May 1, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on SEGA update from Hanks Scholar Sarah Ciarrachi

SEGA update from Hanks Scholar Sarah Ciarrachi

The last few months have been a thrilling adventure navigating through the Special Collections and Archives (SCA) holdings at Cline Library. From the time I was young I have enjoyed wandering up and down the aisles of the public or school library locating interesting books to read. Entering into SCA for the first time I was awestruck by the amount of local history preserved in one location. This is when I truly began to comprehend the task ahead of me. I would be combing through archives that compose the history of the Colorado Plateau: The original Kolb Brother’s photographs documenting their Grand Canyon adventures; photos and surveys from Powell’s 1871 river expedition; Glen and Bessie Hyde’s personal photos from their mysterious river trip; more recent river trips and the actual events that have occurred down the Colorado River (complete with photographic proof); Harvey Butchart’s photos, logs and annotated maps; the original James Hanks 1927 photographic documentation of the Glen Canyon region before the dam and Thomas Hanks’ recreation of these photos. I could go on and on. Having this opportunity to go through these personal photos and documents is a fascinating process as they share a story of another individual with a passion for the Colorado Plateau. Having insight behind a specific photo creates a profound perspective which I get to explore while out re-creating the image.

As the research portion of this project started nearing completion and the unpredictable northern Arizona weather became more pleasant, I transitioned my navigation from the archive aisles to the outdoors.

I would like to share some of the triumphs and struggles while currently working on the Hank’s Scholar Re-photography project. The first paragraph describes the very first attempt out in the field photographing a cabin within upper Soap Creek in House Rock Valley. The second account is of another site near Walnut Creek in Williamson Valley, north of Prescott. My hope is that these accounts give insight and context into the journey leading up to the recreation of the historical image. In the words of the great adventurer and novelist Ernest Hemingway, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”

Soap creek and Vermillion Cliff geology

I choose Soap Creek to be my first historic repeat because this photo has a relatively specific location, distinct geologic characteristics in the background and a cabin in the foreground to locate. While driving up highway 89A to where the road crosses the soap creek drainage, I was scanning the upper portion of the Navajo sandstone, which makes up the upper reaches of the Vermillion cliffs. I was looking to match the head of the canyon and a distinct notch in the rock formation with the one in the photo to ensure that the photo was actually in Soap Creek. I did not expect the elation that rushed through my body when I aligned the photo with the exact geologic view in front of me. As I started to hike up the drainage I noticed wet sand, bent vegetation and the smell of sulfur which signified a flash flood had recently flowed through the creek bed. The thought that the cabin may have been destroyed by a flood in the fifty years since the photo was taken had never crossed my mind, until that moment. I continued to hike with uncertain thoughts running through my mind. What if the entire creek bed had been altered and there was nothing left of the cabin or the vegetation within the vicinity of the cabin? Having hiked many drainages in the Grand Canyon I know this is a common occurrence. Normally, I look forward to seeing the aftermath of a flash flood, the new boulders, newly exposed fossils and traversing the newly formed flow path. This realization made me reevaluate the significance of this project and the relevance of documentation because the environment is always changing. (As I would later photographically confirm, the alteration occurs from both natural and human events). Despite the doubt, sun and searing 90 plus degree heat I continued hiking, focusing on the near and distant geology. Heading further up the wash, I noticed the Moenkopi Formation began to appear more prominently at eye level. I knew I had to be getting close because this was the formation adjacent to the cabin in the photo. I hiked out of the drainage to get a better vantage. Off in the distance I could see a band of rock that created a low cliff, similar to the one in the photograph. I continued hiking, senses heightened, and after a few more bends in the creek I looked up to a man-made structure. I had found the cabin, intact.

Original photo taken on 5/4/65 of the “Cabin Up Soap Cr.” Item #144244

Recreated photo taken on 3/28/15

This first attempt at Soap Creek made me realize that the difficult part of this project is not recreating the photo; it is finding the location. Even with specific coordinates, finding the exact spot where the previous photographer was standing is not always easy, as I would find out with the next photo at Walnut Creek.

