The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the Historical Society

Volume 25 : Number 1 www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Winter 2014

In This Issue

Louis Schellbach’s Log Books VIII — 3 Le Conte Plateau — 6 No Time for the River — 7 Rememberances — 11 President’s Letter The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the To all members of the Grand Canyon Historical Society, we wish you a Grand Canyon Historical Society very Happy New Year! May 2014 bring everyone success, happiness, and Volume 25 : Number 1 many visits to the Grand Canyon! Since the last edition of The Ol’ Pioneer, Winter 2013 the Society has been busy on many fronts. As always, we work to ensure that Grand Canyon’s history is preserved and enjoyed by many. To that end, here u are some of the initiatives we have been working on. The Historical Society was established One of the biggest news items is that we accepted delivery of the latest in July 1984 as a non-profit corporation symposium volume entitled: A Rendezvous of Grand Canyon Historians: to develop and promote appreciation, Ideas, Arguments, and First Person Accounts. At 303 pages and containing understanding and education of the 42 chapters, it provides the content for all but one of the talks given at the earlier history of the inhabitants and important events of the Grand Canyon. 2012 Symposium. It is the largest of the three volumes that have now been published. All members owe a huge debt of gratitude to Richard Quartaroli The Ol’ Pioneer is published by the who edited the volume and to Hazel Clark who did a bang-up job designing GRAND CANYON HISTORICAL this attractive volume. The Society would also like to acknowledge the Grand SOCIETY in conjunction with The Canyon Association who published the volume and will sell it in the park’s Bulletin, an informational newsletter. Both publications are a benefit of bookstores and on their web site. If you would like to order your copy (a steal membership. Membership in the Society at $19.95), just visit the GCA’s web site at: www.grandcanyon.org/shop/ is open to any person interested in the online-store/new. historical, educational, and charitable The Board held their (now) semi-annual meeting in Flagstaff at the purposes of the Society. Membership is home of Murphy Johnson. We moved forward on our Strategic Plan, with on an annual basis using the standard calendar; and dues of $25 are payable on a number of critical items receiving attention. Perhaps the most exciting the 1st of January each year, and mailed development is the start of the GCHS Oral History Project (OHP). The Board to the GCHS Treasurer, PO Box 31405 approved using some of our long-held funds to begin an interview process Flagstaff, AZ 86003-1405. The Ol’ Pioneer of those persons who have lived and/or worked in the Grand Canyon magazine is copyrighted by the Grand region. A training session with members of the park’s Museum Collections Canyon Historical Society, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication and NAU’s Cline Library Special Collections will be held in February or may be reproduced or used in any form March. If you would like to be part of this program, either as an interviewer without permission of the publisher. or interviewee, please contact Tom Martin at your earliest convenience: [email protected]. This is sure to be another lasting legacy of Editor: Mary Williams our Society. Submit photos and stories to the editor of The Ol’ Pioneer at: info@ We also decided to expand our Scholarship program to include funding marywilliamsdesign.com or 4880 N. for research related to Grand Canyon’s history. This grant money will be Weatherford Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. open to anyone researching Grand Canyon history, and not just those who are (928) 779-3377. Please submit written students at a university. It will be designed to support small projects (under articles and photos electronically on CD $1,000) such as digitizing a historic photo collection, a scholar’s travel to access or via email if possible. You may mail photos or slides for scanning if needed. a collection, or similar research expenses. We will announce specific limits, research parameters, reporting requirements, and application deadlines later Submissions to The Bulletin should be this year. Please consider contributing to our new and expanded Scholarship sent to Karen Greig, [email protected] & Research Fund when you renew your membership! The Board also approved additional funding to enlarge and expand the GCHS Officers Wayne Ranney, President page count and content on our Web site. If you have not visited the web site Beth Hickey, Vice President recently, please be sure to see what our Web Master, Diane Cassidy, has been Erik Berg, Treasurer up to at: www.grandcanyonhistory.org. There you will find an expanded tool Tom Martin, Secretary bar that describes the new Research grants and the new Oral History Project. Ellen Brennan, Outings Chair This is the time of year to renew your membership in the GCHS. As you Frank Romaglia, Membership Lee Albertson, Pioneer Award Chair can see, there are many exciting initiatives in the works and we need your Tom Martin, Oral History Chair support more than ever. Here’s to a rousing, successful 2014 for everything Al Richmond, Hall of Fame Award/ Grand Canyon! Research Grants / Scholarship Chair

