Wednesday, October 23, 2024
New Minerals (Shumwayite and Greenlizardite) Discovered in San Juan County
By Janet Wilcox
The discovery and naming of two new minerals found in San Juan County, has recently created great scientific interest. In April 2024, Dan Shumway a local miner, artist and writer was contacted by “Rocks and Minerals” magazine editor Mark Jacobson with the news about the discoveries. (The publication comes out in Nov/Dec 2024.) New minerals have to go through an extensive scientific process before they are named and must relate to specific areas or people. For this documentation, the editor interviewed Dan about his background and role in the discovery.
For several years Dan guided various scientists to remote mineral sites in the county. “If something catches their eye, they will collect samples,” Shumway explained. “The specimens and sites are numbered and recorded. Next the material is taken to a lab for closer examination using modern equipment and technology. I’ve enjoyed my association with these renown and competent professions.” Occasionally they camped somewhere in the outback and often shared experiences around the campfire. Dan’s guiding skills, knowledge and familiarity of San Juan’s remote areas and mineral sites were of great value, as were their experiences in foreign countries.
Dan began mining the summer of 1963 and later he teamed up with Jack Tate in 1966 when they mined in Utah, Colorado and Arizona. Tate along with Reed Hurst hauled ore for him. Since retiring he has used his creative talent landscaping their home, painting and writing poems. This one illustrates the uranium boom years in San Juan:
Shumwayite by Dan Shumway
My grandfathers were both mine operators
As were myself and my dad.
We mined in the years before regulators
Finally got too bad.
All told we worked more than 200 mines
Acquiring knowledge of that domain.
As a 3rd generation miner in my family line,
Hand-on mine lore is in my brain.
Today, details of mines on the Colorado Plateau
Are being lost to “reclamation”
So scholars seek me out for what I know,
Including unrecorded history and location.
Upon guiding them to one lost site
They discovered a mineral “new”
A uranium element they named Shumwayite
And told me “Dan, we named it for you.”
Now that’s high pay and an honor rare
To have a mineral name for me.
On hearing this I asked the scholars there
“Could it also honor others in my family?”
I explained, “Shumways were noted participators
In building the uranium industry years ago.
So let it honor successful Shumway mine operators.
And prominent prospectors of the plateau?”
Now fleeting are trophies, awards, Hollywood fame
Even an academic degree
Compared to a mineral with the Shumway name
That will be recognized into eternity?
In September, 2014, Dan led Joe Marty to a seldom seen mineral location north of Red Canyon in SJC. (Marty is a renowned mineral micromounter Hall of Fame Awardee, for whom the mineral martyite was named.) “It was a difficult hike in broken terrain, but soon after we arrived Marty’s keen experienced eyes detected what he suspected might be a new mineral,” Shumway explained. He helped Joe collect samples and later lab tests confirmed that indeed it was a new, never before recognized uranium mineral. Shortly afterwards Dan was surprised and greatly honored when Marty told him, “We have found a new mineral and it will be named for you!”
Dan is part of a long and wide lineage of Shumway uranium prospectors and mine operators. His grandfather A.E. Shumway, his father DeVar, and many other uncles and Shumway cousins were deserving of this honor. He told Marty that “Shumwayite” would also honor all those who helped establish the uranium industry on the Colorado Plateau including both San Juan and Grand counties which boomed because of the wealth from uranium production
Other formerly unknown minerals were also discovered by the Green Lizard mine in the White Canyon district. The Green Lizard is now closed with a bat accessible grate. It is one of hundreds of mines scattered throughout San Juan County which produced uranium, radium and vanadium and brought new wealth and businesses into the SE Utah.
San Juan County has long been a destination of explorers and adventure seekers. In 1898 John Wetherill (one of the discoverers of the Mesa Verde ruins) led an archeological expedition into Red Canyon. During a lunch stop, he noted yellow, blue, black, and green mineral stains surrounding two different petrified trees. A century later local miners began mining uranium as well as other metallic elements but low prices, and high costs of transporting ore made it unsuccessful. Finally in 1926 vanadium ore began to be mined in White Canyon. By 1939 scientists discovered that uranium could be used to generate nuclear fission which could run turbines and generate electricity. And the uranium boom began!
