Chaco Culture National Historical Park Ruin Stabilization Records
Collection
Identifier: Coll 0021
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents:
Records produced by the Ruin Stabilization Unit (RSU) during the course of stabilization projects in Chaco Canyon. Inlcudes stabilization reports, photographs, negatives, administrative files, and maps.
Records produced by the Ruin Stabilization Unit (RSU) during the course of stabilization projects in Chaco Canyon. Inlcudes stabilization reports, photographs, negatives, administrative files, and maps.
Dates
- 1933-1976 (bulk dates: 1933-1969)
Creator
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Agency : U.S.) (Organization)
Biographical / Historical
Records of the Ruin Stabilization Unit, 1933-1976 (with gaps.
In 1937 Frank Pinkley, Superintendent of the former NPS Southwestern National Monuments,
organized a Mobile Ruins Stabilization Unit (Mobile Unit) with a field station in Chaco Canyon
National Monument. The unit’s mission was to stabilize and repair the large number of sites in
the southwest that were rapidly deteriorating. The unit was set up as a program of the Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC), with a crew of 25 Native American CCC enrollees. The unit was designed to
move among the 14 southwestern archaeological and historical monuments, providing
emergency and maintenance stabilization. The mobile Unit was disbanded for a time during
World War II, then reactivated in 1946. Employees were primarily drawn from the surrounding
Navajo reservation, and second and third generation workers spent their careers on a WAE
(when actually employed) basis.
Early work was concentrated at Chaco Canyon and Aztec Ruin. Standardized record sheets were
created in 1937 and maintained throughout the unit’s existence. These forms, together with
photographs showing the work done at each site, created stabilization records for each room that
was treated. Photographs, recorded observations, experiments, special reports, and job unit
reports were created over the years. As work became standardized and techniques improved
upon, work expanded to stabilization at other monuments and parks. The Mobile Unit formed the
intellectual and empirical basis for NPS preservation method and theory.
In 1937 Gordon Vivian became supervisor of the NPS Indian CCC Mobile Unit. After World
War II, Vivian returned to head the Mobile Unit from 1947-1958, stationed in Chaco Canyon. By
1956, the Mobile Unit had been renamed the Ruin Stabilization Unit (RSU), managed out of the
Southwest Archaeological Center (SWAC) at Globe, AZ. In 1958, he became Supervisory
Archeologist for the SWAC, but continued to oversee RSU work. Vivian died of leukemia on
April 29, 1966 in Globe, Arizona. When the support office in Globe was moved to Tucson, the
RSU program went with it. Until 1976, work at Chaco Canyon was carried out by the RSU
program under the auspices of the Division of Cultural Properties Conservation of the Western
Archaeological and Conservation Center (WACC) in Tucson. However, by 1970 park
preservation staff began to take a more active role in managing the stabilization program at
Chaco. Although WACC stabilization staff continued to work in Chaco during the 1970s, 1970 is
considered the beginning of the park preservation program.
Extent
26.2 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Arrangement/Organization: Organized into 5 series:
Series 01: Stabilization Reports Series 02: Images Series 03: Administrative Files Series 04: Maps Series 05: Monthly and Annual Reports
Series 01: Stabilization Reports Series 02: Images Series 03: Administrative Files Series 04: Maps Series 05: Monthly and Annual Reports
Provenance
Provenance: NPS Chaco Ruin Stabilization Unit
Creator
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Agency : U.S.) (Organization)
- Title
- Finding Aid for Chaco Culture National Historical Park Ruin Stabilization Records
- Subtitle
- Coll 0021
- Author
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park, National Park Service
- Date
- 2010
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the NPS Chaco Culture National Historical Park Repository
Contact:
Chaco Culture NHP & Aztec Ruins NM Museum & Archives Program
Hibben Center Rm 307 - MSC01 1050
450 University Blvd NE
Albuquerque NM 87106 USA
Chaco Culture NHP & Aztec Ruins NM Museum & Archives Program
Hibben Center Rm 307 - MSC01 1050
450 University Blvd NE
Albuquerque NM 87106 USA