Window Rock is the capital of the Navajo Indian Reservation. It is situated on the eastern border of Arizona in the southeastern part of the reservation. Bordering Window Rock on the west is St. Michaels, a town that developed around a Catholic mission school. Bordering
Window Rock on the east is Tse Bonito, New Mexico. Four miles north of Window Rock is
Fort Defiance, which developed around a United States Cavalry fort.
Until a few years ago, the Navajo Reservation boundary ran along the state border on the east edge of Window Rock up to a point just north of Highway 264, then the reservation boundary turned east and went into New Mexico. This meant that Tse Bonito was not on the reservation even though it was almost exclusively populated by Navajos. This area was mostly Navajo land even though it was not formally part of the reservation. It was, in fact, an unofficial part of the reservation. It was commonly referred to as "The Checkerboard" because it consisted of alot of tribally owned land interspersed with non-Navajo land such as state owned land, federal land and privately owned land. The population of this area was still predominantly Navajo and many of the towns had Chapter Houses, which are somewhat similar to county courthouses in the fact that they serve as administrative centers of chapters, which are subdivisions of the Navajo Reservation. I will have more to say about Navajo Chapters in a later blog. Anyway, towns in New Mexico such as Crownpoint, Pueblo Pintado, Lake Valley, Nageezi and Vanderwagen were located in the Checkerboard Area, but were not officially on the Navajo Reservation, yet they were chapter seats of the Navajo Reservation. A few years ago, approximately 2006 or 2007, this Checkerboard Area was officially made part of the reservation, although most maps still do not indicate it is as such. I have a map that does indicate it and I guard it jealously. This new part of the reservation has been shown on the tribal flag for decades.
So, until recently, the reservation's capital was located right on the very edge of the reservation, but that is no longer the case.
Window Rock is located in a very beautiful setting and it is a great place for a government town.
This beautiful setting was part of the reason why the Bureau of Indian affairs chose to establish an Indian Agency here in the first place. That plus the fact that it was located a day's ride from the railroad at Gallup, New Mexico. That made it more accessible in the days when horses and stagecoaches were the most common modes of travel.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
The Rock With The Hole Through It
In the 18 years I lived in Arizona, I had occasion to visit alot of Indian Reservations. And since I traveled in New Mexico alot, I have visited many of that state's Indian Reservations as well. If my count is accurate, and I believe it is, I have visited 58 Indian Reservations, most of those being in Arizona and New Mexico.
I lived at worked at the Grand Canyon for nearly two decades. The Grand Canyon is in northwestern Arizona and, since the Navajo Reservation is so big, it is difficult to go anywhere in northern Arizona without going through the reservation. The Navajo Reservation covers about 24,000 square miles, which makes it about the size of West Virginia. The Navajo Reservation lies in 3 states; Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, with the majority of it being in Arizona. It is split roughly 70% Arizona, 28% New Mexico and 2% Utah, by my estimation.
I guess the logical place to begin my writings about my travels on the Navajo Indian Reservation is in the reservation's capital, Window Rock.
Window Rock is in Arizona, but lies on the border with New Mexico. The eastern city limits are concurrent with the state border. I know someone who thinks the name "Window Rock" sounds like the name of a town on the Flintstones. Actually, the ceremonial name for what is now known as Window Rock was "Ni Alnii 'Gi.". This Navajo phrase meant "Center of the World." Alot of Anglos took exception to this name, but the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, John Collier, tried to get Ni Alnii 'Gi made the official name for the site when the federal government decided to establish an Indian Agency here under the auspices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This action met with alot of resistance, so people started using the Navajo name for the rock formation that overlooks the town "Tseghahoodzani," which means "The rock with the hole through it," as the name of the site. This name was rendered in English to be "Window Rock" and the name stuck.
This rock formation is very impressive. The name is extremely accurate because there is, indeed, a giant hole, or window, that goes all the way through the rock. This hole was eroded by wind over the eons and it is near the top of the rock formation. It is basically an arch or natural bridge in the making, but it is not eroded enough yet to classify as either one of those things. The hole in the rock is in Arizona, but barely. The New Mexico border is about 200 yards east of the hole in the rock.
In these Navajo names that I typed, there are several punctuation marks that are on, or above, the letters that I am unable to do on the computer. For example, there should be a diagonal slash across the top half of the "L" in the ceremonial name of this site.
I have been to Window Rock 5 times, and have spent the night there twice. I have not been there as often as I have other major towns on the reservation because it was not on my travel routes. In fact, until 2006, I had only been there one time and I just passed through on the highway. I don't know why I just passed through because that is not what I usually do when I travel. I usually explore each and every town I go through. I must have been running late that time, in the mid 1990s. I must have been on my way to Gallup, New Mexico for the night.
