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Show PAGE 22 THE ZEPHYRMAY 89 Times at Arches N.M Quiet with Lloyd Pierson and Jamison Jim Stiles On April 12, Arches cslsbratsd Its 60th anniversary as a National Park. actually began as a National Monument In 1929, when President Hoover affixed his signature to an official proclamation. Since then the size, status, and popularity of Arches has Increased drastically. From a meager 5,000 acres then, to over 70,000 acres today. From a handful of hearty souls who braved the treacherous sandy, rocky trails to see the srches snd sBckrock sentinels In 1929, to over a half million tourists In 1988. Today, the park Is accessible by paved roads snd made Increasingly convenient by a "modern fully equipped campground, running water, flush toilets, an air conditioned visitor center, museum, and book store. In its recently released General Management Plan, the National Park Service now Intends to spend upwards of 14 million dollars to further Improve services, extend pavement, expand the campground, and construct a new visitor center. Arches National Park has In ways become a business, with Its own mega-budg- et, growing staff, computer room, and burgeoning management problems. It wasnt always like this, of course. The life of Arches National Park could easily be split In half the first 30 years were lazy, quiet times, with low visitation and primitive facilities (an "Inadequate Infrastructure would be the term used today to describe the old dirt roads and shacks that passed as offices). The watershed year of 1956, marked the beginning of the end of those times. It's been getting busier, and more frenetic ever since. Lloyd Pierson was the Chief Ranger at Arches from 1956 to 1961; Lyle Jamison worked as the administrative officer from 1959 to 1960. Lyle later returned to Canyonlands National Park in the early 70s. Lloyd and Lyle retired from government service about 10 years ago; In Januaiy, I coerced both of these guys to take a ride with me through Arches to remember and recall the "good old days, and observe the changes that have occurred in thirty years. It Lyle a The residential area at Arches looked something like a shanty town two Marian had wife his remnant Hooverville from the Depression. Lloyd and kids, and when the Jamisons showed up with their four, the housing problem became criticaL To remedy Lyles problem, the park managed to procure a couple of trailers from Coronado National Monument They situated the trailers face to face and built a "lovely patio" as Lyle called It (see photo) In between. Lloyd lived "In an old shack. Bates tied an old haybarn to the side of It as the kids bedroom. It was adequate." The work that employees at Arches National Monument performed thirty years ago has changed some. It would be unfair to say their responsibilities were specialized. In fact It would be ridiculous to say that "Each of us took our turn. recalls Lyle, "at patrolling the road, cleaning the outhouses, picking up garbage and talking to the tourists. Lloyd recalled the trail building projects that were one of Bates Wilson's specialties. "Bates really had my tall dragging on that trail work. He was a wiry kind of guy and could work me right into the ground. I remember once, not long after I got here. Bates hauled me out to the Devils Garden to do some trail work. He said we wouldnt need to take water, that thered be plenty of pothole water out there from the recent rains. Well, he was right, but the potholes were full of good stuff like deer turds and larvae, and real good algae, all kinds of Interesting tilings floating In the water drinking. When the uranium boom reached its peak, Uoyd and Lyle spent a lot of time chasing prospectors out of the park. "These guys never seemed to know where the boundary was," remembered Lyle. "Theyd come out here with spray paint and tittle red flags, spraying the rocks and setting the flags to mark the .claim. Sometimes, wed be right behind them, pulling the tittle pennants and stones. rolling over the spray-paint- ed It almost sounded like something Ed Abbey would do. this (Note: Interview took place two months before Ed Abbeys death on March 14). The question naturally arose; what was It like to be Ed Abbey's supervisor? "When I got here In August of 1956, Bates had already hired Ed for the season. He lived by himself gp at the trailer near Balanced Rock. When he came back the next season, Ed had a beard. Bates took one look at those whiskers and pulled me aside, wondering what we should do. I checked the manual and there was nothing In there that said he couldn't grow a beard. Bates figured we'd just have to live with It, and then Ed came along and shaved It off himself. But the beard wasnt nearly as much of a problem as the "subversive risk Abbey apparently presented to more conservative elements of the Park Service. "In the spring, a memo came down to us from the Regional Office, saying before you hire tills man, check with us. This was the McCarthy Era, and there was a whole list of organizations thought to be Communist or subversive by the House The Wayside Exhibit Near Balanced Rock The most obvious change Is the road Itself. "None of this was here of course, pointed out Lloyd as we rolled through the Entrance Station. "The paved road, the visitor center, all of it except Bates house (former superintendent Bates Wilson who lived In the stone house now adjacent to the visitor center), was a part of Mission 66, the big nationwide construction project to Improve the facilities at parks and monuments. Actually, the first section, where It switch-bac- ks cliffs was the up begun by the G.C.CLS (Civilian Conservation Corps) In 1939 or 1940. Then the war came along and It all got put on hold for fifteen years. "Before this road was finished, we had to go up the main highway several miles to a turnoff just beyond Seven Mile; then it was eight or nine miles up a dirt road over Courthouse Wash and past Willow Springs to the Wayside Exhibit, about the only Interpretive visitor center we had. The staff at Arches In the late 50s consisted of a superintendent, a chief ranger, an administrative officer and a maintenance foreman. In addition, the National Park Service hired two seasonal rangers each summer, one at Arches, the other to be stationed at Natural Bridges National Monument In San Juan County. Lyle Un-Amer- ican Activities Committee. "Bates and I discussed It, and decided that when Abbey showed up, wed show him the memo. When Ed saw It, he went straight to Santa Fe (the Regional Office) to set the record straight I guess he did because he kept his Job. By 1958, Mission 66 funds started to roll In and the road and visitor center construction projects were underway. It was hard getting used to all that money after so many lean years. Jamisons Home and "Lovely Patio mm |