Alexander Gardner’s 1867 photograph looking up Walnut Creek. Courtesy of US Forest Service.

Repeat of Alexander Gardner’s photo taken in 1997 by Raymond M. Turner. Courtesy of US Forest Service.

Recreated photo taken on 4/11/15

New challenges have presented themselves with each location. While driving down to the next re-shoot at Walnut Creek (West of Paulden) I encountered a slight “bump” in my plans while traveling across the rough back roads of Prescott National Forest. The state had swapped public land for private land, blocking my direct route to Walnut Creek in Williamson Valley. My tattered and well-worn map of forest service roads throughout the state showed publicly owned, unpaved roads from Paulden to Williamson Valley. After a lengthy attempt at circumnavigating private ranches and gates with no trespassing signs I gave up and retraced the bumpy road back to highway 89. The detour took me south to Prescott and north again on Williamson Valley Road. It was frustrating being less than twenty miles from Walnut Creek but with no way to get through. The detour was scenic but it cut out hours of daylight. I was not too worried as the previous re-photographer had GPS coordinates of the reshoot location, rebar in the ground locating the site, as well as rock cairns. It was re-photographed in 1997 from the original in 1854. I expected this location to be easy. When I arrived I tracked down the GPS coordinates to within eight feet. I was perplexed as it was low in the creek bed with no view of the surrounding valley. I looked at the original photo and was reminded that the 1997 reshoot was only able to get an accurate GPS to within 100 meters. On paper that does not sound like a large area, but scanning a 100 meter circumference around my position turned into a search for a needle in a haystack. I searched for the piece of rebar and the rock cairn which was previously put in place to mark the reshoot site but found nothing, not even a cluster of rocks which looked like it could have been a cairn. During all of my pre-trip planning I never considered the need for a metal detector. Standing there, at that moment, that idea didn’t seem outlandish. The main dirt road looked recently re-graded and possibly widened and there was evidence of off-road vehicles in the area. This easy location was turning difficult. I referred to the photo and used the tangible topography to line up the photo. The distinct mountains in the background were easy to see, the barbed wire fence was still intact, and junipers were clustered in the foreground… A lot of junipers were clustered in the foreground! Attempting to line up the correct junipers to the mid-ground and background seemed more complicated than it should. Something was off. While walking around, trying to find an angle where everything would line up, I noticed numerous remains of mature junipers, cut down by chain saw. Progress may have interfered with a perfect replica, but it did lead me to an interesting discovery. While searching the vicinity for “the perfect shot” I stumbled upon the desiccated remains of several agave plants and stalks. In the original 1854 photo three agaves in bloom are in the center of the photo and numerous other agaves, ranging in age, dot the landscape. Looking more closely I found more remnants of agaves and even a very young one growing in between some boulders. It’s uncertain if these are the original agaves from the 1854 photo but being in the vicinity, they may be descendants of those in the photo. As daylight quickly dwindled, I photographed several slightly different angles but never found the precise spot. I was able to capture most of the key points in this re-shoot but the alignment is not completely correct. If I have enough time, I would love to go back out for another attempt. Now that I’m aware of the most direct route, it should be an “easy” second attempt.

Agave remains near Walnut Creek reshoot site.

Young agave sprouting up between boulders and old agave fibers.

There are seven additional sites associated with the SEGA project that I am currently repeating using historic images; I look forward to sharing these with you very soon. This is continuing to be a great experience, learning new things every step of the way. I’m gaining deeper insight into the history of specific regions across northern Arizona, familiarizing myself with new terrain around the state, and grasping, first-hand, the exponential growth in vegetation over recent years. I have gained priceless experience in the field, valuable wisdom about coordinating a project from start to finish, and made important contacts while collaborating with other agencies like the National Forest Service, Sedona Heritage Museum, and The Museum of Northern Arizona. Working at the Special Collections and Archives at NAU has opened the door for me to gain knowledge and understanding of library science and databases, an integral skill in research which I was previously unaware of. I am beyond grateful to the SCA staff, the Hanks Scholarship, and NAU for creating this opportunity which has broadened my skill set in a number of different fields. I am confident this experience will benefit me greatly with future endeavors.

