Finding aid of the SEKI Central Files

Emily Appleton, Siedah Littlejohn, and Beth McDonald

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

47050 Generals Highway

Three Rivers, CA 93271-9700

Phone: (559) 565-3133

Fax: (559) 565-3133

Email: Ward_Eldrege@nps.gov

URL: http://www.nps.gov/seki

and#x00A9; 2017

Finding aid of the SEKI Central Files

Collection number: SEKI 22571

Museum and Archives

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Three Rivers, California

Processed by:: Emily Appleton, Siedah Littlejohn, and Beth McDonald
Date Completed:: 2013
Encoded by:: Louis Knecht

Descriptive Summary

Title: SEKI Central Files

Dates: 1921-1975

Bulk Dates: 1954-1968

Collection number: SEKI 22571

Creator: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park (Calif.)

Collection Size: 24 linear feet

Repository: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Museum and Archives.

Three Rivers, CA 93271-9700

Abstract: Records generated within the organizational divisions of Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park ranging from 1921-1975.

Physical location: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Ash Mountain Headquarters, Archive.

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

Collection is open for research by appointment.

Publication Rights

Many collections are former federal government records and are in the public domain. Other collections are from private sources; copyright has been transferred to the NPS on most. Some collections have publication restrictions. Staff will assist researchers in determining copyright status of selected materials. Researchers are required to properly credit all materials used. The researcher assumes responsibility for acquiring copyright permissions when needed.

Preferred Citation

SEKI Central Files, SEKI 22571. Courtesy of the National Park Service, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Acquisition Information

This collection originated from the central files of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park for the years of 1921 to 1975, with the bulk consisting of records from 1954 to 1968. Through normal procedures, these documents were transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) storage facility in San Francisco in periodic intervals. When the San Francisco facility moved to San Bruno, California, the files were relocated to that facility. In 2013, these files were withdrawn from the San Bruno facility and returned to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks archives.

Biography / Administrative History

In 1890, Sequoia National Park was the second national park to be established by the federal government. Kings Canyon National Park was founded in 1940 and, though the parks are separate, they have been administered jointly for most of their history. The parks were some of the first national parks to face issues associated with the collective effects of development and visitation on the park ecosystems. The central records of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were created by various offices and divisions fulfilling the parks' mission and ensuring accountability to the public and Congress. Originally, the organization of the parks consisted of ranger, maintenance, and administrative divisions. In the early decades of the park, the ranger division provided interpretation and natural resource management for the park services. As the park grew, there was increased specialization and reorganization of divisions to meet the growing needs and challenges of the park, such as safety, conservation, and development of park programs and infrastructure. Extensive fiscal records attest to the increasing complexity of administration. In 1959, the public programming functions of the ranger division were split off into the new division of interpretation. This allowed park naturalists to focus on visitor interactions and education and allowed rangers to focus on such concerns as law enforcement and resource management. The increasing professionalization of the ranger division lead to further programs and initiatives dedicated to improving park safety practices for visitors and employees, a critical issue in the mid-twentieth century. Records in wildlife and natural resource management reflect changing attitudes and growing concerns over the preservation of the parks' flora and fauna. Major programs included: Mission 66, a program enacted by the National Park Service (NPS) in honor of their fiftieth anniversary, which included the construction of the Lodgepole Visitor Center and campground; the implementation of prescribed burn programs as a method of ecosystem restoration and fire control; campaigns for the cleanup and restoration of public areas; and a partnership with the University of California for a major archeological survey of the park. Between 1953 and 2009, the NPS used the NPS-19 Records Disposition Schedule system of file codes to organize and manage records. This method of organization is an alphanumeric system, which consists of primary key letters (A to Y) representing major functional categories and secondary numbers representing the type of records being filed. Records are organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. Records created prior to 1953 were later filed according to the NPS-19 codes by the division and remained part of the records until they were closed and transferred to the archive.