I lived at worked at the Grand Canyon for nearly two decades. The Grand Canyon is in northwestern Arizona and, since the Navajo Reservation is so big, it is difficult to go anywhere in northern Arizona without going through the reservation. The Navajo Reservation covers about 24,000 square miles, which makes it about the size of West Virginia. The Navajo Reservation lies in 3 states; Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, with the majority of it being in Arizona. It is split roughly 70% Arizona, 28% New Mexico and 2% Utah, by my estimation.
I guess the logical place to begin my writings about my travels on the Navajo Indian Reservation is in the reservation's capital, Window Rock.
Window Rock is in Arizona, but lies on the border with New Mexico. The eastern city limits are concurrent with the state border. I know someone who thinks the name "Window Rock" sounds like the name of a town on the Flintstones. Actually, the ceremonial name for what is now known as Window Rock was "Ni Alnii 'Gi.". This Navajo phrase meant "Center of the World." Alot of Anglos took exception to this name, but the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, John Collier, tried to get Ni Alnii 'Gi made the official name for the site when the federal government decided to establish an Indian Agency here under the auspices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This action met with alot of resistance, so people started using the Navajo name for the rock formation that overlooks the town "Tseghahoodzani," which means "The rock with the hole through it," as the name of the site. This name was rendered in English to be "Window Rock" and the name stuck.
This rock formation is very impressive. The name is extremely accurate because there is, indeed, a giant hole, or window, that goes all the way through the rock. This hole was eroded by wind over the eons and it is near the top of the rock formation. It is basically an arch or natural bridge in the making, but it is not eroded enough yet to classify as either one of those things. The hole in the rock is in Arizona, but barely. The New Mexico border is about 200 yards east of the hole in the rock.
In these Navajo names that I typed, there are several punctuation marks that are on, or above, the letters that I am unable to do on the computer. For example, there should be a diagonal slash across the top half of the "L" in the ceremonial name of this site.
I have been to Window Rock 5 times, and have spent the night there twice. I have not been there as often as I have other major towns on the reservation because it was not on my travel routes. In fact, until 2006, I had only been there one time and I just passed through on the highway. I don't know why I just passed through because that is not what I usually do when I travel. I usually explore each and every town I go through. I must have been running late that time, in the mid 1990s. I must have been on my way to Gallup, New Mexico for the night.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Bagdad, Arizona
I watched a high school football game in Bagdad on Halloween, 2008. There are usually school security guards or security personnel at football games and Bagdad was no different. What was different, however, was seeing a security guard from the mining company on duty at the game. The security guard had a patch that said "Freeport McMoran" on both of his sleeves. There was also a Yavapai County Sheriff's Deputy on duty at the game.
Life in a company town is more orderly than it is in "regular" towns. Not only because of the sameness of most of the housing stock, but there is more of an equality in incomes among the residents of the town. Oh, I realize there are different pay scales depending on the position within the company, but there is still a much smaller discrepancy in incomes in a company town than there is in a "regular" town. Most everybody in town knows what the inside of most the houses in town look like because most of the houses are the same. The only houses that are different belong to mining company managers and supervisors.
The supermarket in town was once operated by the mining company, but now is operated by Basha's Supermarkets, a Chandler, Arizona based supermarket chain that operates almost exclusively in Arizona except for one store in New Mexico and one store in California. It is still owned by Freeport McMoran, however, and I am sure they get a percentage of the profits. The transition from company store to supermarket chain seems to coincide with the buyout of Cyprus Bagdad Copper Company by Phelps Dodge, which was, in turn, purchased by Freeport McMoran.
The supermarket is part of Copper Plaza Shopping Center. This shopping center used to include Stockmen's Bank, but it closed and there are now, in its place, two credit unions, the Arizona State Credit Union and the Basha's Employees Credit Union. There used to be a one screen movie theater in this shopping center, but it closed in the mid 1990s and is now part video arcade and part video rental store. There are two convenience stores in Bagdad, one closes at approximately 5:00 or 6:00p.m. and the other closes at 10:00 p.m.
There are a few small cafes in town, but they seem to have limited hours. When I watched that football game in Bagdad in 2008, I ate at the deli at Basha's because none of the cafes seemed to be open.
Just like many small towns across America are dominated by a county courthouse or a City Hall in the middle of town, Bagdad is dominated by the Corporate Offices for Freeport McMoran's Bagdad Mining District.
Main Street in Bagdad runs east-west through town and, just past the high school, enters the mine. It is a big, open pit copper mine. It runs on a round-the-clock schedule.
The high school is actually a high school/middle school combination and there is an elementary school on the north side of town.