April 21, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on A Visit with Consul General of Spain in Los Angeles

A Visit with Consul General of Spain in Los Angeles

Special Collections and Archives’ Delia Muñoz was a featured presenter on two separate occasions when Javier Vallaure–Spain’s Consul General in Los Angeles–came to Flagstaff/NAU on April 3. Vallaure was in town to learn more about the history of the Spanish presence in Flagstaff. His full-day visit took him to the Southside’s historic Basque “fronton” ballcourt, followed by an open discussion (featuring presentations) on the presence of Spain in the Southwest at NAU’s Health and Learning Center building.

Delia began her day with an introduction to the Spanish and Basque people she has interviewed over the last 18+ years. She focused on two individuals (Margarita Martinez de Gomez, Victor Alonso) and shared their migration stories (including photos) with a captive audience of over thirty NAU students, staff, faculty, and community members. Vallaure spoke extensively about his experiences as a Consul General, in addition to sharing some family history. Coincidentally, his father was an ambassador; he met several dignitaries over the decades including former President Richard Nixon and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Audience members asked Vallaure about how he became interested in this line of work and what sort of education and skills he acquired in the process.

Consul General Javier Vallaure, José Rodriguez, Basilio Martinez

In the afternoon, Delia and a small audience (including Vallaure) met just outside Flagstaff’s Tinderbox restaurant (34 S San Francisco St), which is located just in front of the Basque “fronton” ballcourt. Delia spoke of the history of the ballcourt, and made a point to highlight some aspects of its history that went beyond information currently provided in a descriptive historic sign nearby. Delia spoke of how Basque and Castilian sheepherders filled the boarding house next door alongside others who spoke the same language and shared the same customs. The Basque also reinforced cultural continuity and social customs, such as the game of pelota. Pelota is a form of handball that is played in a court called a “fronton.” At this time, the city is exploring an update to the sign to more accurately reflect its significance to the Spanish and Basque people.

Historic statement related to the ballcourt currently seen onsite

April 9, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on Communities and Identity – Southwest Oral History Association Annual Conference

Communities and Identity – Southwest Oral History Association Annual Conference

SCA’s very own Delia Muñoz recently had the very distinct honor of representing her community in a very unique way on March 19. For the past 18+ years, Delia has been working with members of Flagstaff’s Southside community. She has been recording the stories of individuals who contributed in previously-undocumented ways to the history of Flagstaff’s Hispanic and African-American communities. You can learn more about her valuable work by reading an earlier blog post about the Los Recuerdos del Barrio en Flagstaff project here.

Southwest Oral History Association (SOHA) Annual Conference – Del Mar, California, March 19-21, 2015

Pacific Ocean Sunset, 2015. Photo by Delia Muñoz.

Delia was asked to present on the history of the Southside community through the lens of Flagstaff’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (OLGC – now Chapel) at the recent SOHA conference in California. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church served as a critical space where several disparate communities could find commonality with one another through shared faith. Presenting alongside fellow Flagstaff oral historian Duffie Westheimer and Texas instructor Ana Valeen Satterfield, Delia’s presentation was a valuable juxtaposition to Duffie’s; Westheimer’s work has focused on the history of Flagstaff’s historic Townsite district – an overwhelmingly Caucasian/Euro-American community with an entirely different perspective on the early development of Flagstaff. Satterfield, a Hispanic woman, has been working on implementing a culturally-relevant lexicon for derogatory terminology using her students to identify more appropriate wording to describe their cultural heritage. All three presenters touched on issues of marginalization affecting members of their community. Below are some of the highlights Delia presented on.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (OLGC) was built in 1926 as a result of cultural and linguistic differences that existed in Flagstaff at the time. Using funds that he had accumulated in his pursuit to build a new church, Reverend Edward Albouy drew up blueprints for a space that would serve (mainly) the Spanish speaking Roman Catholics. Pay deductions from sawmill employees also helped to support construction; most sawmill workers were Spanish speaking Roman Catholics. The early settlers—both men and women—were involved in raising funds, donating their time and labor.