Wayne Ranney Board of Directors Lee Albertson Karen Greig GCHS President Howard Asaki Beth Hickey John Azar Tom Martin Cover: Looking into Canyon from Point. Photographer R.S. Leding. Circa 1952. NPS Erik Berg Carol Naille photo. Ruby Canyon is located at the bottom center, Le Conte Plateau to its right. Ellen Brennan Frank Romaglia Kathy Faretta Wayne Ranney 2 : Grand Canyon Historical Society Louis Schellbach’s Log Books: Part VIII by Traci Wyrick I do not want compensatory time Collom and Kenneth. She at work off—much prefer receiving overtime on mounting botanical specimens. (SEPT – EARLY NOVEMBER 1945) pay. However for him to pay that it Ken and I on pottery restoration. A must be an emergency and he cannot new species of Carex grass added Saturday Sept. 1, 1945 justify keeping Yavapai open as an to collection. The first record for the A.M. Shop duty. P.M. off. Out to West emergency—so I am the goat again. State and the Park. Ken and Mrs. C. to Rim to try new color film. Completed Will have to work at Yavapai again go to the North Rim for Wednesday roll of Kodachrome. To movie in tomorrow, making practically eight and Thursday. Packed fish for evening. Japan has formally signed days in a row. Battery in Gov’t car sending to U.S. National Museum for the unconditional surrender terms dead. study and determination. Attended this evening. Tomorrow V-J day. reading of draft on the Naturalist Large crowds pouring into the park Wednesday Sept. 12, 1945 and Interpretive Departments sent for holiday. Morning off. P.M. Shop. The 10:30 by C.P. Russell, Chief Naturalist for a.m. lecture discontinued for suggestions. Answered same. Tuesday Sept. 4, 1945 season. Kenneth Lundie to be made On corresp. Received three volumes temporary ranger and assigned to Thursday Sept. 27, 1945 of early annual reports of the Bureau Naturalist work and Yavapai duty Yavapai duty. Bound Kodachrome of Amer. Ethonology from Mr. Edgar tomorrow. M.N.A. returned Hermit slides some 80 odd. Windy and chilly M. Craven, Mt. Lakes, New Jersey. litho spec. by express. on parapet so held lecture indoors. Also a clock to replace the one in the Kenneth and Mrs. R. Collom returned Rain gage by the Weather Bureau. Tuesday Sept. 18, 1945 this evening with a goodly collection Worked until 12:20 a.m. at Shop with At shop on archaeological specimen of plant specimens. Shop in evening. Les Arnberger on making study skin restoration. The Harvey Bus, of squirrel and on pottery restoring. afternoon trip to Desert View Saturday Sept. 29, 1945 inaugurated (1:30 p.m.) At Yavapai in Day Off. Worked at Shop on restoring Thursday Sept. 6, 1945 p.m. breaking in Ken Lundie. At shop pottery. In p.m. out to Yavapai to take Yavapai duty for day. Les. A.’s day in evening on mending pottery. Ken a series of photos showing visitors off. He leaves Saturday. Received the also there studying and preparing using the interpretive mechanisms. shipping box for fish from U.S. Nat’l himself for delivering the Yavapai To movie in evening with family Museum, from Warehouse in a.m. Talk. and Mrs. C. Daylight saving time Miss Eppler, former stenographer, abolished at 2 a.m. tomorrow. We go is visiting at G.C. To the house in Friday Sept. 21, 1945 back to standard time. evening. Shop duty. Ken at Yavapai. Worked on restoring pottery of site 480. On Tuesday Oct. 2nd 1945 Friday Sept. 7, 1945 duty in p.m. at Yavapai with Ken. Delivered 200 copies of “Ancient A.M. shop duty on monthly report, He to give his first lecture there. Did Landscapes” to Emery Kolb per and correspondence. Evening fairly well. McKee’s letter 9/20-’45. Received Les Arnberger’s folks over to from Josef Muench, Pictorial the Workshop and house to see Sunday Sept. 23, 1945 photographer, a salon print of Grand Kodachrome exhibit. He leaves At work in Shop on pottery restoring Canyon titled “The Spirit of Grand tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. for Tucson. and around noon out to Victory Canyon,” for the Grand Canyon This leaves me alone again to carry Garden to harvest potatoes and collections. Accessioned books on. onions. To dinner at El Tovar with received on the 1st and made Library family and Mrs. Collom. Shop in of Congress cat card notices. Bryant Sunday Sept. 9. 1945 evening. says he cannot have the herbarium On duty at Yavapai for day. Although labels typed by the steno. She is too the law calls for working only 40 Monday Sept. 24, 1945 busy around the 1st of month. So I did hours a week and beyond that Attended rain gage. In shop. Ken at them myself as Mrs. Collom leaves overtime pay—I still have to work Yavapai. Gave the 3:30 p.m. lecture the end of the week and the sheets more and no overtime. To avoid so that he could get a better idea should be finished and placed in paying such the Supt. has asked that of presenting the story. To shop in herbarium. Completed pricing the I take compensatory time next week. evening until 10:45 p.m. with Mrs. large vela from Site 480 this afternoon. www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 3 Wednesday Oct. 3, 1945 materialized and made the