The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was founded in 1946 after WWII. Their focus was to find ways to utilize uranium to run turbines and generate electricity in less expensive ways. (In 1955, Arco, Idaho became the first city in the US to provide electrical power in this way.) This efficient use quickly expanded uranium demand and set off a prospecting and mining boom in southern Utah. White Canyon production doubled in 1955 with the startup of additional mines. Nine companies operated 15 different mines at that time and more opened later. The Blue Lizard accounted for 85% of the total production in White Canyon. (It was located south of the Green Lizard site).
After 1970 all uranium ore was used by commercial nuclear power plants for generating electricity. Peak ore production was reached in 1978. Mining engineer, Leonard Howe, forecasts that soon small generators the size of a refrigerator will be available for households and with the click of a switch they will be used for either heating or cooling a home!
Dan is a 3rd generation mine owner/operator: “Mining is in my DNA and in my heart” he explained. Many treasured uranium memories occurred in the 1950’s as he spent the summer months at this father’s remote mining camps. In that by-gone era he was free to roam the rims and canyons for miles. As an 11-year-old he started selling mineral specimens and rocks he found. He enjoyed exploring alone and often experienced the “thrill of discovery” when he found a particularly nice, unusual or rare mineral treasure. He started working underground in the mines in 1963. Since then, he was mostly self-employed and either operated or worked in over 30 mines during the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. The last mining he did was in 2008-2009 and his partners then were Vern and Chance Shumway.
For many years Dan was away, out in the hills mining while he wife Betty was home in Blanding raising their four daughters. In 1976 they built a home north of Blanding. Like the pre-historic pueblo people, Dan gathered lots of rocks to build the house and it became a monument to his travels and was great place to raise kids. After their daughters left home Dan and Betty started going to sunny Arizona for the winter. For 10 years they sold rocks and minerals to Snowbirds and tourists.
After 60 years of marriage, they now have 7 grandchildren and 5 great grands. They raise three separate gardens each summer, saw firewood, and continue to landscape their yard with rocks and minerals from every corner of San Juan. Dan has also written hundreds of poems and stories in rhyme and when grandkids come, he loves telling them about the elves and leprechauns that used to hide in his mines. He especially enjoys visits from his friend, Joe Mary and they often drive out to where the BLM coved up the mineral sites and where Joe discovered the new minerals: Shumwayite and Greenlizardite.
Shumwayite by Dan Shumway
My grandfathers were both mine operators
As were myself and my dad.
We mined in the years before regulators
Finally got too bad.
All told we worked more than 200 mines
Acquiring knowledge of that domain.
As a 3rd generation miner in my family line,
Hand-on mine lore is in my brain.
Today, details of mines on the Colorado Plateau
Are being lost to “reclamation”
So scholars seek me out for what I know,
Including unrecorded history and location.
Upon guiding them to one lost site
They discovered a mineral “new”
A uranium element they named Shumwayite
And told me “Dan, we named it for you.”
Now that’s high pay and an honor rare
To have a mineral name for me.
On hearing this I asked the scholars there
“Could it also honor others in my family?”
I explained, “Shumways were noted participators
In building the uranium industry years ago.
So let it honor successful Shumway mine operators.
And prominent prospectors of the plateau?”
Now fleeting are trophies, awards, Hollywood fame
Even an academic degree
Compared to a mineral with the Shumway name
That will be recognized into eternity?
All told we worked more than 200 mines
Acquiring knowledge of that domain.
As a 3rd generation miner in my family line,
Hand-on mine lore is in my brain.
Today, details of mines on the Colorado Plateau
Are being lost to “reclamation”
So scholars seek me out for what I know,
Including unrecorded history and location.
Upon guiding them to one lost site
They discovered a mineral “new”
A uranium element they named Shumwayite
And told me “Dan, we named it for you.”
Now that’s high pay and an honor rare
To have a mineral name for me.
On hearing this I asked the scholars there
“Could it also honor others in my family?”
I explained, “Shumways were noted participators
In building the uranium industry years ago.
So let it honor successful Shumway mine operators.
And prominent prospectors of the plateau?”
Now fleeting are trophies, awards, Hollywood fame
Even an academic degree
Compared to a mineral with the Shumway name
That will be recognized into eternity?
Shumwayite by Dan Shumway
My grandfathers were both mine operators
As were myself and my dad.
We mined in the years before regulators
Finally got too bad.
All told we worked more than 200 mines
Acquiring knowledge of that domain.
As a 3rd generation miner in my family line,
Hand-on mine lore is in my brain.
Today, details of mines on the Colorado Plateau
Are being lost to “reclamation”
So scholars seek me out for what I know,
Including unrecorded history and location.