OLGC’s connection with the community is one that weaves together the neighborhoods of the plaza nueva (New Town); plaza vieja (Old town); la loma (the hill); los Chantes (Chanty town); and Calveras (skulls) to become the place to worship, socialize and celebrate as one big family.

Presently, OLGC doesn’t serve the community with any Sunday Masses (about 1997). A rosary group that meet at the church every Sunday praying for a Mass.

Organizations associated with OLGC, such as a women’s group, Guadalupanas, and the men’s group, the Knights of Columbus, are active to this day. A local group, Nuestra Raices (our roots), devotes time and energy to the upkeep of the church.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1990 ca. NAU.PH.2006.43.227

Great work, Delia!

April 5, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on Announcing the Acquisition of the Fred B. Eiseman Collection

Announcing the Acquisition of the Fred B. Eiseman Collection

Fred Eiseman, studying Upset Rapid, early 1970s. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.67c.1)

Fred Eiseman, studying Upset Rapid, early 1970s. Photo courtesy of Margaret Eiseman Collection. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.67c.1)

Special Collections and Archives would like to announce the acquisition of a new collection, the Fred B. Eiseman collection. Fred was a river runner in the1950s through early 1970s and primarily worked in the Grand Canyon and on the Colorado River.

Fred’s family donated over 1,200 35mm slides taken by Fred documenting his adventures in the Southwest. The images document a broad range of geographic and cultural areas in the Colorado Plateau, including Rainbow Bridge, Navajo Mountain, Arches, Bryce, Zion, Cedar Banks, Canyon de Chelley, Navajo National Monument, Oak Creek Canyon, Grand Canyon, Window Rock, Chaco Canyon, Acoma, Thoreau, Shiprock, and Mesa Verde to name a few areas captured in Fred’s collection.

Fred was born in the Midwest and first visited the Grand Canyon at the age of 11 in 1937 and saw the Colorado River on that trip. Seventeen years later he enjoyed his first river trip down the Colorado River. Fred became enamored with the Colorado River and was eventually recruited by Georgie White Clark to serve as a river guide. Fred and his wife, Margaret, worked for two river-running companies throughout their career – Georgie White Clark and her Royal River Rats and Mexican Hat with Gaylord Staveley. By 1970, Fred fell under the spell of the lightweight, shallow-draft dory and he and Margaret started running their own private trips using their own dories.

Fred and Margaret Eisman, running Upset Rapid, Grand Canyon, early 1970s. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.67c.15)

Fred and Margaret Eiseman, running Upset Rapid, Grand Canyon, early 1970s. Photo courtesy of the Margaret Eiseman Collection. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.67c.15)

Fred Eiseman cooking a riverside breakfast with Georgie Clark, late 1950s. Photo courtesy of the Margaret Eiseman Collection. (NAU.PH.2004.8.1.103.2)

Fred was a rugged river runner, who seemed to be on a quest for the purest river running experience. He was initiated into river running with the large motorized rubber rafts favored by Georgie White Clark and then graduated to the more traditional cataract-style boat introduced by Norm Nevills and the Mexican Hat River Running company, and eventually was draw to the elegant and nimble dories used by Martin Litton and Grand Canyon Dories. While working for Mexican Hat, Fred was part of the Goldwater trip down the Colorado River.