Bagdad sits at an elevation of 4,101 feet above sea level. The highway into town makes a steep climb to reach Bagdad. In fact, the junction of Highways 96 and 97, four miles east of town, sits in a saguaro cactus studded landscape while Bagdad, just a short distance away, sits at too high of an elevation for saguaros to grow. The saguaros just east of Bagdad are among the highest elevation saguaros in existence.
There is a clinic in Bagdad, next to the mine entrance, but it used to be a full fledged, 11 bed hospital. The pharmacy in the clinic is operated by Fry's Food and Drug, which is another Arizona supermarket chain that is headquatered in Tolleson. Fry's runs the pharmacy in Bagdad while Basha's runs the supermarket.
Life in a company town is more orderly than it is in "regular" towns. Not only because of the sameness of most of the housing stock, but there is more of an equality in incomes among the residents of the town. Oh, I realize there are different pay scales depending on the position within the company, but there is still a much smaller discrepancy in incomes in a company town than there is in a "regular" town. Most everybody in town knows what the inside of most the houses in town look like because most of the houses are the same. The only houses that are different belong to mining company managers and supervisors.
The supermarket in town was once operated by the mining company, but now is operated by Basha's Supermarkets, a Chandler, Arizona based supermarket chain that operates almost exclusively in Arizona except for one store in New Mexico and one store in California. It is still owned by Freeport McMoran, however, and I am sure they get a percentage of the profits. The transition from company store to supermarket chain seems to coincide with the buyout of Cyprus Bagdad Copper Company by Phelps Dodge, which was, in turn, purchased by Freeport McMoran.
The supermarket is part of Copper Plaza Shopping Center. This shopping center used to include Stockmen's Bank, but it closed and there are now, in its place, two credit unions, the Arizona State Credit Union and the Basha's Employees Credit Union. There used to be a one screen movie theater in this shopping center, but it closed in the mid 1990s and is now part video arcade and part video rental store. There are two convenience stores in Bagdad, one closes at approximately 5:00 or 6:00p.m. and the other closes at 10:00 p.m.
There are a few small cafes in town, but they seem to have limited hours. When I watched that football game in Bagdad in 2008, I ate at the deli at Basha's because none of the cafes seemed to be open.
Just like many small towns across America are dominated by a county courthouse or a City Hall in the middle of town, Bagdad is dominated by the Corporate Offices for Freeport McMoran's Bagdad Mining District.
Main Street in Bagdad runs east-west through town and, just past the high school, enters the mine. It is a big, open pit copper mine. It runs on a round-the-clock schedule.
The high school is actually a high school/middle school combination and there is an elementary school on the north side of town.
Bagdad sits at an elevation of 4,101 feet above sea level. The highway into town makes a steep climb to reach Bagdad. In fact, the junction of Highways 96 and 97, four miles east of town, sits in a saguaro cactus studded landscape while Bagdad, just a short distance away, sits at too high of an elevation for saguaros to grow. The saguaros just east of Bagdad are among the highest elevation saguaros in existence.
There is a clinic in Bagdad, next to the mine entrance, but it used to be a full fledged, 11 bed hospital. The pharmacy in the clinic is operated by Fry's Food and Drug, which is another Arizona supermarket chain that is headquatered in Tolleson. Fry's runs the pharmacy in Bagdad while Basha's runs the supermarket.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
At Road's End, Part 2
I moved out to Arizona in 1990 and it wasn't long after that before I made my first trip to Bagdad. It was probably 1991 or 1992 when I made my first trip there.
I look at maps frequently and, after I noticed how Bagdad was situated at the end of a highway, I had been intrigued by it for quite some time. You have to actually be heading there to visit Bagdad, you can't just drive through Bagdad on the way to somewhere else.
The first time I visited Bagdad, I was expecting a rundown, dilapidated mining town, but that is not what I saw. Instead, I saw a very attractive, well kempt town. About 95% of the houses are Spanish style, that is white, or cream colored stucco with red shingle roofs. Some of the commercial buildings in town have red Spanish tile roofs, but the houses have red shingle roofs. I am sure the shingles are alot cheaper. On my first trip to Bagdad, I did not know that it was a company town, though I had my suspicions because of its isolated location at the end of a highway. Seeing the uniformity of the town was my first clue that it was, indeed, a company town. Also, at the time, the supermarket was operated by the mining company. It was called Cyprus Bagdad Mercantile at the time, but now it is operated by Basha's Supermarkets, a Chandler, Arizona based supermarket chain that has stores almost exclusively in Arizona except for one in Needles, California and one in Crownpoint, New Mexico. Even though Basha's operates the store now, it is still owned by the mining company, now Freeport McMoran. Basha's also operates the store in Arizona's other company town, Morenci.
