WALNUT CANYON

Walnut Canyon National Monument has an interest for everyone, young and old. For the hiker there are trails leading down into the canyon. The tree lover will find a variety of trees and shrubs. For those who want to picnic there are tables and fireplaces. But the area was primarily created in 1915 by presidential proclamation to preserve and protect the interesting Indian ruins which line the canyon walls.Walnut Cayon has been called "The Monument to Vandalism." At one time before local inhabitants unthinkingly destroyed most of the walls and carried away many of the things the Indians had left behind them, there were hundreds of well preserved cliff-dwellings. Under almost every ledge of any size one can today see where walls once stood. But the early white inhabitants were interested mainly in what could be found in the old dwellings. They could not see very well within the dark rooms with such small doorways, so they pushed the walls out to let in the light.

For the average tourist the many ruins remaining in Walnut Canyon are engrossing. The average tourist will not wander far from the main beaten track-the paved highwayand here he and his family may easily see habitations of prehistoric Indians in the natural setting of a beautiful canyon.

The name, Walnut Canyon, was given in early days because of many fine walnut trees growing in the bottom of the canyon. The earliest known report on the area was that of James Stevenson who visited here in 1883. The report, in part, follows: "This city, or rather cluster of villages, also a new discovery, occupied the sides of a canyon which has recently been christened Walnut Canyon. The sides have been gullied by storms and torrents, leaving shallow cavelike places of great length at different heights, along the bottom of which, wherever the ledge furnishes a sufficient area, dwellings in groups or singly were built. . . .

"The group or villages which was the most narrowly examined was about half a mile in length, and consisted of a single row of houses, the common rear wall being the lining rock, while the sides and front were made of large squared stones set in clay. A narrow street or pathway extended along the entire front. Other and similar villages could be seen along the canyon for some distance.

"Among the relics found was a wooden spindle whorl similar to those in use by the Pueblo of the present time. Nothing indicating the use of metallic tools of any description was discovered. A shaft of reed resembling bamboo still remained in the whorl. It had been broken by the maker and neatly mended by winding about it a piece of fine twine. The ends of this twine being examined under a misroscope disclosed the fact that its fiber was made of very fine human hair.

"Articles of wood, corn cobs, and even the perfect grains of corn; walnuts, bones of elk, and antelope, and wolf; portions of wearing material of a fabric resembling the mummy cloth of Egypt, but made from material unfamiliar to the explorers, and other perishable articles, were found in abundance buried in the piles of debris which partially fill these deserted homes, and would, at first thought seem to indicate somewhat recent inhabitancy. On the other hand, however, the preservative qualities of the atmosphere of this region are remarkable, and it is the belief that centuries have elapsed since the last of the departed race or races occupied these old cities and villages as homes."

Since Mr. Stevenson's visit and before the area was proclaimed a National Monument, "pot-hunters" had removed most objects left by the Indians and seen by him.

The monument was created by presidential proclamation November 30, 1915 and enlarged September 24, 1938. It now comprises an area of 1,873 acres. In 1941 a public use building was erected on the brink of the canyon where the trail leads to the ruins. Here a custodian is on duty from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to contact visitors and answer their questions. Although the area was set aside primarily as an archaeological monument, the study of the rocks is of interest. There are two sedimentary rock formations exposed in the canyon walls. The lower formation is the crossbedded Coconino sandstone and above that is the Kaibab limestone which forms the rim rock of Walnut Canyon and is 270 feet in thickness. The canyon is approximately 400 feet deep. Both of these formations are of Permian age. The Coconino is a light colored, highly cross-bedded sandstone and its contact with the Kaibab limestone is readily observed along the canyon walls.

Geologists consider that the Coconino sandstone was laid down by winds in the form of sand dunes. The lack of pebbles points toward wind as the major agent of transportation. Overlying the Coconino sandstone is the Kaibab limestone. It is composed of gray, sandy limestone with some layers of less resistant beds of shaly sandstone. These soft masses have weathered away leaving the harder beds to form overhanging ledges which resulted in natural habitats for the cliffdwellers to build in.

The Kaibab limestone contains many marine fossils and silica nodules and concretions enclosing fossil sponges. About 80 species of fossils have been collected indicating that the limestone is of shallow water marine origin. Since the limestone was deposited below the surface of the sea and is now about 6,500 feet above sea level, a tremendous uplift of the whole region must have occurred.

When a prehistoric, sedentary people settled in an area there were two conditions which determined whether they would stay for long. One item was a permanent water supply and the other was a place for them to raise food.

Before the present dams were built upstream at Lake Mary the canyon undoubtedly had a living stream for most of the year, and water might have been obtained by digging in the sand at other times of the year. A trail is still in evidence which is believed to have been the route taken by the Indian women to carry water from the stream or pools in the canyon. Water was carried in large pottery jars on the heads of the women.

There is good, light agricultural land along the rim area and from the finds of broken stone hoes it is indicated that here was where they raised their crops