Fred Eiseman, wearing the whit cowboy had and looking at the camera, as he rigs one of Georgie White Clarks rubber rafts, late 1950s. Photo courtesey of the Margaret Eiseman Collection. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.7.9)

Fred Eiseman, wearing the white cowboy hat and looking at the camera, rigging one of Georgie White Clarks rubber rafts, late 1950s. Photo courtesy of the Margaret Eiseman Collection. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.7.9)

Fred Eiseman navigating a Mexican Hat cataract-style boat through Badger Creek Rapids. Joan Goldwater is prone on the stern, 1965. Photo courtesy of the Margaret Eiseman Collection. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.17b.2)

Fred Eiseman in the dory Hosteen, running Dubendorff Rapid, circa 1972. Photo courtesy of the Margaret Eiseman Collection. (NAU.PH.2004.8.2.47c.16)

Running rivers was a summer job/respite for Fred and his wife, Margaret. From September to May, Fred taught high school science. He was a man of great erudition. He had master’s degrees in chemical engineering and education from Columbia University and taught earth science at Phoenix Country Day School.

Fred’s collection complements his wife Margaret’s. Margaret donated her slides to SCA in 2004. Many of the slides and prints from Margaret’s collection are available for viewing via our digital archives and capture their river running experiences. The images in this post are from his wife’s collection.

Fred was deeply affected by the increasing regulations and restrictions placed on private river trips down the Colorado River imposed by the National Park Service. He eventually left the river by the mid 1970s and spent increasing amounts of time in Bali, where he wrote several books about the history and culture of Bali.

Fred Eiseman rowing through Gen Canyon on the Colorado River, 1959. Photo courtesy of the Margaret Eiseman Collection.(NAU.PH.2004.8.1.103.2)

Fred B. Eiseman ran his last rapid at the age of 86 on April 6, 2013 at his Scottsdale, AZ home.

March 26, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday

Automobiles Racing at Northern Arizona Normal School, ca.1920. AHS.0003.00057

Fare enough. Using “Throwback Thursday” might well reflect a certain “lack of not having a real entry to post”. This image though reflects both a certain oddity, or strangely cool quality that, one doesn’t often associate with a normal school.

So, what do we have here? First the image orientation: we have a nice historic image of campus (circa 1920), from the Arizona Historical Society Northern Division-whose images we house in SCA. We’re looking northwest towards the east side of Campbell Hall (built 1916). To the left of that is Hanley Hall (built 1912, now long-gone), and Bury Hall (built 1908). The photo was likely taken from a location close to the present-day South Beaver School, or the Chemistry building-close to the school’s original athletic field. The subject of the photo is clearly the two automobiles racing. What is interesting is that these aren’t mere jalopies. The one on the left appears to be a purpose built machine, whereas the one on the right might have started life as a production automobile- and note what appears to be a ride-along mechanic.

Obviously there are spectators (not very safe ones at that), and a whole lot of questions. Was this really a sanctioned event? Why were these cars in Flagstaff? Were they local, or passing through heading to larger venues? Race cars at a normal school?

I think this a fine “Throwback Thursday” image- our campus from almost a hundred years ago, vintage cars-racing no less, on what appears to be a fine, sunny afternoon. One that isn’t likely to happen at NAU quite this way ever again.

March 23, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on University of Arizona Student Volunteers to Digitize Fred Harvey Collection

University of Arizona Student Volunteers to Digitize Fred Harvey Collection

Volunteer, Ms. Heidi Charles, University of Arizona. (Image courtesy of Heidi Charles)

Earlier this year, Special Collections and Archives was contacted by a University of Arizona student, Ms. Heidi Charles, who offered to assist the department prepare for its upcoming Elizabeth M and PT Reilly internship this summer. Ms. Charles volunteered at least 20 hours a week for nearly three months. During this time she researched the Fred Harvey Company, selected material from the collection to digitized, and then described that material so researchers can discover the treasure trove of Fred Harvey material at Special Collections and Archives. In total, Heidi selected, digitized, and described nearly 250 items from the Fred Harvey Collection. That’s an enormous amount of material to digitize in a relatively short period of time, and we’re so pleased with the remarkable work she did for us.