porch Friday Oct. 26, 1945 Yavapai duty. Ken’s day off. Not unusable. Received slide cover glass. At Workshop. Lundie at Yavapai. notified that there will be a staff Continued with pottery restoration meeting. Tuesday Oct. 16, 1945 and correspondence. The Levitts Lundie at Yavapai. Schellbach at visited the shop in a.m. Mr. Wolf Monday Oct. 8th, 1945 Workshop. Received rain gage clock also visited at Shop and the botany A.M. duty at Workshop. Made up and replaced same. Mailed back old professor from U. of C. Evening, 8:00 book sales a/c for September and one to U.S. Weather Bureau. Packed p.m. had the Levitts and the Wolf’s the bank deposit for G.C. Natural and expressed herbarium specimens together with several others at Shop History Assn. Prepared two letters for of “Ranuculus” to Dr. Benson at to a Kodachrome exhibit of Grand H.C.B. to sign. Prepared a specimen Pomona. In a.m. gave the orientation Canyon subjects. of the Halapai tiger, collected at Kolb talk to members of the Armed Forces Studio yesterday. The first specimen at the Rest Camp. In p.m. packed and Saturday Oct. 27, 1945 from the rim. On duty at Yavapai in mailed plant specimens collected by Day Off. Lundie to leave me for p.m. Kenneth at work on observation Mrs. Collom to Dr. Kearney at San the North Rim for the winter on records. Saw doctor this a.m. (10:30) Francisco. At work packing moss Wednesday. Evening to show with he checked my blood pressure, specimens to be sent to Mrs. Haring. Donny Lou. temperature, heart, lungs, nostrils, ears, eyes, and what not, but could Wednesday Oct. 17, 1945 Tuesday Oct. 30, 1945 find nothing wrong with me. Gave Full day duty at Yavapai. Lundie’s Completed pottery restoration and me some nose drops and pills and day off. Heavy attendance all day. painting. Started accessioning and asked that I call and see him again Ordered 20 year index of Journal of cataloging material. Lundie, Yavapai day after tomorrow. Mammology, cloth-bound at $3.50 for Station. Lundie leaves for North Rim the Reference Library. Took several caretakers job for the winter. Wednesday Oct. 10, 1945 bills to the Treasurer, Miss Verkamp Lundie’s day off. Schellbach Yavapai for her attention. In evening , dinner Thursday Nov. 1, 1945 duty. General clean up of Station and guests of Davy Jones at the Army Yavapai duty. Relieved in p.m. by grounds. 1 p.m. at workshop giving Rest Camp, and remained for the H.C. Bryant. Had to take photographs special lecture on conservation U.S.O. movie. of structures, roads, walls, paths, and park naturalist duties, fireplaces, etc. to show their disrepair responsibilities and qualifications to Friday Oct. 19, 1945 since the War, because of lack of funds the Conservation Class of Dr. Allen Shop duty. Attended preparing and help. Evening held Boy Scouts of the Flagstaff State College. Then several entomological specimens and Committee Meeting, to examine boys gave them a talk on museum and corresp. Filed Kodachrome slides. for 2nd Class Scouts. Changed filters collection techniques and showed Worked on restoring pottery from in camera. them the study collections. Asst. Supt. site, G.C. 480. 56 visitors at Workshop Davis relieved at Yavapai during the during day. Monday Nov. 5, 1945 interim. Back to Yavapai at 2:30 p.m. Day off. Went to shop and changed and again had the class attending the Saturday Oct. 20, 1945 graph sheet on rain gage. Made up regular 3:30 p.m. lecture. What with Day Off. Birthday for me this day. October publication sales account the visiting public attending had an Geo. O. Bonawit as weekend guest. and bank deposit for Grand Canyon overcrowded house, but everything Came up from Parker Dam. Went out Natural History Ass’n. Ordered 200 went well. My head cold bothered me to Grand View late in afternoon for copies of G.C. Country and wrote greatly and I had a splitting headache photographing. Griffith Observatory. Handed H.C.B. all day. the film exposures of subjects needing Sunday Oct. 21, 1945 attention at G.C.N.P. He took over Thursday Oct. 11, 1945 In a.m. down the Kaibab Trail a way Yavapai today. Tomorrow got to Lundie’s day off. Schellbach, Yavapai for scenic photographic shots. Geo. Flagstaff with family to attend to duty. Turned over book sales account Left at 2:20 p.m. for Parker Dam. purchases and car, also to Williams and bank deposit slip to G.C. to make bank deposit in person for Natural History Assn. treasurer, Monday Oct. 22, 1945 G.C.N.H. Assn thus saving money Miss Verkamp. Received prints from Shop in a.m. Lundie at Yavapai. order fees. H.C.B. going to attend Northrop of the exposures made at Attended correspondence. Afternoon Rotary luncheon and asked me as guest Yavapai a week ago. They were not duty at Yavapai. Lundie at Shop on should I be able to get to Flag by 12 so good. Held the 3:30 p.m. lecture bringing Wildlife observations to noon. (Loaned Kenneth Lundie three indoors and thankful I did for during data. Evening at Shop on pottery personal books for use on North Rim the talk a heavy thunder shower restoration until 10:30 p.m. this winter,: “History of Philosophy”

