IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARIES IN 1936
by
Paul R. Franke

The year 1936 marks the anniversary of a number of historical events most important to the Southwest. These, in chronological order, may be listed as: Escalante's journey from Santa Fe to the Great Salt Lake in 1776, the passing by Congress of the Antiquity Act in 1906, and the Creation of Mesa Verde National Park in 1906.

It was on the 29th day of July in 1776 that Fray Francisco Atanasio Dominquez and Fray Francisco Silvestre Velez de Escalante departed from Sante Fe, the capitol of New Mexico, for the purpose of exploring the land north and west hoping to discover a direct route to Monterey, in Alta, California.

Fray Escalante, in his diary¹, states that he made use of the notes and diary of one Juan Maria de Rivera, who had covered the route from Santa Fe to Fort Roubideoux in 1765. Rivera was therefore no doubt the first white man to see the Mesa Verde, but as his diary has never again been found by historians and we are unable to state how close he really come to the great Plateau, we must, in the evidence of recorded historical data confer that honor upon the expedition of Fray Francisco Escalante.

1. Harris, W.R., The Catholic Church in Utah, Intermountain Catholic Press, Salt Lake City, 1909, Pages 124-242.

The route of the expedition as shown on the accompanying map, closely parallels the present highway north from Santa Fe through Abiquiu, Pagosa Springs, thence westward through Durango and near the Mesa Verde. To quote from his diary the paragraphs describing his camps in the vicinity of the Mesa Verde:

"10th day of August, Father Fray Francisco Atanasio awoke with a severe attack of rheumatism, which he had begun to feel the day before in his face and head, and it was necessary to remain here until he was relieved, the continued rain and dampness of the place, however, obliged us to leave. Going north a little more than half a league we turned northeast. A league farther on we turned to the west, through beautiful mountain glens, full of verdure, roses and other flowers. Two leagues farther on it began to rain copiously which caused Father Atanasio to become much worse, and also made the road impassable. We passed on two leagues farther west, but were obliged to stop by the first of the two small streams which make up the San Lazaro, other called Las Mancos. The pasturage continues to be abundant; Today, four and a half leagues.

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"11th day of August. Notwithstanding the cold and dampness from which we suffered, we were obliged to remain because Father Atanasio was very much weakened from his suffering, and had some fever. We were not able to visit the mines of the Sierras, although one of our companions, who had visited them on a former occasion, assured us they were but a short distance away.

"12th day of August. Father Atanasio awoke somewhat better, and, for a change of place and temperature more than for the purpose of continuing our journey, we left this location and the river of San Lorenzo (Las Mancos) to the northeast, and after going a little more than a league we turned to the west-northwest, and traveled five leagues over green mountains with good pasturage. To the west for two and a half leagues we passed through a piece of burnt-ever woodland with scant pasturage, and turned to the north, crossing the Rio de Nuestra Senora de los Dolores (River of our Lady of Sorrows), and halted on the southern side of the Sierra de la Plata. This river flows south, and during this season is much smaller than the northern river. Today a little more than eight leagues.

"13th day of August. We made a stopping place here, so that the Father might the sooner recover, and also that we might ascertain the latitude of this location and the plain of the River Dolores in which we find ourselves. We have taken observations and find we are in latitude 38 degrees 13-1/2 minutes. There is everything here requisite for the establishment of a good town, the land only needing irrigation, with pasturage, wood and timber. On the southwest bank of the river, on a rise of ground, there appears to have been, anciently, a small town, similar to these of the Indians of New Mexico, judging from the ruins found here, which we carefully examined. Father Fray Francisco Atanasio being very much better today, we decided to continue our travels on the morrow."

Thus on the 14th day of August the expedition passed on to the north and west. There can be no doubt from this description and a study of the map that during the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of August in 1776 this expedition was in full view of the Mesa Verde. Its name is not used and in those early years the archeological wonders in the southern canyons were only noted in the legends of the Indians. The year 1936 therefore marks the one hundred and sixtieth anniversary of the exploring expedition of Fray Silvestre Velez do Escalante, the first white man to describe the country adjacent on the north escarpment of the Mesa Verde.

It was on June 8, 1906 that President Theodore Roosevelt signed an act just previously passed by Congress, entitled "An act for the preservation of American antiquities." This act was the result of destructive exploration and vandalism in the magnificent ruins located in the Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon regions. The act provides among other things:

"The any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure, or destroy any historic or prehistoric ruin or monument, or any object of antiquity, situated on land owned or controlled by the Government of the United States, without the permission of the Secretary of the department of the Government having jurisdiction over the lands on which said antiquities are situated, shall upon conviction, be fined in a sum of not more then five hundred dollars or be imprisoned for a period of not more than ninety days, or shall suffer both fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court." Approved, June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. L. 225).

On June 8, 1936 appears the thirtieth anniversary of the passing of this act and its influence and effect can be seen in the archeological parks and monuments that were fathered by it.

Just twenty one days after the passing of "An act for the preservation of American antiquities" the same congress created the Mesa Verde National Park. This act of June 29, 1906 (34 Stat; 616), provided among other things, "That the said public park shall be known as the Mesa Verde National Park and shall be under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior," also; "that the examination & excavation are undertaken only for the benefit of some reputable museum, university or some other recognized scientific or educational institution, with a view to increasing the knowledge of such objects and aiding the general advancement of archeological science. The act also provides that permission for scientific research be secured from the department and that the people of the United States be not deprived of the free enjoyment of the ruins.

A third anniversary then appears on June 29, 1936, to mark the thirtieth year since the creation of the Mesa Verde as a National Park.

A fourth event of major importance to mark a milestone in the development of this park will occur during the next summer. This will be the dedication of the new and enlarged museum which is now under construction. This new addition has been made possible by funds allocated to the Park by the Public Works Administration.

Thus to review, we hope to celebrate in 1936, by suitable programs and lectures and pageants, four important events in Mesa Verde History:

June 8, 1936 - The 30th Anniversary of the Antiquity Act.

June 29, 1936 - The 30th Anniversary of Mesa Verde as a National Park.

August 10th, 1936 - The 160th anniversary of Escalante's exploring expedition.

An un-named date in 1936 — The dedication of the enlarged Mesa Verde Museum.

We hope that many of the friends and visitors of past years will plan their next summers vacation to be with us during one of these celebrations.