Upon guiding them to one lost site
They discovered a mineral “new”
A uranium element they named Shumwayite
And told me “Dan, we named it for you.”
Now that’s high pay and an honor rare
To have a mineral name for me.
On hearing this I asked the scholars there
“Could it also honor others in my family?”
I explained, “Shumways were noted participators
In building the uranium industry years ago.
So let it honor successful Shumway mine operators.
And prominent prospectors of the plateau?”
Now fleeting are trophies, awards, Hollywood fame
Even an academic degree
Compared to a mineral with the Shumway name
That will be recognized into eternity?
For many years Dan was away, out in the hills mining while his wife Betty was home in Blanding raising their four daughters. In 1980 they built a home north of Blanding. Like the pre-historic pueblo people, Dan gathered lots of rocks to build the house and it became a monument to his travels and great place to raise kids. After their daughters left home Dan and Betty started going to sunny Arizona for the winter. For 10 years they sold rocks and minerals to Snowbirds and tourists.
After 60 years of marriage, they now have 7 grandchildren and 5 great grands. They raise three separate gardens each summer, saw firewood, and continue to landscape their yard with rocks and minerals from every corner of San Juan. Dan has also written hundreds of poems and stories in rhyme and when grandkids come, he loves telling them about the elves and leprechauns that used to hide in his mines. He especially enjoys visits from his friend, Joe Mary and they often drive out to where the BLM coved up the mineral sites and where Joe discovered the new minerals: Shumwayite and Greenlizardite.
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Max and Lydia Palmer: Builders of Boats, Bungalows, and Businesses
Dozens of boats and homes have been built by Max Palmer and Lydia, his right-hand man in the course of their 68 years of marriage. They first met in SJH (when school was in the administration building) and according to Max, "that was all it took."
His love of building began in 7th grade when Ken MacDonald was his shop teacher. He asked the boys what they wanted to build and most picked simple things like bird houses and stools but Max wanted to build “a big boat.” Mr. MacDonald taught him first how build a support frame on pillars. Max built the bottom first; then they turned it over and finished the top. In the course of the next 30 years, Max built many cabin cruisers in this same manner. His professional boat building began in California and the boats became fancier and larger. He even entered them in the annual Los Angeles big boat show. He also bought an old Army jeep, tore it apart, and resurrected it to its former glory, then sold it.
While in California, Max also trained as an oral roentgenographer in a dental laboratory in Whittier. He learned to take and analyze x-rays mainly for orthodontists or for head injuries. When they moved to Paradise Valley in Arizona, Max set up an x-ray lab in Phoenix using his x-ray skills. They eventually moved to Idaho, then Cedar Mountain where Max built 3 cabins.
One Christmas, Lydia bought a fancy Santa Claus suit for her husband. They went to Duck Creek Village and rented a snowmobile for Christmas. They had made dozens of popcorn balls to surprise his family who had no idea that Santa was coming. Santa Max delivered treats while son Tony kept the machine running. Christmas cards were in a gift can for his parents, Glen and Helen and the rest of the family. He tossed the gift can to his dad and quickly left so no one could find Santa even though they tried! When they returned to Blanding they delivered more treats to Melvin Wright, Clessa Black, Clarence and Reva Rogers and other friends.
Eventually the Palmers moved back to Blanding where he built dozens of homes. Lydia’s job was positioning wood for sawing, holding it when it was nailed and keeping their children involved and out of trouble. San Juan Builders was their go-to for supplies and tools and Scott Hurst was a valued friend who gave him excellent advice. However, building boats was a trickier job and required a special kind of mahogany so they moved to California where this wood was available. He built over a dozen cabin cruisers.
One of the homes they restored was the Louella and John Rogers home on Main Street & 5th south. Max designed a strong wall and Charlie Sipe made the frame. Max also worked with Jeff Rogers on his home and in the mid-70’s built the home where Julene & Scott Christensen now live. Max and Lydia used petrified wood to embellish both fireplaces. Because she loved red, it was the dominant color of bricks, paint, and counters in that home. The Palmers planted lots of apple trees on their Dairy Lane property now owned by Wesley Hunt. Max also built a small A-frame there as well as a large home on the rim of Long Canyon with decking on all sides. These homes were built right and made to last. As you drive around San Juan give a salute to this master builder and his family for homes and boats that have stood the test of time.