4 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org “Guide of the Arctures by Beeker” National Park in Oklahoma. (Platt Dr. Lyman Benson — U.S. American “Camp Cooking” by Kephart.) was originally known as Sulphur botanist at Pomona College, Springs Reservation, est. in 1902.) Claremont, CA. NEW NAMES NOT PREVIOUSLY Thomas Whitecraft was P. Forest’s Gaustead — Joe Gaustad, Electrician. PUBLISHED: (I excluded any names Superintendent from 1940-1950, See attached memo below, provided Schellbach already identifies in however he was away in military by GCHS member, Dove Menkes. the above entries). If readers know service from October 1943 through GCHS member Shirley Patrick also information on any names with a “?”, March 1946 (?) Branch returned in writes that Gaustad was the CCC please send it to myself or the editor. 1950 as a full superintendent. He worker who installed the telephone Josef Muench — (1904-1998) his arrived on Sept. 3, 1950 and was lines across the canyon. He had name became synonymous with transferred on December 31, 1955 a “helper”, but Joe basically did AZ Highways magazine after to Platt. the installation himself because his captivating photography Porter Tinichise — Don Schellbach the “helper” wouldn’t do the of Rainbow Bridge . He first writes “Porter’s last name was job to Joe’s satisfaction. Hikers arrived in in 1936, and spelled Timeche and pronounced today can still see the old phone made 200 trips to Grand Canyon. the same. He was a Hopi Indian lines through the main corridor. He is considered the ultimate and Hopi Clan Chief who lived Shirley continues…”I still can’t in environmentalist through his wide in the Hopi House. He was a rug my wildest dreams picture how range of photography of Earth’s weaver and was later promoted Joe ever got those “pipes” up on natural treasures. to sales. He had three children; the rocks-installed the posts-and George Bonawit — (1891-1971) a daughters Lavern the oldest, Betty strung the line!” Gaustad is buried talented stained-glass artist who the youngest and a son, Billy.” Don in the Grand Canyon cemetery. later in his life documented the writes, “Betty and I were about building of Parker Dam, working the same age and went to school as a professional photographer. He together. Billy was older, but I ran Look for the rest of 1945 in a future was recognized by his peers as one around with him later on. Billy was issue of “The Ol’ Pioneer” of the most talented craftsmen and a big hit as a dancer at the Indian artists of his time. Dances held at the Hopi House. “ Levitts — (?) Mr. Wolf — (?) Halapai Tiger- an insect, often called the Kissing Bug and also known as “Conenose Bug”. They normally reside in packrat dens.

