PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Visitation

Travel figures for the monument dropped at the beginning of this period, from 17,138 in 1963 to 14,312 in 1964. (The reason for the sudden drop in numbers is not apparent.) In 1965, 1966, and 1967, visitation increased very little: 15,597, 16,181, and 16,895 respectively. From early 1965 until mid-1967, construction was taking place on State Highway 389. Two events contributed to a jump in increase for 1968 and 1969, when 21,539 and 27, 232 visitors came to the monument, respectively. [2072] The opening of State Highway 389 during the summer of 1967 was the first factor that had a positive impact. The other factor was the popularity of the new "living ranch" theme carried out first by costumed guides and then supplemented by community volunteers. As described earlier, these programs were initiated by Geerdes in 1968 and were expanded during 1969 (see "Monument Administration" section). It is impossible to know which of the two changes resulted in the most increase, improved roads or improved interpretive programs. Geerdes was convinced the latter deserved the credit. Both certainly played a role, as well as the increased publicity the monument received in association with its new programs. It is worth noting, however, that visitation to Zion and Bryce Canyon also reflected a significant increase for 1969.

Visitation to Pipe Spring over the Easter weekends between 1964 and 1970 fluctuated over the years, often dependent upon the weather. The monument received only one-half its customary attendance during the 1964 Easter weekend. Visitation picked up again for the 1965 Easter holiday to about 1,100 people, comparable to earlier years. The attendance for the 1966 weekend is unknown as Bob Olsen was away for training in March and April and filed no reports for those months. In his absence, Hugh Bozarth and Joe Bolander served as guides during that year's Easter weekend. A cool Easter weekend in March 1967 brought about 300 visitors per day, an unusually low number for the holiday. No report was made on Easter visitation during 1968. Geerdes reported 1,200 visitors came to Pipe Spring for the Easter weekend of 1969.

On May 17, 1964, 30 University of Utah students and faculty visited Pipe Spring National Monument on a biology field trip. On June 4, 1964, 136 girls from the St. George Stake toured the building and picnicked at the monument with their Church group. On June 17, 1964, 45 students and faculty members from San Diego State College on a geology field trip toured and camped on the monument. Also that month 40 members of the Clark County Gem Club (Nevada) camped at the monument. On August 23 Mrs. Louise L. Udall (Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall's mother) visited the fort with relatives. Her party was on its way to the dedication of the Jacob Hamblin house in Santa Clara, Utah. Other relatives of the Udall, Lee, and Hamblin families visited that morning. A group of 75 Sons of Utah Pioneers made a quick 20-minute stop to see the monument in September 1964. In 1964 Establishment Day (May 30) was advertised by press release, but resulted in a poor turnout. Bozarth opined this was because the weekend coincided with the annual opening of Utah's fishing season. There are no reports of this event being held at the monument in 1965 and 1966.

Groups visiting the monument during 1965 included the Cedar City chapter of the Utah Historical Society; the Dons Club of Phoenix; a senior citizens group from the Los Angeles area; a group of boys from the Aaronic Priesthood in St. George and Panguitch; student groups from the College of Southern Utah and San Diego State College; and the usual field trips made by area elementary and high schools and boy scout troops. Visitors that year with family connections to the site included Rella Hamblin Lee of Downey, California, and Grace Hamblin De Armen of St. George, Utah (daughter and granddaughter of Jacob Hamblin, respectively), and Mr. and Mrs. Erastus Dilworth Woolley of Manti, Utah (Mr. Woolley was the son of Edwin D. Woolley, Jr.). Both visited in October 1965; Olsen took the opportunity to pump Dilworth Woolley for historical information. [2073]

A noticeable increase in the number of Church groups came to the monument in 1966. In May testimonial services were held at Pipe Spring by a group of 30 home missionaries from the Kanab Stake. Also that month 90 Church seminary students from the San Fernando Valley, California, visited in addition to 130 members of the Aaronic Priesthood. Other groups visiting in 1966 included boy scout troops, students from Brigham Young University and Dixie College, the Dons Club of Phoenix, the Las Vegas Sierra Club, the 4H Club, the Utah Pioneer Sons and Daughters (from Kane and Washington counties), a group from the Miracle Rest Home of St. George, and members of the Sevier County chapter of the Utah Historical Society. In November 1966 Lloyd Sandberg (past park historian) returned to the monument to lead a group of 25 teachers on a tour.