Friday, September 27, 2024
Madge Shumway: Matriarch and Model of Longevity and Love
By Janet Wilcox
Madge Metro Shumway is likely the oldest person in Blanding but her memory and opinions are still sharp and vivid. She was born in 1927 with family ties to Yugoslavia. Her grandparents Charles and Pauline arrived in Ellis Island in 1907. Her grandfather Charles Metro (Metrovondavich) was a barber who spoke seven languages and he could carry on a conversation with practically everyone he met while working in New York. This gift of gab and story telling runs deep in the Shumway family. His wife Pauline Brauch was an only child and her father John was a holistic chiropractor, keen on healthy living and exercise. These traits were also influenced Madge’s choices in life.
The Metro family eventually moved to Phoenix, then Tuba City. Because her mother knew shorthand, she was able to get a job with John Walker who was a lawyer in Tuba. This was during the Great Depression and women were beginning to break out of traditional roles and work outside the home. The family eventually ended up in Bluff where they lived in the Decker home for 13 years. Her grandparents were strong southern Baptists and they weren’t happy when Madge was baptized in the LDS religion (in the Bluff swimming pool); however, her mother did play the piano for LDS church meetings. Madge attended grade school in Bluff. “Bluff was a fun place to live. There was fresh artesian water and lots of things for children to do and explore,” she said./a>
When Madge started high school in Blanding, she boarded with John and Luella Rogers and she would catch a ride with the mail carrier to get back and forth on the weekends. She was active in pep club and other school activities. She met DeVar Shumway at this time through his sister Dixie who was her friend; however, he had turned in his mission papers and served for two years in Georgia.
When WWII broke out dozens of San Juan County men enlisted including DeVar, Rex Nielson, Aroe Brown, Prock May, Edward Keele, Bo Montella, Dee Galbraith, Devon Hurst, Frank Beeson, Lyle Johnson, Melvin Hurst, Spin Jones, Billie Eichenberger, Willard Guymon, Joe Albertano, Tex Bradford, Jess Grover, Dave Guymon, Dee Black, Ben Black, Aaron Harvey, Glen Shumway, Tex Bradford, Samuel Holliday, Frances Bayles, Platt D. Bayles, Jack Hunt, Wayne Laws, DeReese and Rex Nielson, Keith and Kent Redd, Bart Lyman, Keith Harvey, Carlie Carroll, Toddy Wozniak, Sylvan Johnson, Leonard Jacobs, Dean Butt, and Kline Black. [Many of their experiences are in Issue #20 of Blue Mountain Shadows. At least 56 of these veterans are buried in San Juan County.]
While DeVar was serving in the Navy (on the USS O’Brian), Madge worked for Zenos Black in the San Juan High office. When Devar returned home on a 30-day leave he went straight to the SJH office, telling Madge, “I’m here to propose!” however, she had planned to go to Utah State! Not one to give up, he drove down to Mexican Hat to talk to her parents. Her mother wasn’t too excited but the wedding plans proceeded. They caught a ride north with Cleon Shumway to Salt Lake; unfortunately, they ran out of gas in Price and had to siphon some in order to finish the trip! (In those days gas was rationed.) They were married in the Salt Lake temple April 4, 1945 along with 10 other couples. After 65 years of marriage, Madge’s advice to others is “Never go to bed mad!”
It was an eye-opening experience for this Ute student and her advisor to travel to such a gigantic city and compete with students representing the whole USA. Tonya’s paper on the Posey War placed 1st in Utah and her teachers, principal, and friends were thrilled for her.
Participation in such things as history and science fairs require "Authentic Assessment" where research and documentation are useful to others. "We had the most awesome time on that trip and only got lost 2 or 3 times! Since 1988 dozens of other Blanding and Monticello students (taught by Judy Barton and others) have competed on a national level."
Most recently Saylor Dandy, daughter of Jim and Rena Dandy, qualified for the National History Fair and competed in Washington DC this summer. Her presentation was a display showing experiences of Native American children as they sought to get an education. She interviewed her grandparents: Edward Whitethorne and Sally Johnson and read notebooks that her grandparents, Jim and Betty Dandy kept, related to boarding schools. A documentary and recorded stories of other friends and relatives who attended boarding schools in the Four Corners area were also included in her research.
To qualify for National's, students are interviewed by 2-3 judges at each level of competition (local, regional, and state). They must be knowlegeable and exact in the information they share with judges and utilize a wide variety of sources. Saylor’s teacher/advisor at SJHS is Jesse Grover and he attended the National History fair as well as Saylor's parents, Jim and Rena.