Scope and Content of Collection

This collection consists of park records encompassing analyses, audits, blueprints and plans, correspondence, ephemera, inventories, legal documents, maps, memoranda, permits, photographs, planning documents, and reports. This collection documents the following topics: administration; concessions; development and maintenance; fiscal matters; history and archeology; interpretation and information; lands and recreation; natural and social sciences; personnel; supplies, procurement, and property; laws and legal matters; and fire management and forestry.

Arrangement

Organized into XII series following the alphanumeric NPS- 19 disposition schedule file code as follows: Series I: A series - Administration; Series II: C series - Concessions; Series III: D series - Development and Maintenance; Series IV: F series - Fiscal; Series V: H series - History and Archeology; Series VI: K series - Interpretation and Information; Series VII: L series - Lands and Recreation; Series VIII: N series - Natural and Social Sciences; Series IX: P Series - Personnel; Series X: S series - Supplies, Procurement, and Property; Series XI: W series - Laws and Legal Matters; and Series XII: Y series - Fire Management and Forestry. All series are arranged by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park (Calif.)

Fire management

Archeology

Concessions

Outdoor education

Series I A-Series: Administration 1943-1973 1954-1969

Physical Description: Approximately 8 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of correspondence, narrative reports, memoranda, photographs, organizational records, inspection reports, and manuals documenting administration and accountability for the management of the park. Half of this collection is comprised of safety records. These are primarily reports documenting personal and vehicular accidents within the park, including search and rescue operations, tort claims, legal proceedings, and deaths. In addition to specific accidents, there are records documenting safety initiatives such as evacuation procedures and the use of Crystal Cave as a potential fallout shelter. Also contained within the safety records is information on flooding and fires, including the Buck Bridge flood and reconstruction, flash flooding of the Kern River in 1961, and a 1963 report on Crystal Cave and Wilsonia flooding. Lastly, there is documentation of the discovery of aircraft wreckage in the park.

The second largest grouping features documentation on special events. Some of the events featured are the National Park Service's 50th anniversary celebrations, religious ceremonies by the Church of the Sequoias, and a yearly Christmas tree lighting in Grant Grove. The third largest grouping is correspondence and documentation between the park and outside associations. These illustrate the park's relationship with groups such as the Boy Scouts of America and The Sierra Club. There are also records of programs enacted by Governor Ronald Reagan and President Lyndon B. Johnson to fight poverty through organizations such as the Youth Opportunity Campaign and the Neighborhood Youth Corps.

Within this series there are monthly reports by the chief park naturalist, chief park ranger, park engineer, and landscape architect. Also included are meeting minutes from the superintendent's biweekly meetings. Smaller groupings include commendations and complaints by park visitors and the superintendent towards concessioners and employees, reports of daily activities, tour requests, wildlife management, conferences, travel and transportation, conservation and preservation, and collecting permits.

This series includes the following notable individuals: Thomas J. Allen, superintendent; Horace M. Albright, the second director of NPS; David Brower, president of The Sierra Club; Governor Edmund Brown; Irma Buchholz, secretary to the superintendent; Richard C. Burns, chief park naturalist; Wayne W. Bryant, chief park naturalist; Foreman Charles Castro; Blanton Clement, park engineer; Congressman John R. Foley; Louis Hallock, chief park ranger; James L. Hamrick; Robert C. Haraden, chief landscape architect; Frank T. Hirst, chief park ranger; Frank Kowski, superintendent and regional director; John G. Lewis, superintendent; John S. McLaughlin, superintendent; Theodore F. Niehaus, Sequoia researcher; Fred J. Novak, administrative officer; Dr. Paul O. Ritcher, Sequoia researcher; Peter H. Schuft, chief park ranger; Max E. Walliser, landscape architect; Edgar Weyburn, president of The Sierra Club; and Conrad Wirth, director of NPS.

This series includes the following notable organizations and programs: Boy Scouts of America, Church of the Sequoias, Discover America, Girl Scouts of the USA, Job Corps, Migrant Compensatory Education Program (MCEP), Museum of Comparative Zoology, Neighborhood Youth Corps (NYC), Outdoor School of Science and Conservation (SCICON), Sequoia and Kings Canyon Park Company, Sequoia Natural History Association (SNHA), Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), and the Youth Opportunity Campaign (YOC).