Heidi is now studying abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, but we asked her a few questions about her experience working in Special Collections and Archives and with the Fred Harvey Collection. Here’s what she had to say:

Tell us about working in special collections and archives as volunteer. What did you do learn that you didn’t know before?
Working in special collections and archives has been such a great opportunity and experience for me. I had absolutely no prior experience with special collections or archives, but I always knew I was interested in it. Through this amazing opportunity, I learned about finding guides (Arizona Archives Online), the digitization process of both photos and manuscripts, and how to assign call numbers to items.

What collection did you work with and what did you do?
I worked with the Fred Harvey collection and selected items to digitize to upload to the NAU special collections and archives site online. I digitized both photos and manuscript items such as menus and other Fred Harvey publications.

What did you learn about Fred Harvey?
Before this project, I had no idea who Fred Harvey was or what the Fred Harvey company was. During this project, I learned that the Fred Harvey company consisted of many Fred Harvey restaurants and hotels along the Santa Fe railroad. What made the restaurants widely popular were the Harvey Girls (waitresses), and the fact that it was the first time that there was quality food served along the railroads.

Harvey Girl behind the counter at the El Ortiz Hotel (New Mexico) pouring coffee. (NAU.PH.95.44.117.1)

Fred Harvey lunch room, staffed with Harvey Girls, Deming, New Mexico,1883. A very early photographs of Harvey Girls. (NAU.PH95.44.115.1)

What surprises or interesting things did you learn about this Fred Harvey or this area?
I learned a lot of interesting things about Fred Harvey, however, I will say one of the most interesting things I came across was the Harvey Girls movie by MGM. I thought it interesting that Fred Harvey was so popular back in the day, that a film was made about the waitresses. I also was surprised to learn that many Harvey Girls actually married men who traveled on the railroads and frequented Harvey houses, and that many children during this time were named Fred or Harvey.

The Harvey Girls movie poster, 1946 (Image courtesy of MGM)

Judy Garland as a Harvey Girl in the 1946 MGM movie The Harvey Girls. (Image courtesy of the MGM photo files)

You’re at Waseda University studying abroad, what are you future plans?
I study History and Political Science at UA, and I hope to go into Library Science or Museum Studies (or both), when I go to Graduate School. Currently, I am attending Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan for a semester and I will be taking Political Science classes as well as a Japanese language class.

Anything else you would like to add?
I had such an amazing time with special collections and archives at the NAU cline library. It was a great learning opportunity for me, and it has definitely made me more interested in pursuing Library Science in the future. [yay!]

On behalf of all of us at Special Collections and Archives, we would like to thank Heidi for the amazing work she did in a very short period of time. We wish her the best of luck while studying aboard and hope to see her at our Fred Harvey exhibit opening this coming October 16, 2015.

To see the material Heidi digitized as well as other Fred Harvey material, click on this link.

March 18, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on SEGA/Hanks Scholar Internship Update

SEGA/Hanks Scholar Internship Update

Cline Library’s Hanks Scholar, Sarah, has been hard at work combing through historic photos found in myriad collections here at Cline Library’s Special Collections and Archives. She has been looking for images (anything older than five years) from 10 specific geographic locations across Northern Arizona. This research will enable Sarah to visit these sites and take repeat photographs that will detail changes to the vegetation since the time of the historic images. These historic and repeated images will form part of the dataset for the Southwest Experimental Garden Array (SEGA) project here at NAU. Click here to learn more about the SEGA project and the vital role that Sarah is playing as part of this project.

