that his efficiency rating would include personal appearance. Heaton became all the more worried about impromptu official visits.

Buffalo Hunts, Rat Roundups, Monstrous Moccasins, and Dinosaur Tracks

Every once in a while, something out of the ordinary would happen in or around Pipe Spring. On May 1, 1947, Heaton reported two rather unusual events. The first happened in the sky: "Twenty large planes passed over the monument today. Seventeen Army 4-engine bombers going south." The second odd happening was on the ground: "Report came in that a buffalo was seen in Pipe Valley yesterday." [1337] Over the next few days, an exciting chase for the buffalo ensued. Heaton wrote in his journal, "Arizona State Deputy Game Warden and others are out trying to find the buffalo. [A] $30 reward for getting him. Hunt going on in cars, trucks, and planes." [1338]

Heaton conducted spontaneous hunts of his own at the monument, although they were for critters much smaller than buffaloes. Despite his continuing to set out poisoned corn and wheat as bait, and his sparing of all monument snakes but rattlers, rats continued to be a problem in the fort and a threat to its antique furnishings. In early August 1947, Heaton reported to headquarters that a "plague of wood rats moved into the fort and did considerable damage to the woodwork and some museum articles before they were caught and driven out." [1339] (He attributed an increase in rodents and rabbits to the widespread killing of coyotes and cats that took place the previous winter.) Heaton referred to this particular incident in his journal as a "rat roundup." [1340] No details were offered on how Heaton spoiled the rats' foray into the fort. (Hopefully, the "roundup" offered the custodian a temporary diversion from the mundane office work he abhorred!) Ridding the fort of rodents was to be a never-ending battle however. Heaton reported in October 1950, "Seems every fall we have a moving day from hills and valleys into the fort building of these pests." [1341]

On June 12, 1947, the nearby town of Kanab, Utah, celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Mormon immigrants' arrival to the Great Salt Lake Valley. [1342] Heaton was elected chairmen of a committee of Moccasin citizens whose purpose was to plan and construct "a Pipe Spring float" for a parade being held as part of Utah's centennial program. "Plans are now to combine the float, making a moccasin of the bottom of the truck, and [commemorating] the naming of Pipe Springs by Jacob Hamblin's party in 1858," he wrote. [1343] Heaton worked for four days on this project. On the day of the event, Heaton described the results of his committee's efforts:

By 10:30 [a.m.] the float representing Moccasin and Pipe Spring was finished and I drove the truck which paraded up and down Main Street in Kanab 3 times. Some 20 floats were there showing history and life in Kanab Stake area. Our float won honorable mention for its flowers that covered the front and edges. [1344] The plan was a canvas moccasin covering the entire truck, with scenery and characters on the back showing the naming of Pipe Springs by Jack [sic] Hamblin and party in 1858. It showed the spring coming out of the rock and meadow, the silk handkerchief and pipe, old guns, camp outfit. Lorenzo Brown as Jacob Hamblin, Leonard P. Heaton as Bill Hamblin, the shooter, and Landell Heaton, a member of the party. During the Centennial Program, Pipe Spring was mentioned a number of times... [1345]

Heaton added in his monthly report that boy scouts from the Moccasin troop represented the "early pioneers" on the float.

While not extremely rare, the discovery of human remains in and around the monument was also an event considered out-of-the-ordinary. One such find took place in June 1947, when Heaton's children discovered an Indian burial in the wash south of the monument. "Upon investigation," Heaton reported to headquarters, "it was found that the winds had uncovered the burial of an Indian of several hundred years ago. The children have been instructed not to disturb it as it might prove of some worth to the Monument and early Indian history." [1346] In July Heaton reported, "Made a trip to where the children found the burial and paint. Part of the head and arm and ribbons exposed and being scattered, so gathered them up and brought them to the fort. Head to the southwest, no artifacts. Noticed a rock at the head, laid out straight." [1347] (The presence of ribbons in the burial raises a question as to the accuracy of Heaton's estimate that the burial was made "several hundred years ago.")

In 1949, while local Moccasin residents were excavating clay and gravel on the reservation at a ridge just south of town to make area road repairs, two Indian burials were uncovered. Heaton reported to Superintendent Charles J. Smith that once the burials were recognized they were left alone, "as the older people have been told about the penalty of molesting Indian burials." [1348] Two other burials had been found in that area several years earlier, Heaton reported to Smith. "There has [sic] been a number of Indian burials found in and around the town of Moccasin over the past 30 years," he added. "Some pottery was found, most of which is now in the museum here at Pipe Spring National Monument." [1349] In March 1950 while Heaton, Assistant Superintendent Art Thomas, and Park Naturalist Merrill V. Walker were looking at "some old Indian relics south of the park," Heaton reported they found yet another burial. [1350]

Indian burials were not the only subject of scientific interest during these years. On July 20, 1949, Heaton spent several hours with two visitors, Dr. Edward H. Colbert of the American Museum of Natural History and another man named Von Frank, hunting for dinosaur tracks six miles north of the monument. Heaton later wrote, "Did not find the first tracks but located another set in the canyon west." [1351] In October Merrill Walker came over from Zion to look for the tracks with Heaton in the same area. Heaton reported, "Found a number, got one and brought it home.... Walker took some pictures of the track here at the fort. He will write Dr. Colbert over findings." [1352] The following summer, Heaton spent time with Dr. Charles L. Camp, a geologist from University of California, looking at the same dinosaur tracks. [1353] In addition to paleontological and geological interest in the Pipe Spring area, a number of botanists visited the monument through the years to study the monument's desert plant life, some from the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona.