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The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the Grand Canyon Historical Society Volume 24 : Number 1 www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Winter 2013 In This Issue Citizen Kane-yon ....... 3 President’s Letter The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the Greetings All GCHS Members and GCHS Friends! Grand Canyon Historical Society As your newly elected president I am honored to help lead this fantastic or- Volume 24 : Number 1 ganization into the future. At our last board meeting, there was palpable excite- Winter 2013 ment in the air about our future as one of the primary organizations concerned with the documentation and recording of Grand Canyon’s dynamic human his- u tory. I want you to know that your officers are dedicated to making this an even The Historical Society was established better Society in the future, that will evolve and change, much as the canyon in July 1984 as a non-profit corporation landscape has done over the last 6 million years (or is that 70 million?). There to develop and promote appreciation, is a new energy among the officers that will drive our ambitions forward as we understanding and education of the prepare for the next symposium in 2017. But four promising years lie between earlier history of the inhabitants and important events of the Grand Canyon. us and that date with destiny and we will not be idle until that day. Some of the goals we have in mind are to publish the 3rd Symposium papers in either The Ol’ Pioneer is published by the “print-on-demand” form or the old fashioned book route; the possible initia- GRAND CANYON HISTORICAL tion of an Oral History Project”; some initiatives on finding a broader range of SOCIETY in conjunction with The articles for The Ol’ Pioneer (with all deference to our everlasting hero Don Lago); Bulletin, an informational newsletter. Both publications are a benefit of and attempts to revitalize the Outings Program. membership. Membership in the Society Our out-going President, Erik Berg, has already thanked our two retiring is open to any person interested in the board members and welcomed the new ones in a previous letter to you. But I historical, educational, and charitable must pen a few words on behalf of all GCHS members to Erik. THANK YOU purposes of the Society. Membership is for the outstanding leadership you gave to our Society during the past four on an annual basis using the standard calendar; and dues of $25 are payable on years. You helped to bring this organization back from the brink of irrelevance the 1st of January each year, and mailed and instilled a sense of pride and professionalism that might have seemed im- to the GCHS Treasurer, PO Box 31405 possible then. When we look back to the time of your first letter to us (in the Flagstaff, AZ 86003-1405. The Ol’ Pioneer Spring, 2009 edition of The Ol’ Pioneer), you asked each member to “consider magazine is copyrighted by the Grand [their] own rediscovery [and] continued exploration of the Grand Canyon and Canyon Historical Society, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication its history.” I can do no better than that in asking our members to stay involved. may be reproduced or used in any form All of us thank you for the dedication you gave to this organization in your four without permission of the publisher. year presidency. I promise to try and emulate the high standard you set for me. I will try to attract younger members to the Society, pursue a closer relationship Editor: Mary Williams with our partners (GCNP, GCA, MNA, and NAU), and attempt to make the Submit photos and stories to the editor of The Ol’ Pioneer at: info@ history of this world-class feature something more than a dry recitation of facts marywilliamsdesign.com or 4880 N. and dates. Weatherford Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Erik is not going away, he is merely transitioning to our Outings Coordina- (928) 779-3377. Please submit written tor. I am most happy for that, as I attempt to navigate the headwinds of far too articles and photos electronically on CD many e-mails in my in-box, extended time away regarding work responsibili- or via email if possible. You may mail photos or slides for scanning if needed. ties, and a busy modern life-style. So with that, I thank you all in advance for your trust in me and let’s set about to make Grand Canyon’s history come alive! Submissions to The Bulletin should be sent to Karen Greig, [email protected] Wayne Ranney GCHS President GCHS Officers Wayne Ranney, President John Azar, Vice President Amy Horn, Treasurer Tom Martin, Secretary Lee Albertson, Pioneer Award Chair NOW! Find us on Facebook. Al Richmond, Hall of Fame Award/ Scholarhip COVER: Mule ride into the Grand Canyon, April 20, 1915. William Randolf Hearst is Erik Berg, Outings Coordinator at the back of the pack, and in front (standing) is comedian Will Rogers Jr. Grand Canyon National Park photo # 10892 Board of Directors Howard Asaki Karen Greig John Azar Beth Hickey The Ol’ Pioneer submission deadlines are going to be roughly the first of Janu- Erik Berg Amy Horn Ellen Brennan Tom Martin ary, April, July, and October. Kathy Faretta Carol Naille Keith Green Wayne Ranney 2 : Grand Canyon Historical Society Citizen Kane-yon by Don Lago values of pioneer America, in which most beautiful and awe-inspiring individual effort and an endless scenery that…can be found 39 Continued from Issue 23:4 frontier promised both freedom and anywhere in the world. ranklin Roosevelt did not se- financial success, were no longer lect Harold Ickes as Secretary of functional in an industrial, corporate This almost reads like a justification the Interior because Ickes had world dominated by ruthless for taking William Randolph Hearst’s Fany background as a conservation- oligarchs. The Great Depression land. ist: Ickes had none at all. Ickes wasn’t and environmental problems were As Secretary, Ickes often found even interested in the job. Ickes had both symptoms of the same disease: ways to pursue his passion for human wanted to be the commissioner of the unregulated greed. rights issues. When Ickes built a large Bureau of Indian Affairs, where he Denuded forests, floods, new headquarters for the Interior could continue his passion for fight- droughts, a disappearing water Department and an artist proposed ing for the underdog. At the start of table, erosion, a less stable and for it a major mural depicting the four the twentieth century Ickes had been equable climate, a vanishing elements — air, water, fire, and earth inspired by the progressive move- wild life — these are some of — Ickes preferred a mural depicting ment, by its outrage at the growing the notable results of unchecked the oppression of Native Americans oligarchy and injustice in America. and ruthless exploitation by and African Americans. It was Ickes As a Chicago lawyer Ickes helped men who euphemistically who arranged for African-American Jane Addams and her Hull House, refer to themselves as “rugged singer Marian Anderson, when 37 took cases too radical for other law- individualists”.... refused the DAR auditorium, to sing yers, and served as president of the Beautiful scenery that man at the Lincoln Memorial. Since the Chicago NAACP. Ickes became a ma- with all his genius could never Interior Department had jurisdiction jor force in Chicago politics, a nasty hope to duplicate has been over Native American policy, Ickes world where his pugnacious person- destroyed or marred in order that brought about major changes to make ality fit right in. Ickes idolized Teddy some rugged individualist might those policies far more respectful Roosevelt and remained a strong be able to buy a Rolls-Royce of tribal rights and traditions. Ickes progressive even as America became for his feckless son or finance wanted landscapes in national parks much more conservative. When the another fling with his favorite to have Native American names, not 38 1920 Republican National Conven- chorus girl… Euro-American names; he once fired tion repudiated the Teddy Roosevelt National parks are a off a memo complaining that Bryce tradition by nominating Warren Har- distinctly American institution. Canyon had names like “Queens ding, and the usual motion was made No other country has set aside Garden.” to make the nomination unanimous, in perpetuity such areas of Ickes took office less than a decade an outraged Harold Ickes screamed great natural beauty…In the after the Teapot Dome scandal had “NO!” loudly enough to be heard all middle ages the ruling classes badly marred the reputation of the over the convention hall. In that fall’s appropriated to themselves Interior Department, and Ickes was campaign Ickes worked for the Dem- great groves of trees and wide determined to redeem and expand ocratic candidates, James Cox and expanses of sylvan glade. One of the agency. Ironically, he soon Franklin Roosevelt. Yet when Frank- the reasons for the strong stand renewed the campaign of Albert lin Roosevelt was elected president a of the English barons when they Fall, the villain of Teapot Dome, dozen years later, many old progres- forced King John to sign Magna to remove the Forest Service from sive leaders distrusted him, seeing Charta was because the King had the Department of Agriculture and a pragmatist with few convictions. disregarded one of their most add it to the Interior Department. Roosevelt wanted to reassure the pro- cherished prerogatives — that Once again Gifford Pinchot weighed gressives by appointing one of them of establishing great forests in in against transferring the Forest to his cabinet.