Sarah has found images that are located in close proximity to a number of these sites. Collections in SCA from which these images come from include:

The Dave Lorenz Collection, which includes information on and photographs of the Forest Fire Lookout Associations of New Mexico and Arizona (1909-2013). This includes measurement and other information of various lookouts, articles about the Association and lookouts, conferences and symposiums, presentations, and National Historic Lookout Register information.
The Mary K. Allen Collection, which contains correspondence, writings by herself and others, annotated maps, field notes, drawings, and photographs, almost all of which related to the rock art left by the ancient peoples who inhabited the western United States, particularly the Colorado Plateau (1990-2005). Most of the collection consists of detailed photographs of rock art sites and the surrounding country. Mary’s particular interest was in the pictographs and petroglyphs of the Grand Canyon region, but her interests took her to sites in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico as well as locations all over Arizona. The manuscript portion of the collection includes field notes and annotated maps, formal manuscripts prepared by Mary Allen detailing her explorations and theories about stylistic elements in rock art, unpublished writings by others on archaeological topics, and correspondence with other rock art enthusiasts.
The Clay McCulloch Collection, Research files pertaining to the members of the original John Wesley Powell survey, as well as materials pertaining to wildlife and habitat living along the Powell route. Materials include reports, articles, diaries, bulletins, field notes, maps, photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and personal research notes (1986-2008).

There are other collections that have been consulted; these are just some highlights for the time being!

A selection of images that have been printed from various collections in SCA. These will be taken into the field and an identical repeat image taken.

Other images have been found at the Museum of Northern Arizona, and additional research has been undertaken at the Williams (Ariz.) office for Kaibab National Forest to locate images from specific locations in their jurisdiction. We wish to thank our archives colleagues across the state for willingly assisting us during the research phase of this internship.

Now that the snow has (mostly) melted on the north rim of Grand Canyon (Kaibab National Forest), Sarah is excited to begin the process of finding these historic geographic locations and taking the contemporary repeat image.

Stay tuned for future updates as this project rolls along!

March 6, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on Let it Snow…Milton Snow

Let it Snow…Milton Snow

Northern Arizona was blanketed in snow this past week. For many, the snow was a welcomed visitor to the region. Another welcomed visitor to the region was Milton Snow, a mid-twentieth century photographer, who created thousands of images documenting the people, culture, and landscape of northern Arizona from the 1930s-1950s.

The Cline Library partners with several cultural heritage institutions across northern Arizona, including the Arizona Historical Society, Northern Division; the Grand Canyon Pioneer Society; the Navajo Nation; and the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office. The Cline Library offers collection storage space, reference services, and onsite and online access to collections held by these institutions. The Hopi Cultural Preservation Office (HCPO) has generously entrusted the Cline Library with a remarkable collection of images created by the renowned Southwestern photographer, Milton Snow.

Milton Snow was born in Ensley, Alabama on April 9, 1905. He was raised in Riverside California, graduated from Riverside Polytechnic High School in 1926, and attended Riverside Junior College. He left college to become a photographer for the Los Angeles Museum in 1929. Following his work at the Los Angeles Museum, he was appointed the official photographer by the Soil Conservation Service in the 1930s, where he captured images of dams, schools, roads, and hospitals being constructed in across the Navajo and Hopi reservations. His HCPO photographs reveal the various social, economic, and cultural activities of Hopis living on the reservation. Some of the many subjects captured include food preparation, architecture, ceremonies, and planting. Below, please find a selection of photographs from the nearly 1,000 Snow images in the HCPO Milton Snow collection. More Snow images can be found online at the Colorado Plateau Digital Archives.

Girls Grinding Corn in Puberty Ceremony, Shungopovi Village-2nd Mesa. Left, Belvera Nuvamsa, Right, Mary Anna Nuvakaku, June 28, 1949. HCPO.PH.2003.1.HH1.3

Ruins of Old Oraibi, Third Mesa, March 1944. HCPO.PH.2003.1.HE4.7

Blanch Tewanima making piki-Shungopavi Village, Second Mesa. June 28, 1944. HCPO.PH.2003.1.HH3.27

Beans and Corn Sam Shing’s Farm 15 Miles SW of Toreva Day School, October 1,1944. HCPO.PH.2003.1.HA3.2

