Diary, 1931 February 15-September 22, 1933 June 4-September 1

File — Box: 3, Volume: 13

Identifier: II

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The entries in this diary for the year 1931 concern Woodbury's work in Berkeley, California. He apparently worked for the Forest Service while he studied for his Ph.D. degree. Most of his work for the Forest Service involved writing reports on Zion Canyon, processing photographs, arranging for temporary rangers to work in Zion and preparing specimens. Woodbury attended commencement exercises on May 13. Woodbury then left California and returned to Utah where he managed the naturalist programs in Bryce and Zion National Park. Noteworthy events were the conquest of the Great White Throne by climber Don Orcutt and Orcutt's death several weeks later on Mt. Majestic. The entry for September 22 reads simply "Resignation." When the diary resumes on June 4, 1933 Woodbury is once again working as a naturalist in Zion Canyon.

13 March, 1931. "Took oath of office as Park Naturalist, ass't grade. Reported to [Ansel F] Halls office [at Berkeley] and assigned to work in Room 213 Hilgard Hall. Fixed and arranged things for work in there."
21 March. "Shipment of museum specimens from Zion this morning. Unpacked boxes, etc. Took cougar skins & skull and ringtail skin & skull over to museum for cold storage."
9 April. "Conferred with Mr. Hall, revision of educational plan, etc."
10 April. "Conferring individually with Dixon, Grinnell and Linsdale with reference to policy that should be followed in report of committee on forest biology to forest protection board. "As much protection with as little killing as possible. Attention to individual cases not wholesale slaughter."
28 April. "In morning, took my final exam in M. V. Z. [Mammalian and Vertebrate Zoology]."
29 April. "Went to San Francisco, got a new Ford car, drove down to Stanford and compared specimens of Zion fish with the Stanford collection."
11 May. "I waited this morning for a conference with Colonel Thompson, Supt. of Yosemite, Naturalist Harwell, Dr. T. L. Storer and I had an hour's visit with him discussing arms and policies of the naturalist branch of the Park Service."
13 May. "Commencement exercises this morning."
14 May. "Began gathering my things together with the idea of packing them up to ship back to Zion."
15 May. "Attended Cooper Club meetings at Univ. of Calif. gave a paper at one meeting on the bird habitats of Zion."
21 May. Woodbury arrived back in Zion. "Drove from Las Vegas to Zion Nat. Park, Utah. Drove up the canyon to Sinawava. Jolly and I hunted for catepillars of the ash trees."
27 May. "In museum in afternoon, planning for its opening."
29 June. "Went to Lodge to await arrival of Sup't & Congressional Committee. Took committee up Narrows trail in afternoon. Program at Lodge."
30 June. "Don Orcutt climbed Great White Throne today. I saw him on the skyline, saw his smoke, and the flag that he left on top. He reports finding a human skull on top. He came safely down after 11 hours."
1 July. "Lecture at Lodge included short talk on the attempts to climb the Great White Throne and followed by the story of the last successful climb by Don Orcutt, 632 Hope St., Los Angles, Calif., who told of his exploit in modest simple way."
25 July. "Don Orcutt killed today by falling from Mt. Majestic (Cathedral Mt.)."
29 July. "Drove to St. George this morning. Met Reid and we went hunting pioneer relics and interviewing various people whom we should like to interest in a movement to make Zion headquarters for a pioneer museum. Obtained a load of relics, mostly from St. George Temple."
30 July. "This morning, we accessioned the pioneer relics, then drove down to the office and talked over the pioneer relic or museum movement with Supt. Allen. In afternoon Thornton & I took 2 pioneer chairs down to 0. D. Gifford to get him to put new yucca seats in them. Interviewed him about olden days in Zion Canyon."
4 Aug. "Sent Reid & Thornton over to Kanab in interest of Pioneer museum movement."
5 Aug. "Old folk's day from St. George. I went up to Sinawava and gave a talk on the carving of the canyon...In the afternoon, helped entertain them at Museum."
21 August. "Went to St. George and Shivwits Indian Reservation with Reid, collecting pioneer relics and history information about Zion Canyon from Indians."
23 August. "Went to Moccasin with Thornton to get information from Indians & old settlers for historical purposes."
30 August. "To Moccasin with Dr. H. E. Gregory, of U. S. G. S."
2 September. "To Kanab with [H. E.] Gregory hunting dinosaur tracks with Bernell McAllister."
20 September. Closed the "educational business" at Bryce National Park.
22 September. "Resignation."
4 June, 1933. "Drove from Salt Lake to Zion taking Marian [his daughter] and two of her college friends...Camped in Wiley Grove as last year."
11 August. "Drove over to Kaibab Forest looking over route prepatory to guiding the International Geological Congress tour which is to be here August 17-22."
16 August. "Went to Virgin Oil field in afternoon. Found about 22 or 23 wells pumping about 100 bbls per day."
23 August. "Work terminated for season for Park Service."
24-31 August. "Continued my individual research into the history of the Zion Canyon, making trips to Rockville, Hurricane, Cedar City, etc. to get interviews with various people who knew phases of history."

Dates

1931 February 15-September 22
1933 June 4-September 1

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.