NAMES FROM ENTRIES NOT SELECTED : Frost — (?) worked at the Naturalist department Shorty Rowen — (?) filled the station water tank Hubbs Chase-Foreman

ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS: From PART 1: Edgar Craven — Edgar Malin Craven (1891-1960) banker and accomplished artist.

From PART 7: Supt. Branch — NPS Chuck Wahler writes, “William E. Branch arrived at Petrified Forest, N.M. on April 7, 1944 as Acting Superintendent and continued in this role through the end of Feb. 1946, when he was transferred (the first time) to Platt www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 5 Le Conte Plateau by Dov Menkes 1885 and 1886 he visited in northern Place Names, Dellenbaugh mentions California and Oregon with Dutton. that “Dutton started the naming of he USGS Geographic Names He was a member of the Sierra Club features after Orientals with Vishnu System has: and a friend of John Muir. He died in Temple, Shiva Temple, Zoroastor Named in early 1908 by Dr. his beloved Yosemite in 1901.1 Temple. He did not like Indian TArnold Guyot, for the geologist, There are several geographical Names—thought them ugly. I had Professor Joseph Le Conte who names of Guyot and Le Conte, in several arguments with him on the took observations for him with a the U.S. Places were often named subject as I objected violently to the stationary barometer during their after prominent scientists. I have not Oriental and Egyptian nomenclature. exploration of the area. learned who proposed Le Conte for I have objected ever since…” 2 the Grand Canyon. In the 1920s the USGS solicited Le Conte did not make observations Grand Canyon Place Names were substitute names. Many were for Guyot and neither was ever at the often taken from classical mythology, submitted, however, there were Grand Canyon. ie, Apollo Temple, , Cheops considerable publications, maps, Guyot was born in Switzerland Pyramid… After the Matthes-Evans with the existing names. So it was in 1802. He came to the US in 1848 map was published, there was a decided to leave the names as is. and was a professor at Princeton backlash from those who thought University. He died in 1884. Native American and Local names (Endnotes) Le Conte was born in Georgia in should have been used. Many 1 Detailed biographies are on the web. 2 Barnes Collection, Arizona Historical 1823. He received degrees and taught scientists and interested parties (like Society. in the south. He left for California Fred Harvey) protested. in 1869, where he taught at the In a 1934 letter to Will Croft University of California, Berkeley. In Barnes, who was compiling Arizona

Le Conte Plateau

6 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org No Time for the River: Thomas Wolfe’s Experience of the Grand Canyon