Their first home in Blanding had a tarpaper roof, which didn’t fare well in unexpected hailstorms. DeVar started mining in Cottonwood and was often gone. In 1955 they moved to Colorado with their 8 children where he continued his mining business. By 1975 mines were being shut down, so they sold their Colorado ranch and moved back to Utah and built a new home in 1991 on the east side of town. They ended up with12 children, which included two sets of twins. Jim and Joe were born in 1947 and Jill and Jane in 1959. Their other children include Dan, Casey, Sallee, Clark, Kerry, Alan, and Jason. It was always a lively household and the children had weekly cleaning assignments. They were taught to work and not complain. Madge often told her kids, “Tell me when your siblings do something good, not just what bothers you!”
Madge did most of the cooking but the kids and Devar often helped. Favorites were biscuits and gravy and meat and potatoes. Allan has the title of “cooker man” and is considered a gourmet chef. (He also served 12 years in the Navy.) Three of the boys served missions. Five of their children live in Blanding and check on their mother often.
Thursday, August 8, 2024
Grover Cattle, Crops, and Education Built SJC Traditions
Jess Morris Grover was a well-rounded educator who learned about animals and work from his father and taught those same principles to his family. They in turn continue to teach those same principles to their children. Before becoming an Ag teacher at SJH in 1940, Jess was a cowboy in northern Utah and also worked at the USU dairy for several years. He cowboyed with the Browning Livestock Company in Northern Ut, and Wyo. He graduated midterm, then went to Blanding with Ray Perkins, his roommate. He lived with Joe Nielson, Bud Nielson and Carl Perkins while he was a 1st year school teacher.
Singles in those days often had socials at the Blue Mountain Dude Ranch and that’s where he met Afton Hurst. Since it happened to be Leap Year, she asked him his opinion about girls proposing! The strategy worked and they married 4 days after she graduated from SJHS in 1939. Their first child, Merlin, was born in April 1942.
The Army offered advancements if soldiers would stay but Jess missed his family and returned home. He hadn’t seen his daughter for 22 months. Even though jobs were scarce, he was able to find work at the Ben Lomond farms in Logan & was hired as a herdsman for their Guernsey cows. Jess also Worked for Cream of Weber Dairy but money was tight so after 2 years the whole family decided to move to Montana. He started work there taking care of cattle all over the state; however, a car accident changed their plans and they gathered up their milk cows and moved to Blanding.
Zenos Black talked Jess into teaching at SJHS and Erv Guymon helped them get a 1 room building in the area where Yaks is where they also kept their cattle. Jess farmed and ran 400 cattle on the Blue Mountain but often did veterinarian work for Blanding and Monticello ranchers. He also did custom haying in Montezuma Canyon for the Daltons as well for as Harrison Oliver, the Nielsons and Carl Perkins. In addition, he kept his teaching certificate current and often had to take summer classes. Because of this, his wife and boys often had to take care of the livestock and milk business.
Jess was finally successful in getting the school district to restart FFA (which it continues to do). He had good rapport with Native Americans students and taught them skills that helped them be successful raising livestock on the reservation. Many became good athletes and FFA leaders. In addition, they learned parliamentary procedures as well as agricultural strategies. Mark Maryboy was one of his students. He also worked with the San Juan Extension Service to implement the Junior Livestock program in 1972.
Another Grover enterprise started in 1955 which was running the Blanding Dairy. They delivered milk, house to house 6 days a week and took ice cream to cafes. They even sold milk to Meadow Gold who eventually turned around and brought milk to Blanding. Eventually Kenneth & Don Brown bought the dairy.
Both of his parents had a love of youth and agriculture and Jess had a major influence in the lives of many people. Clisbee Lyman and Don Smith were some of his first students. He was good friends with Bud Nielson and helped start VFW. The San Juan County Fair and FFA are now a permanent part of county history, thanks to the efforts of Jess Grover.
Thursday, August 1, 2024
The Stone Lizard Flourishes with Simpson TLC
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Blanding Motel & Stone Lizard Site Turns 70 this Year: Part I, The Blickenstaff Era
The motel used radiant heat. After about 15 years, Gene decided it would be more economical to have a coal-fed boiler. John and Kurt were put in charge of cleaning out the coal dust and clinkers from the boiler. The two boys spent one entire summer in the crawlspace under the motel, insulating hot water pipes by wrapping and taping newspaper around them. John recalled, “Whenever we came to the Sunday comic section, we would stop what we were doing and read the comics.”
