PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Area Roads

The condition of the approach road to and through the monument (State Highway 40) varied widely during the early 1950s. In general, Mohave County road crews continued to maintain the road from Pipe Spring to Short Creek while the Indian Service was responsible for the road from the monument to Fredonia. [1635] In May 1951 Heaton reported at the Zion staff meeting, "[The] road conditions east and west of the monument [are the] best in years." [1636] Rainstorms or melting snow, however, always created road problems. By August 1951, the approach road was rutted and muddy. Near the end of that month Heaton spent one-half day helping to extricate a mail truck from the road mire.

Again, when snows melted on the Arizona Strip in mid-January 1952, area roads became muddy. About that time, Heaton spent most of his Saturday off "digging cars out of the mud in and near the monument. Ten today; had three of my own stuck, six Indian cars. Roads as soft as they can get. Snow about gone." [1637] Fortunately, county and Indian road crews were out at the end of the month to grade and smooth the approach road. Heaton wrote, "There is a report that the Indian Service plans to start graveling the road from Fredonia, Arizona through the reservation past the Monument five miles west. This work is to start within the next two or three weeks." [1638]

In mid-May 1952, road equipment arrived at the reservation for the graveling project and work began soon after. By mid-June, the Indian Service was hauling water from the monument "faster than it runs into the ponds," reported Heaton, to wet the roads down and reduce dust. [1639] In early September Heaton wrote, "A lot of electioneers out for jobs and votes. The Indian road will end today if no more funds are had and it is only half done. Most everyone is very disgusted with the way the roadwork has been done and money wasted." [1640] In mid-September, Heaton reported the Indian Service had to close down construction activities for lack of funds: "The roadwork has closed down on the Fredonia and Hacks mine project with the road about half completed. I would say a very poor management of road building. I hope [the] next allotments of money will be given to a contractor." [1641] In October 1952 the Mohave County road crew put a new decking on the Short Creek Bridge. One road crew burning weeds along the section between the monument and Fredonia set a bridge on fire and burned it out, requiring visitors to detour for a while. [1642]

On February 17, 1953, three men from the Mohave County Board of Supervisors visited the area to inspect road conditions on the Arizona Strip. Soon after their visit, a bill was passed by the Arizona Legislature recommending the development of an all-weather highway from Fredonia, Arizona, to Hurricane, Utah, via Pipe Spring National Monument "for the benefit of the Indians and others residing in the area and the people of the United States." [1643] The House of Representatives passed House Joint Memorial No. 2 on March 3, 1953. No appropriation was attached to this bill. The bill passed the Senate on March 21, 1953, and was sent to the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Office of Indian Affairs, and Bureau of Public Roads. In addition the bill requested that the Grazing Service office be transferred from St. George, Utah, to Fredonia, Arizona, to "simplify the payment of taxes and fees and eliminate much existing dissatisfaction with the handling of matters pertaining to grazing in this area." [1644]

A day after the bill was passed by the House, Superintendent Franke made an inspection visit of the monument and discussed signage with Heaton. The two men then went to Fredonia where Franke made a presentation at a Fredonia Booster Club meeting. The superintendent talked about prospects for a new road and about future area developments. "People enjoyed it very much and [the talk] gave them some encouragement on getting a road through this way," Heaton later wrote. [1645] But as had always been the case, the Park Service's hands were tied with regard to improving State Highway 40. Director Wirth wrote Arizona Governor Howard Pyle regarding House Joint Memorial No. 2 in April 1953.

The road improvement program is a desirable one and we wish to assure you that this Service is always anxious to cooperate with other Federal agencies and the States in the planning and construction of a highway such as proposed in the legislative body of your state.... However, our only present authority to construct or maintain roads outside of the boundaries of the areas we administer is limited to certain specific [qualified] approach roads...

We are of course, very much interested in all roads leading to the areas of the National Park System, and we would like since to work towards a road improvement program that would bring visitors to those areas safely and pleasantly. However, since the road in question between Fredonia and Hurricane, except for the portion within the monument, is not under our jurisdiction, the expenditure of funds by this Service even if they were available, is prohibited by law to improve this road. [1646]

In May 1954 Heaton reported the Fredonia Booster Club was vigorously promoting improvement to the Hurricane-Fredonia road. A year later he reported, "There is a movement underfoot for the transfer of the roads through the Indian Reservation to the County of Mohave, which if done will aid a lot to the proper maintenance of these roads." [1647] In December 1955 Heaton reported the Fredonia Booster Club passed a resolution to use their influence with the Coconino and Mohave counties' boards of supervisors to get the Hurricane-Fredonia road approved by the Arizona State Legislature in 1956. Pressure on county and state officials to improve the Hurricane-Fredonia road continued in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The new road would be a very long time in coming.