by Don Lago rich river, full of strange time, Oh, Tiber! Father Tiber! You’d dark time, strange tragic time, is only be a suckling in that mighty 3 4 hen the Sierra Club flowing, flowing out to sea! land! published its photos-and- These examples may also give you a quotes format book on the clue about Wolfe’s greatest weakness It’s a bit curious, then, that in the GrandW Canyon in 1964, its title, Time as a novelist. His high energy wasn’t Sierra Club book that almost steals and the River Flowing, contained an balanced by much sense of limits Wolfe’s title, and that includes echo obvious to any literary-minded or form. Even after his editor, the seventy-two literary quotes, there reader. Twenty-nine years previously, famous Max Perkins, who was is no quote from Thomas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe’s novel Of Time and the also the editor-mentor-confidant of no mention of him at all. Most of River was one of the biggest literary Hemingway and Fitzgerald, labored the quotes are from nature writers events of the 1930s. Of Time and the to give form to Wolfe’s flood of prose, and conservationists. Joseph Wood River was still widely read in 1964. Wolfe’s novels, starting with Look Krutch provided thirteen quotes, Thomas Wolfe’s greatest strength as Homeward, Angel in 1929, remained Loren Eiseley eleven quotes. Grand a novelist was his gift for lyricism, a rambling and excessive. Wolfe’s Canyon explorers John Wesley Powell Whitmanesque poetic flowing. Wolfe admirers held that his appetite for and Clarence Dutton each provided was especially noted for his images life was marvelously Faustian, but nine quotes. There was almost no of youthful longing, of the hunger for others found his musings about presence of American novelists, only experience, and of the brevity of life. life and time and fate to be merely John Steinbeck with two quotes. No other writer could match Wolfe at adolescent gushings. In the 1930s Thomas Wolfe should have turning railroad trains into symbols Wolfe was often hailed as the equal been well-attuned to nature and of youthful dreams of distant places of the best American writers of the rivers. He was born and grew up in and adventures. Wolfe also loved to time—but it was a time when stream- Asheville, North Carolina, perhaps use rivers as symbols of time flowing, of-consciousness in novels counted the most famous resort town in the symbols of life’s energy, beauty, for more than did architectural grace, Appalachian Mountains, to which mystery, and unstoppable passing: and Wolfe’s stream could be murky people came from New York City The great river burned there in indeed, and wildly out of its banks. and other discordant cities to rest his vision in that light of fading Near the end of its nearly 1,000 themselves in nature. I once followed day, and it was hung there in that pages, Wolfe’s Of Time and the River the French Broad River through spell of silence and forever, and includes a mention of the Colorado Asheville, driving to a section of it was flowing on forever, and it River, as part of his hailing the great the French Broad famous for its was stranger than a legend, and rivers of America: kayaking, and as I looked up the as dark as time.1 By the waters of life, by time, hill at the Riverside Cemetery where by time: the names of great Wolfe was buried, I imagined that I Always the rivers run, and mouths, the mighty maws, the would be kayaking a literary river, always there will be great ships vast, wet, coiling, never-glutted with philosophical flows and rocks upon the tide, always great horns and unending snakes that drink and holes. Wolfe seemed a better are baying at the harbor’s mouth, the continent. Where, sons of prospect for appreciating nature than and in the night a thousand men, and in what other land will any novelist of his generation. Writers men have died, while the river, you find others like them, and like Steinbeck and Dos Passos were always the river, the dark eternal where can you match the mighty preoccupied with Great Depression river, full of strange secret time, music of their names?—the social injustices. City boys like washing the city’s stains away, Monongahela, the Colorado, The Fitzgerald barely noticed nature, or, thickened and darkened by its Rio Grande, the Columbia [Wolfe like Hemingway, saw nature mainly dumpings, is flowing by us, by names another twenty rivers], as a stage for macho posturing. us, to the sea.2 these are a few of their princely Faulkner wasn’t even inclined to see names, these are a few of their a river as a symbol of time’s progress, And in the nighttime, in the great, proud, glittering names, fit for after 1865, Southerners had ceased dark, in all the sleeping silence for the immense and lonely land believing in progress and were stuck of the earth, the river, the dark that they inhabit. in the knots of convoluted history. www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 7 In Of Time and the River, Wolfe’s editor of The Portland Oregonian. The , the ultimate knife’s autobiographical character expresses two hit it off, partly because Miller’s blade revealing deep time. Yet Wolfe interest in the American West: “I will wife came from a town next door to seemed mainly interested in the go up and down the country, and Wolfe’s Asheville. Miller and Ray scorching Mohave Desert: “…and back and forth across the country Conway, the director of the Oregon so out of Needles—and through on the great trains that thunder over State Motor Association, were heat blasted air along the Colorado America. I will go out West where planning a 2-week marathon tour of 15 miles or so and then across States are square; oh, I will go to Boise, Western national parks, mainly to the river into Arizona—pause for and Helena and Albuquerque.”5 prove that the West’s fast-growing [agricultural] inspection, all friendly A few months after Of Time and network of paved highways made and immediate—then into the desert the River was published, Wolfe took long-distance tourism a practical world of Arizona—the heat blasted his first trip west, and made the first possibility. They planned to visit air—the desert mountain slopes clear of two visits to the Grand Canyon. thirteen national parks in a loop that in view and more devilish…”14 His main purpose in going west led south through California, to the Wolfe was fascinated by the shapes was to attend a writer’s conference Grand Canyon, north through Utah, and colors of the desert, but repeatedly at the University of Colorado, but to Yellowstone and Glacier, then called the desert “fiendish.” Again his afterward he took the train across the west to Mt. Rainier. They invited attention was riveted by a train: “And Southwest to California. A handful of Wolfe along. Wolfe realized that far away immeasurably far the almost postcards Wolfe sent to Max Perkins such a trip would be hit-and-run at moveless plume of black of engine offer a few glimpses of Wolfe’s thirteen parks “without seeing any smoke and the double header freight reactions. From Greeley, Colorado, of them,”10 but this was just the sort advancing—advancing moveless— on July 30, 1935, Wolfe sent Perkins of gluttonous experience of life that moving through timeless time and a postcard showing Rocky Mountain Wolfe loved. Wolfe didn’t know on and on across the immense plain National Park: “Dear Max: I’ve seen how to drive, so he rode in the back backed by more immensities of no mountains yet but the West is seat and kept a notebook that was fiendish mountain slopes…”15 wonderful—blazing hot, but crystal later published as A Western Journal. Throughout the journey air, blue skies—The journey across Wolfe’s notes were brief jottings, so Wolfe, coming from the all-green the country was overwhelming—I’ve perhaps it is not entirely fair to judge Appalachians, was reassured to find never begun to say what I ought to Wolfe’s perceptions by these notes, areas of greenness and cultivation say about it—Tom” 6 Three weeks but they do give us his unedited amid the rock and desert. Rising later Wolfe sent Perkins a postcard reactions and a sense of what Wolfe onto the , Wolfe of the cliff dwellings of Puye, New found noteworthy. appreciated the rising forests: “Slopes Mexico: “Dear Max: This is the most Wolfe and friends left Portland no longer fiend troubled but now magnificent country—wild, arid, on June 20,1938, and on June 23 friendly, forested familiar…”16 friendly, magnificent—just the way they crossed the Colorado River at Wolfe and friends were hoping to I always knew it would be.” 7 On Needles. Wolfe had been noticing reach the Grand Canyon by sunset, August 28 Wolfe had arrived at the rivers along the way. The Klamath but it was almost dark when they Grand Canyon and sent Perkins a River was “a thread of silver river in arrived at the Bright Angel Lodge. postcard with a Gunnar Widforss the desert.” 11 With the Sacramento Then, for the first of ten times in his canyon painting: “Dear Max: You can River Wolfe was fascinated by journal, Wolfe began referring to get no idea of this from a post card but, how Western rivers snake through the canyon with an odd nickname: it is stirring and incredible—I begin canyons, but then he got distracted by “the Big Gorgooby” or “the Old to see how inadequate all I have said the trains along the river: “And now Gorgooby.” Twice he would call the and written about this country really down into canyon of the Sacramento Gorge “the is.”8 Wolfe seemed to be responding in among the lovely Siskiyous and Small Gorboody.” Only three times to the glories of nature, but then, from all through the morning down and would he use the name “Grand Reno, Wolfe sent a postcard showing down and down the canyon, and the Canyon.” The word “gorgooby” casino gambling tables: “This is no road snaking, snaking always with a does have the ring of “gorge.” exaggeration—there are dozens of thousand little punctual gashes, and Was “gorgooby” some kind of these places—wide open and going the freight trains and the engines Appalachian slang? To track down full blast all night long—The West is turned backward with the cars in this possibility I contacted over a glorious.”9 front.”12 Approaching Yosemite, he dozen scholars of Thomas Wolfe and Three years later Wolfe had another followed “breath taking curves and Appalachian folklore, but none of chance to see the Grand Canyon. He steepness and sheer drops down them could identify any source for was in Portland, Oregon, starting a below into a canyon cut a mile below it. They also said that Wolfe was not vacation in the Pacific Northwest, by great knifes blades…”13 in the habit of inventing nicknames when he ran into Edwin Miller, the Finally Wolfe arrived at the for places. Twenty years after their