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series II C-Series:Concessions 1921-1964 1959-1963

Physical Description: Approximately 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of agreements and permits issued to outside concessioners, including the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Company and its general manager, George Mauger. It also contains information regarding pack trains led by Earl A. McKee and his son-in-law, Lee Maloy, out of Buckeye Flat.

This series includes the following notable individuals: Lee Maloy, George Mauger, and Earl A. McKee.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series III D-Series:Development and Maintenance 1951-1969 1958-1965

Physical Description: Approximately 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of details concerning Mission 66 such as work schedules, construction planning, and fire programs in hotels. It also includes park mission statements, work programs, budgets, snowplow tests, telephone service records, and construction bids and rates. Sanitation concerns are noted as well as dump ground locations in Mineral King and garbage disposal methods (such as the construction of the incinerator and bear-proofing garbage cans). Exhibit planning and execution correspondence and exhibit construction for the museum are contained within this series. Also in this series are construction details for the Grant Grove Visitor Center and Lodgepole Visitor Center including their blueprints and plans, details for the Ash Mountain entrance station including drawings and plans, details for Buckeye housing including blueprints and plans, and electric details of Buckeye housing and Giant Forest including drawings and maps. There are also purchases of campground fireplaces, picnic tables, grills, and other supplies. The series includes the following notable entities: Thomas J. Allen, superintendent; California Polytechnic University; John G. Davis, superintendent; Jack High, administrative officer; the Pacific Gas and Electric Company; E.F. Scoyen, superintendent; and the Southern California Edison Company.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series IV Series-F: Fiscal 1924-1973 1954-1970

Physical Description: 3 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of accounting records pertaining to fiscal matters involved with the advance, transfer, and allocation of funds for NPS activities. These activities include purchases of equipment, travel and transportation, maintenance, construction, pest control, quarters, and salaries. Other documents include budgets, payment disputes, and financial audits for programs such as Mission 66.

Important topics discussed in these records are a lawsuit by park employees against Tulare County for "possessory interest" and taxes, entrance fees tallies and audits, overtime payment relating to emergencies, and appraisals of residences. The largest groups in this series are budget execution files and employee housing.

This series includes the following notable entities: Mission 66 and Fred J. Novak, administrative officer.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No Subseries. File dates refer to the date range of the documents contained within the file, except in the case of financial documents in F34. These files are dated in accordance with the fiscal year discussed in the documents.

Series V H-Series: History and Archeology 1955-1971

Physical Description: 2 files

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of correspondence, reports, and maps relating to historical and archaeological research, excavations, programs, and proposals within the park. These documents include research studies, Native American site discovery and excavations, mapping of archaeological and historical sites, archeological programs, historic preservation programs, and cooperative programs such as the University of California Archaeological Survey of the park. This series includes the following notable entities: Russell K. Grater, chief park naturalist; Hospital Rock; Harry B. Robinson, chief park naturalist; and Jay von Werlhof.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series VI K-Series: Interpretation and Information 1953-1965 1954-1957

Physical Description: Approximately 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of documentation related to interpretive and educational programs for park visitors developed by NPS staff. The series is split between documents related to interpretation services and publications. Services include employee guidelines, programs and meetings, studies of visitor needs, research, statistics, and reports. Programs of note are The Optimist Club, a training program for interpreters on professional conduct, and documents such as maps pertaining to the implementation of self-guided tours in Crystal Cave. Publications include guides to the park and drafts. Other records in this series document the production of the film, Death Valley Days: Sequoia starring Angie Dickinson.

This series includes the following notable entities: Thomas J. Allen, superintendent; the American Automobile Association (AAA); The Ettinger Company; Russell K. Grater, acting regional chief of interpretation; Naturalist Notes, a park newsletter; The Optimist Club; Rand McNally and Company; and George A. Walker, acting superintendent.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series VII L-Series: Land and Recreation 1931-1975 1955-1968

Physical Description: Approximately 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

The series consists of land deeds policy and procedures, park boundaries and park expansions through boundary redefinition, acquisition of private holdings, property claims, legal disputes over land, building and special use permits, employees owning real estate, and land management.