The highway into Bagdad, State Highway 96, is known as Main Street in town. In fact, the highway does not actually enter Bagdad. The state maintained highway ends at the city limits and the road in town is maintained by the mining company. I have not been to Bagdad since 2008, but I have heard that the state maintained highway now ends 4 miles east of Bagdad at the junction with State Highway 97. Evidently there were some issues with Freeport McMoran over ownership of the 4 miles of road between this point and the Bagdad city limits. This makes an "end to end" highway intersection if this is indeed the case. Main Street runs all the way through Bagdad and, just past the high school, enters the mine. This is the entrance to the Freeport McMoran Bagdad Mine. It is the only entrance that I know of. There is a huge, open pit copper mine a short distance west of the high school.
The principal north-south street in Lindahl Road. This is the road that becomes a dirt road a short distance outside of town and then, beyond that, enters Prescott National Forest and is maintained by the Forest Service. After about 50 miles of tortuous mountain driving, a driver on this road, known as Forest Road 68, can make a connection to another road that provides access to the towns of Chino Valley or Prescott, depending on direction of travel.
Back in Bagdad, North Lindahl Road is a wide, 4-lane street, but South Lindahl Road is a much narrower, and quieter, residential street.
Bagdad is completely surrounded by hills and mesas and is bisected by Bridle Creek, which is usually dry. Highway 96 into Bagdad follows Bridle Creek for about 15 miles, crossing it repeatedly.
The first time I was ever in Bagdad, I remember seeing a drive in movie theater screen perched on top of Bozarth Mesa, just west of town. The second time I was there, the screen was gone. There is still a dirt road that switchbacks its way up the side of the mesa to the abandoned drive in theater. I have not explored it though because everything around here is owned by the mining comapny, so I did not want to trespass.
I look at maps frequently and, after I noticed how Bagdad was situated at the end of a highway, I had been intrigued by it for quite some time. You have to actually be heading there to visit Bagdad, you can't just drive through Bagdad on the way to somewhere else.
The first time I visited Bagdad, I was expecting a rundown, dilapidated mining town, but that is not what I saw. Instead, I saw a very attractive, well kempt town. About 95% of the houses are Spanish style, that is white, or cream colored stucco with red shingle roofs. Some of the commercial buildings in town have red Spanish tile roofs, but the houses have red shingle roofs. I am sure the shingles are alot cheaper. On my first trip to Bagdad, I did not know that it was a company town, though I had my suspicions because of its isolated location at the end of a highway. Seeing the uniformity of the town was my first clue that it was, indeed, a company town. Also, at the time, the supermarket was operated by the mining company. It was called Cyprus Bagdad Mercantile at the time, but now it is operated by Basha's Supermarkets, a Chandler, Arizona based supermarket chain that has stores almost exclusively in Arizona except for one in Needles, California and one in Crownpoint, New Mexico. Even though Basha's operates the store now, it is still owned by the mining company, now Freeport McMoran. Basha's also operates the store in Arizona's other company town, Morenci.
The highway into Bagdad, State Highway 96, is known as Main Street in town. In fact, the highway does not actually enter Bagdad. The state maintained highway ends at the city limits and the road in town is maintained by the mining company. I have not been to Bagdad since 2008, but I have heard that the state maintained highway now ends 4 miles east of Bagdad at the junction with State Highway 97. Evidently there were some issues with Freeport McMoran over ownership of the 4 miles of road between this point and the Bagdad city limits. This makes an "end to end" highway intersection if this is indeed the case. Main Street runs all the way through Bagdad and, just past the high school, enters the mine. This is the entrance to the Freeport McMoran Bagdad Mine. It is the only entrance that I know of. There is a huge, open pit copper mine a short distance west of the high school.
The principal north-south street in Lindahl Road. This is the road that becomes a dirt road a short distance outside of town and then, beyond that, enters Prescott National Forest and is maintained by the Forest Service. After about 50 miles of tortuous mountain driving, a driver on this road, known as Forest Road 68, can make a connection to another road that provides access to the towns of Chino Valley or Prescott, depending on direction of travel.
Back in Bagdad, North Lindahl Road is a wide, 4-lane street, but South Lindahl Road is a much narrower, and quieter, residential street.
Bagdad is completely surrounded by hills and mesas and is bisected by Bridle Creek, which is usually dry. Highway 96 into Bagdad follows Bridle Creek for about 15 miles, crossing it repeatedly.
The first time I was ever in Bagdad, I remember seeing a drive in movie theater screen perched on top of Bozarth Mesa, just west of town. The second time I was there, the screen was gone. There is still a dirt road that switchbacks its way up the side of the mesa to the abandoned drive in theater. I have not explored it though because everything around here is owned by the mining comapny, so I did not want to trespass.
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