8 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Romanticism. But by 1938, writers more interested in people than in like John Muir and artists like Thomas the landscape. Wolfe was, after Moran, and of course the tourism- all, a novelist, always in search of minded Santa Fe Railway, had interesting characters. He had a quick spent decades trying to redefine the eye too, nailing “the Eastern cowboy Southwest as a landscape of beauty with Fred Harvey hat.” and grandeur. Thomas Wolfe can Wolfe went to Cameron, still a be forgiven for finding the Mohave genuine and rustic trading post, and Desert “fiendish” when he was in had “lunch in an Indian Lodge-ee…” a car without air conditioning in Then at Marble Canyon Wolfe had 110-degree heat, but his insistence on one more chance to see the Colorado seeing the Grand Canyon as “the very River, see some truly profound time edge of hell” is an odd anachronism. and the river, but Wolfe reported only: Nevertheless, this seems a “—and now the gorge, much smaller promising start for Wolfe’s encounter down, of Big Gorgooby, and the with time and the river. Yet soon Navajo Bridge—and the Gorgooby, Wolfe was more interested in the brown-red-yellow—a mere 1000 feet lodging facilities, as he often was or so below—and on and on across on the trip: “So to our cabin—and Big Gorgooby now through desert trip with Wolfe, Ray Conway wrote delightful service—and so to dinner land…”22 to Ed Miller reminiscing about it, in the Lodge…Fred Harvey’s ornate Wolfe was cheered to climb back and he said he had been puzzled to wigwam—and to dinner here—and into the forests. The meadows on the hear Wolfe speaking the phrase “Big then to walk along the rim of the Big way to the North Rim were “a golf Gorgooby” and asked Wolfe what he Gorgooby and inspect the big hotel— course big and narrow on both sides.” meant, and Wolfe said that he had just and at the stars innumerable and 23 He arrived at the North Rim in time invented this name for the canyon; he immense above the Big Gorgooby.”18 to see “the tremendous twilight of wasn’t sure why; it just seemed to fit. In the morning, “a deer outside the Big Gorgooby”24 In the morning It may be a poet’s job to invent a new the window cropping grass” woke he was fascinated by the ritual of the language for things, but to people Wolfe up.19 This day Wolfe and lodge staff singing songs to departing who find grandeur in the Grand friends traveled from the South Rim guests: “Sound of waitresses and Canyon, the phrase “Big Gorgooby” to the North Rim. They stopped at maids singing farewell songs—”till hardly seems an advance in dignity. the Yavapai museum, where “the we meet again” etc—to passengers It sounds more like the flippant pop Ranger along and looked through departing on buses—Traveling U.P. slang of the next generation’s Tom observation glasses at Old Gorgooby sentiment and C declared there were Wolfe, the author of The Right Stuff. and unvital time.”20 tears in eyes of the passengers and “Gooby” rings of “goober,” the old Unvital time? Perhaps Wolfe meant some of the girls—Into Lodge for country slang for peanut, a silly echo the nonliving, unmoving rocks view from terrace of the Big Gorgooby for the Grand Canyon. of geological time. Of course, to a in first light—and glorious!—and Wolfe approached the canyon rim geologist, rocks are full of vitality. glorious!—wrote half dozen post and saw “the Big Gorgooby there Wolfe was more interested in the cards in brilliant sunlight as before— immensely, darkly, almost weirdly geologist-ranger: “Alberdene the then into breakfast…”25 In his journal there—a fathomless darkness peered young geologist with crisp-curly hair he wrote more observations on at from the very edge of hell with and cheery personality who talked rangers, tourists, and staff, and that abysmal starlight—almost unseen— and remembered me from 3 yr. ago— was it for the Grand Canyon. They 17 just fathomlessly there…” an Arizona PhD and at Harvard too— were off to Zion, where the tourists There’s some intensity here, some but now wants no more teaching and were “awed by nature dutifully,” poetry, some effort to grasp the applies for Philippines—so down to 26 and Bryce, where Wolfe “peeked canyon. But the thing that stands out Lookout Tower where the caravan in at the inevitable Ranger and the most is Wolfe’s calling the canyon rim streams in and listens to lecture attentive dutiful sourpusses listening “the very edge of hell.” Fifty years by young Ranger Columbia and to the inevitable lecture—Flora and before, when Americans were first into tower and all the people—the Fauna of Bryce Canyon.”27 encountering the Grand Canyon, it Eastern cowboy with Fred Harvey Wolfe did not seem to consider it was common to hear people reacting hat and shirt and cowgirl with broad his duty to be awed by nature. For negatively to the canyon and the rest hat, and wet red mouth, blonde the rest of the trip, in spite of flashes of the desert Southwest, whose naked locks and riding breeches filled with of emotional and poetic reaction rock violated the standards of green buttock…”21 to nature, Wolfe remained more natural beauty defined by European Throughout the trip Wolfe was interested in people than in nature, www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 9 more in towns, farms, hotels, and and the River he spent over 200 pages colorful characters, yet not seeing the trains than in deserts and canyons. roaming European cities. Yet even West’s main message to humans: that He continued taking note of rivers, the Paris-loving Ernest Hemingway amid vast, ancient landscapes that but as “the miraculousness of water thought Wolfe needed to get out included grand rivers and canyons in the west,” not as the powerful gods into the real world. In Green Hills of and time, the human story is a minor of a geological epic full of deep time Africa, Hemingway prescribed: “I detail. Indeed, Wolfe actively resisted and amazing events.28 Wolfe’s Grand wondered if it would make a writer this message by focusing on hotels Canyon postcard to Max Perkins of him, give him the necessary shock and trains. In Of Time and the River three years previously, announcing to cut the over-flow of words and Wolfe had thought of the West as that “I begin to see how inadequate give him a sense of proportion, if they “where States are square,” defining all I have said and written about this sent Tom Wolfe to Siberia or the Dry it by the most abstract of human country really is,” was not followed Tortugas.”29 Or to the Grand Canyon? impositions upon it. He had thought up by any adequate writing about the It is at least symbolic that Thomas of the West as Boise and Helena Grand Canyon. Wolfe’s nickname, Wolfe’s strongest critic, who defined and Albuquerque, not as Yosemite, “the Big Gorgooby,” was not only the whole critical case against Wolfe Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon. inadequate but plain stupid. The in a 1936 Saturday Review essay Wolfe’s disconnection from nature Cameron Trading Post too was not called “Genius is Not Enough,” was was symptomatic of the American cute enough for Wolfe, so he turned Bernard De Voto. When De Voto disconnection that would make it it into a “Lodge-ee.” The North wasn’t reviewing novels he was a so difficult for conservationists like Rim’s alpine meadows were merely nature lover and conservationist. Bernard De Voto to explain why “a golf course.” Wolfe even mocked De Voto played a major role in the the rivers should continue flowing tourists for caring about nature. 1950s battle over whether the rivers in Dinosaur, Glen Canyon, and the Compared with the experience of continued flowing in Dinosaur Grand Canyon. other writers—Powell, Dutton, Muir, National Monument. It was this Wolfe became ill only two days Van Dyke—Wolfe’s experience of the battle that gave birth to the Sierra after the end of his western journey, Grand Canyon was as shallow as an Club’s series of photos-and-quotes and it’s likely that the journey’s Esplanade puddle. format books, which a decade later exhausting pace contributed to his We’ll never know if Wolfe’s trip produced Time and the River Flowing. death. Wolfe was eulogized partly and notes and flashes of poetry De Voto would have found it ironic as the great writer he could have might have developed into a deeper indeed that the novel he scorned become. Perhaps if Wolfe had lived, perception of the land. Soon after lent its title to the cause he loved. De if he had managed to absorb the reaching Seattle, Wolfe developed Voto’s basic complaint against Wolfe message of his “Siberia,” he might pneumonia, which reactivated was that his characters weren’t real, have applied his gift for lyricism—a his childhood tuberculosis, which that their actions and emotions and gift that was greater than that of infected his brain and soon killed musings were badly overwrought. many famous nature writers—to the him. Wolfe’s western journal was the Given De Voto’s grounding in real flowing of real time and real rivers, last manuscript he wrote. nature, his complaint that Wolfe was time and rivers as real and deep as In spite of his Asheville roots, not connected with reality could the Grand Canyon. Thomas Wolfe belonged to a literary be extrapolated to apply to Wolfe’s culture that was smugly urban. failure to connect with the Grand (Endnotes) When Wolfe wrote all those evocative Canyon. 1 Thomas Wolfe, A Stone, A Leaf, A Door (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1945), page images of trains heading for a life Yet this failure wasn’t simply 77. Copyright © 1951 by Edward Aswell, of adventure, the trains weren’t Thomas Wolfe’s personal failure. It Administrator C.T. A., Estate of Thomas heading west; they were heading was the failure of the literary culture to Wolfe. Copyright Renewed 1979 by Paul for New York City and Boston. The which he belonged, a culture in which Gitlin, Administrator C.T.A., Estate of river in his images wasn’t a wild Paris cafes or the proletarian struggle Thomas Wolfe. 2 Ibid, p 71. western river; it was often merely were the real world, not nature. The 3 Ibid, p 156. the Hudson, full of freighters and literary culture of the 1920s and 1930s 4 Wolfe, Of Time and the River (New York: pollution. Wolfe’s river was hardly was largely oblivious of literary Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1935), p 868. even a real river, but simply a literary nature writing; almost no one read 5 Ibid, p 157. symbol of life flowing along. Wolfe Walden, or had even heard of it. The art 6 Thomas Wolfe and Max Perkins, To Loot My Life Clean: The Thomas Wolfe-Maxwell came of literary age during the Lost world was dominated by abstraction; Perkins Correspondence, edited by Matthew J. Generation, when even New York even the walls in Greenwich Village Bruccoli and Park Bucker (Columbia, S. C.: City was an inadequate address for would be humiliated to be seen University of South Carolina Press, 2000), p writers, and they felt obligated to with a western landscape painting. 168. head for Paris. Wolfe too headed for Wolfe was seeing the West through 7 Ibid, p 174. 8 Ibid, p 175. Europe after college, and in Of Time the eyes of a novelist, seeing lots of