Alien Water Right No. 8 is mentioned along with water rights, maps, and claims of Kings River, Cedar Grove, and Tehipite Canyon. The series also includes a study of the feasibility of the Mineral King road, visits of foreign dignitaries, and the replacement of the Susan B. Anthony tree sign.

The series includes the following notable entities: Francis N. Dlouhy; Russell Grater, chief park naturalist; Lemoore Air Station; “Lost Mexican Mine”; and Valley of Fire, a Nevada state park.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series VIII N-Series:Natural and Social Sciences 1956-1970 1958-1968

Physical Description: 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of research, reports, and studies related to the management and protection of natural resources and wildlife under the stewardship of NPS including animal and plant life, geological surveys, natural sciences, pollution and environmental quality of air and water, wildlife management and control, and weather and climate. Animal and plant life consists of the following: fish; mammals, particularly bear, deer, and elk; insects and invertebrates; and plants, particularly giant sequoias and foxtail pine. Other scientific research fields consist of geology, paleontology (fossils), and speleology (caves). This series includes the following notable entities: Thomas J. Allen, superintendent; Dr. James E. Church; John M. Davis, superintendent; National Speleological Society; Pacific Institute of Earth Sciences, Atomic Energy and Solar Radiation; Peter H. Schuft, chief park ranger; and Carl Sharsmith, noted naturalist and Yosemite ranger.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series IX P-Series: Personnel 1965-1968

Physical Description: 2 files

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of rate schedules, correspondence, policy, and disputes related to wage boards.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series X S-Series: Supplies, Procurement and Property 1952-1972 1956-1962

Physical Description: Approximately 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of correspondence, memoranda, procedures, budgets, inventories, contracts, and brochures pertaining to supplies, procurement, and property for the park including aircraft and uniforms. The largest grouping in this series is instructions and procedures, with uniforms being the second largest. Other documents discuss industrial activities, equipment standards, aerial photography, and new technology. Also included are photographs of Superintendent John Davis and staff posing with newly purchased aircrafts. This series includes the following notable individuals: Bob Davis, trail foreman; John M. Davis, superintendent; Bob Leake, road foreman; Peter H. Schuft, chief park ranger; and Maurice E. Thede, regional forester of the National Park Service.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series XI W-Series: Law and Legal Matters 1953-1970 1960-1968

Physical Description: 2 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to protection, safety, and security in the park as well as legal and law enforcement matters relating to employees, concessions, public and private property, and natural and cultural resources. These matters include decisions; investigations; arrest records; prosecutions and legal cases, such as the trespassing case against R.K. Jamison for building a road on park land; accident prevention reports; and legislation. The largest collection of documents within the series relates to final decisions and orders regarding the awarding of contracts and special use permits. This series includes the following notable entities: the Davis-Bacon Act, R.K. Jamison, and Oriole Lake.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.

Series XII Y-Series: Fire Management and Forestry 1954-1962 1960-1961

Physical Description: Approximately 1 box

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of correspondence, memoranda, photography, and reports detailing fire management, forestry and range conservation within the park, and the management and protection of forestry natural resources. Fire management includes arson, lightning strike avoidance, prescribed fire, fire control plans, use of outside sources for fire control such as helicopters and prison inmates, and reports detailing significant fires such as the Tunnel Rock, Camp Conifer, and McGee Ranch fires. Forestry includes tree fall information, such as the fall of the Buttress Tree; requests for information about growing sequoia trees; and requests for cuttings, seeds, cones, and saplings from sequoias.

This series includes the following notable individuals and entities: The Buttress Tree; Louis B. Hallock, chief park ranger; Frank T. Hirst, chief park ranger; Project Skyfire, and The Ivory Pine Company.

Arrangement

Organized by NPS-19 file code and then by dates within each file code. No subseries.