Groups that visited the monument in 1967 included the boy scouts (including 80 from Belgium and Luxembourg and a carload from England), various school groups, members of the Dons Club, of Napa Valley Tours (California), the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (including Kate B. Carter, author of Treasures of Pioneer History and Our Pioneer Heritage), and trainees from the Albright Training Center. Several campfire talks were given to large father-son groups camping at the monument, one from St. George and the other from Cedar City. During the time the St. George group was at the fort, 17 of the boys were discovered one evening going over the fort's walls into the locked fort. Monument staff held them inside until the camping leader arrived to reclaim them. During the visit by the Cedar City group, three boys were caught climbing the fort walls into the locked fort. On both occasions, this was accomplished without the aid of the lightning protection system cables, which had been moved inside the fort. Bozarth consoled himself with the thought that "such abuse" would cease once camping was no longer allowed at the monument. [2074]

One of the monument's visitors during the summer of 1967 was Donald D. Dodd, the Army's commanding officer at Pipe Spring's Camp DG-44 in 1938 and 1939. He returned after nearly 30 years to see the monument and site of the old CCC camp. He was not the only man associated with the camp who returned. [2075] From time to time, other past enrollees returned and made known to the staff that they had worked with the CCC at Pipe Spring. (The camp's Chief Clerk Jack Harden not only returned to Pipe Spring but also volunteered several seasons to work at the monument during the 1990s. He donated his collection of photographs, taken at Pipe Spring during the late 1930s.) Other important guests who visited the monument in August 1967 include Governor and Mrs. Jack Williams and Fredonia's Mayor Warren Dart Judd and his wife Olive, mentioned earlier.

In 1968, in addition to boy scout troops and elementary and high school groups, students from the University of Utah (accompanied by Dr. Gregory Crampton), College of Southern Utah, Dixie College, Brigham Young University, and Baylor University visited the monument. Other groups included Park Service trainees from the Albright Training Center, a group with Golden Circle Tours (Long Beach, California), Leisure World Tours (Los Angeles), the Dons Club (Phoenix), the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (Salt Lake City), the Sierra Club (Las Vegas), and Kanab's First Baptist Church. Individual visitors in 1968 with historical links to the site included P. W. Duffing of Caliente, Nevada, who had worked as a cowboy for B. F. Saunders (prior owner of Pipe Springs); and Mrs. Latimer of Washington, Utah, granddaughter of Dr. James Whitmore. [2076]

On July 20, 1968, two National Geographic Society officials visited the monument as part of a John Wesley Powell Centennial survey. In September 1968 Sterling McMurrin, Dean of the Graduate School of University of Utah and personal friend of Secretary of the Interior Steward L. Udall, visited the monument and later wrote a letter to Udall encouraging him to visit Pipe Spring. During October of that year, the monument was visited by two USGS officials, Tad Nichols (official photographer for the USGS motion picture on John W. Powell's trip through the Grand Canyon) and Dr. Edwin D. McKee (Western representative of the Powell Centennial).

After 1968, Ray Geerdes rarely reported visits by individual groups to the monument although their numbers were included in travel figures. It is notable, however, that in March 1969 a group of members from the Utah State Legislature visited the monument, accompanied by their families and newsmen from Salt Lake City.

Reunions

The Brown family held a reunion on August 1, 1964, with 70 attending. On July 2-4, 1965, the A. P. Winsor family held its family gathering, attended by 99 people. The Winsor family donated a piece of hand-worked table linen made while the Winsors lived in Provo, Utah, in the 1850s and used while they were at Pipe Spring. They also donated a child's pink dress made by Mrs. A. P. Winsor, Jr. [2077] On June 24-26, 1966, the Butler family held a reunion at the monument, attended by 21 family members. On November 23, 1967, the Heaton family of Moccasin held a Thanksgiving outing at the monument, attended by 40 people.