Tewa Village-First Mesa. Two babies in cradle boards. April 1944. HCPO.PH.2003.1.HN1.16 HCPO.PH.2003.1.HN1.16

March 3, 2015
by special collections & archives
Comments Off on Get Your Kicks on the New Route 66 Archives and Research Website

Get Your Kicks on the New Route 66 Archives and Research Website

NAU.PH.2010.21.14 Neon sign from the “Route 66 in Arizona: Don’t Forget Winona!” Exhibit (Charley Seavey) 2009

The Cline Library, Special Collections and Archives at Northern Arizona University, in collaboration with the U.S. National Park Service, Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, announces the launch of the national Route 66 Archives and Research Collaboration (ARC) website at www.ncptt.nps.gov/rt66/archives.

The website is an online portal to historical collections and information relating to Route 66. It is designed to help students, educators, film makers, business owners, community members, agencies, and others find information they need for research, education, corridor revitalization efforts, and more. Finding aides and information for each state are provided to help people connect to local, regional, and national sources of Route 66-related information.

NAU.PH.2004.11.2.561 The Delgadillo empire (Angel & Vilma Delgadillo’s Route 66 Gift Shop & Visitor’s Center). 2006

The Route 66 ARC was established in 2008 through the impetus of the National Park Service, Route 66 Preservation Program to encourage cross-state collaboration to collect, archive, and make accessible research materials that promote education, preservation, and management of the historic Route 66 corridor.

NAU.PH.2004.11.2.12 The Jackrabbit Trading Post, between Winslow (10 mi. west) and Joseph City (8 mi. east) on Route 66. 1992

The Cline Library is one of ten founding partners of the Route 66 ARC. Other founding partners include Illinois State Museum, Missouri State University, University of Missouri, Baxter Springs Historical Society (KS), Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma State University, Panhandle Plains Historical Museum (TX), University of New Mexico and the Autry National Center (CA).

NAU.PH.2004.11.4.176 Ann Massmann at the restored “Meadow Gold Ice Cream” Sign, Route 66, Tulsa, OK. 2011

The new web site is also dedicated in the memory of our good friend, one of our founding members, and colleague, Ann Massmann of the Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections at the University of New Mexico Albuquerque. Ann was one of the driving forces for the ARC and this web site. She will be missed.

For more information contact the Cline Library, Special Collections and Archives at: special.collections@nau.edu

February 16, 2015
by special collections & archives
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Euler Internship Announced!

Take a look at the library’s Jobs and Internships page and you’ll notice a new internship opportunity has recently appeared. While the previously-posted Elizabeth M. and P.T. Reilly Internship is available to students from across the country/world, this most recent opportunity is specifically geared towards NAU students only. A for-credit internship experience, the Euler internship deftly integrates the academic disciplines of anthropology, history, archives, and museum studies. Robert C. Euler was an active archaeologist/anthropologist who worked extensively throughout northern Arizona for several decades (1950s-1990s) with myriad cultural organizations and museums. After his passing in 2002, a large group of materials was donated to Special Collections and Archives. Analysis of these materials has yielded many concerns related to original ownership/copyright, land status management, curation agreements, and tribal sovereignty over the dissemination of their culture. The returning of materials to agencies of ownership or tribally-affiliated communities will be the end result of comprehensive research and analysis of the collection. Successful interns will learn primary-resource research skills; become familiar with archaeological field practices and tools; demonstrate cultural sensitivity in the management of historical resources; and serve an important role in the comprehensive and ethical disposition of a grouping of primary source materials. SCA feels that there is a solid foundation with this opportunity for scholarly output, such as a thesis/dissertation or another peer-review article in the fields of archaeology and/or archival science. Click here to learn more information, including how to apply! Applications are due March 20, 2015.

Lily Wilder, Walapai [Hualapai], 1955. Courtesy of Cline Library, Special Collections and Archives