Bandelier Administrative History

February 1916—Bandelier National Monument is established; under the terms of the Antiquities Act of 1906, administration falls to the United States Forest Service.

February 1932—Administration of the monument transferred to the National Park Service.

November 1933—Civilian Conservation Corps camp opens in Frijoles Canyon.

December 1933—First automobile traverses the road to the floor of Frijoles Canyon.

1934—First six-year master plan for Bandelier developed.

1939—Jemez Crater National Park proposed for Bandelier area.

July 1940—CCC camp in Frijoles Canyon closes.

December 1942—The U.S. Army acquires the Los Alamos Ranch School in preparation for the establishment of a secret research facility.

1944—Bandelier and Regional Office officials protest after the "army" builds a road through the Otowi section without permission.

August 1945—The secret of Los Alamos becomes public after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

August 1947—Fred Binnewies becomes first superintendent of Bandelier.

1952—Visitation tops 50,000; Second master plan developed.

March 1957—Mission 66 for Bandelier approved.

January 1961—Frijoles Mesa transferred to the National Park Service.

1962—Proposal to create Valle Grande-Bandelier National Park; NPS attempt to purchase Baca Location #1 thwarted by sale to private parties.

May 1963—Park Service acquires the Upper Canyon area, while turning administration of the portion of the Otowi section west of Highway 4 over to the Atomic Energy Commission.

1963—Visitation at Bandelier tops 100,000.

1964—Wilderness Act of 1964 passes Congress; it mandates that Federal roadless areas of more than 5,000 acres be reviewed for their suitability for inclusion in a system of designated wilderness areas.

Summer 1986—Archeological survey of Bandelier National Monument begins.

1970—New draft master plan developed; it includes the recommendation that no designated wilderness area be established at Bandelier.

1970—Visitation at Bandelier tops 200,000.

December 1971—Public hearing in Los Alamos shows extensive support for the idea of a wilderness at Bandelier.

1974-1977—$130,000 spent on studies and removal of feral burros at Bandelier.

1976—First Resource Management Plan at Bandelier approved.

October 1976—Designated Wilderness area at Bandelier is established.

June 1977—La Mesa fire occurs. Burro eradication program implemented during the fire. Archeologists precede bulldozers along fire lines in an effort to save cultural resources.

1980—Resource Management unit, combining cultural and natural resource management, is formed.

1980-1983—Park Service is enjoined from continuing burro eradication program; an agreement with the Fund for Animals Inc. allows for a live capture program; after completion of the program, Park Service removed remaining burros.

June 1985—Cochiti Dam floods area along the Rio Grande; flooding continues during following summers.

Fall 1985—Proposal for alternate road to Los Alamos gathers momentum. Proposed routes include one adjacent to the eastern boundary of the monument and another south of Tsankawi.

November 1985—Public outcry to protect Bandelier from Project Overblast; the Los Alamos National Laboratory subsequently rescinds the proposed development.