10 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org 9 Ibid, p 179. 16 Ibid, p 17. 24 Ibid, p 22. 10 Thomas Wolfe, A Western Journal (Pittsburgh: 17 Ibid, p 18. 25 Ibid, p 23. University of Pittsburgh Press, 1951), p 5. 18 Ibid, p 19. 26 Ibid, p 27. 11 Ibid, p 5. 19 Ibid, p 19. 27 Ibid, p 30. 12 Ibid, p 6. 20 Ibid, p 19. 28 Ibid, p 34. 13 Ibid, p 10. 21 Ibid, p 20. 29 Ernest Hemingway, Green Hills of Africa (New 14 Ibid, p 15. 22 Ibid, p 21. York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1953), p 71. 15 Ibid, p 16. 23 Ibid, p 21.

Remberances

y first visit to Grand Canyon, like was a large log building—El Tovar many baby boomers, occurred in they called it. We had eaten lunch there Canyon Don’ts M the 1950s. I remember arriving at the once—reheated frozen Mexican food… train depot with my parents, shouldering and a little dry at that. At El Tovar obey the clerk a small suitcase and trudging up the That winter my husband moved his To early rise take care hill to the El Tovar, only to discover transportation desk up to El Tovar and At latest eight…and don’t be late that our room was down the rim at the I would occasionally visit the hotel to Unless you feed on air. Bright Angel Lodge. My father, anxious meet him for lunch or just hang around about his room for the night, dragged and watch the tourists. I sat beside the Don’t let them send you out at 9 us through the parking lot, past Colter roaring fireplace, looked at the animal To take a canyon drive, Hall and down to the Bright Angel. My trophies, admired the dark wood floors (To learn to sneeze and see some trees mother, afraid of heights, noticed the and began to wonder who built it? And And circulate a $5.00.) wide expanse of AIR to our right and why? Yet, the canyon still had a hold grabbed hold of me tightly. Ah, yes… on me and I would wander along the When standing on the canyon brink that must be the Grand Canyon. And so rim between the El Tovar and Bright Pray go no further — Stop! it was. Angel, admiring the changing scene. DON’T brave the lunge and take the Later, outside the Bright Angel, I was no longer a kid of nine, headed plunge we watched the sunset. Pretty colors, for Disneyland, but someone who was Or stock in life will drop. strange and constantly changing cliffs— sinking her roots ever so slowly into a but as for me, well, I was just a kid of place that had not changed and would When writing in this little book nine, we were headed for Disneyland, always be there for me. Keep safely from the truth and the canyon seemed very much like In 1986, we moved to Flagstaff and I DON’T knock…be wise…’twill just a big hole in the ground. Like so visit the canyon infrequently. But, when advertise many things in life it was nice but no I do return, I find it unchanged and a But green, untutored youth. big deal—just a stop on our trip west. special place not just for its beauty but Little did I know that when I returned a for the people who have inhabited its Arthur J. Ryan second time—the view had not changed, buildings, walked between Bright Angel December 6, 1905 but I had. and El Tovar, and come to love—as we In 1973, my husband and I moved to locals call it—“the big hole.” the South Rim. He ran the transportation desk at the Bright Angel Lodge and was Carol Naille responsible for the mule rides into the January 18, 1994 From the “Impressions” book at El Tovar canyon. I worked in the Bright Angel submitted by Carol Naille Curio Shop and I spent my half-hour lunch sitting on the rim—in awe of this wonder of the world. Up the hill, there

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Did You Know?

Illinois Wesleyan University award- ed John Wesley Powell a PHD in 1877. unless you renew your membership! submitted by Dove Menkes

NOW! Find us on Facebook. • Membership in the Society is open to any person interested in the historical, educational, and charitable purposes of the Society. • Membership is on an annual basis using the standard calendar; and dues are payable on the 1st of January of each year. • Membership is $25 per year ($30 outside U.S.). To become a member The Ol’ Pioneer submission or renew your membership, go to grandcanyonhistory.org. There is deadlines are roughly the first an online payment option. Or, write down your name, address, phone of January, April, July, and number and email address and send it with your check to the Grand October. Canyon Historical Society at PO Box 31405, Flagstaff, AZ 86003.

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