Besides his job and helping to raise a growing family, Gene volunteered at the San Juan Nursing home. He was honored in 1983 for his volunteer service where he spent countless hours visiting the residents and sharing books with a reading circle (a program which he conceived and organized). He was Blanding’s first PR man and loved talking about San Juan County. He even painted a white square on the back side of their living quarters and used it as a screen to show slides he had taken of San Juan County to motel guests during summer evenings.
Tara Dawn Olsen along with Cindy Bradford and Ulene Black cleaned rooms for Francelle when they were 14. “She was the best boss ever!!” Rickell Walters remembers working there also. “It was my very first actual job! I vividly remember making beds and cleaning rooms!”
Their son Todd, recalled: “Motel Blanding is where I grew up from 1963 (birth) to 1976, when we moved three blocks to our new home on 100 East and 100 North in Blanding. The motel was attached to our home, which had two-stories and an unfinished basement. There were 19 rooms (1-20 with no #13). It was heated by a large coal furnace. There were trees, flowers and lawn to maintain, and we had a huge garden in the back. To save money, dad built a flat roof over all the rooms, so the snow had to be shoveled off the roof in the winter. The motel required a lot of work. We helped clean rooms, plant, water and weed the garden, prune the trees, shovel coal, clean the furnace, shovel snow and much more!”
“I also remember when Blanding first paved 100 West, adjacent to Motel Blanding. I rode my bike up and down the newly paved street before the asphalt was set. I came into the house covered with asphalt and oil that flipped up onto me from my bike tires. Mom took me out on the back porch, stripped off my clothes, stuck me in the large utility sink, and used turpentine to remove the street from my skin.”
“On New Years Eve, we could invite one friend over and mom and dad would let us have a motel room all to ourselves,” Todd remembered. “We would stay up late, play games and watch TV. Every October, deer hunters from California would come and rent rooms. It was one of the only times during the year when we would actually fill all of the rooms. Some of the same hunters came each year. They would bring us oranges, pomegranates, nuts and other goodies from California, and we became friends with them. My dad was a good deer hunter and we loved going with him during the hunt. He would always bring one home and hang it up in the garage where it was cool. We had a refrigerator in the garage and mom was always sending me out there to get something out of the fridge. When I was young, I was scared to go out there when there was a dead deer hanging up. I would put a football helmet on and not look directly at the deer. I would quickly grab whatever mom needed from the fridge and dart back into our house.”
“The garden was amazing! All the fruit and vegetables you could imagine. My favorites were the corn and all the various fruit trees we had”, Todd added. “My mom made delicious pies, cobblers, jams and jellies. The garden was also a fun place to play hide-and-seek. Dad planted several fruit trees behind the motel and kept a large vegetable garden there as well. We harvested cherries, apricots, apples, and peaches, which Mom bottled for use in the winter. Dad created his own hybrid corn seed and prided himself on having corn ready to eat by July 24th. Our summer meals always involved produce from the garden, including corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, radishes, asparagus, cantaloupe, and other goodies. I spent hours hoeing weeds and keeping the furrows cleaned out so water would flow to the end of each row.”
From Kurt’s perspective, “The main purpose of the motel was to provide an opportunity for 8 children to learn to work and contribute to the family economy. We all had various chores to perform and were expected to be helpful and diligent. This early training, coupled with the high expectations of my parents, were a great foundation for a lifetime of service and many successes that have blessed my life immeasurably. I am extremely grateful for my Motel Blanding roots and look back on my early years with fondness.”
Many Blanding residents have fond memories of the Blanding Motel: Amy Watkins recalled that Dr. Broughton ran his traveling optometry clinic out of the last unit, and she got first pair of glasses from him.
Kim Fi Chan ran the motel in later years as well as the Rainbow Café on Main Street. Phil and Ann Foutz also ran it for a while and installed a hot tub. Ray and Rae Brown owned it in the late 70’s.
Several families lived in the Blanding Motel while waiting for their own homes to be build. Eva and Stan Byrd were building a home on 2nd West and moved their family into the motel and managed it. Jeff Byrd recalled, “We were so lucky to have a pop machine in our living room. I have fond memories of riding my skateboard down that long sidewalk to the mini mart. I would do that over and over until I was badly sunburned. I think we were there almost a year.” Bonnie and Truitt Purcell had a similar experience, living there from ’78-80 when their home was being built and the Browns were running it. Robin Dawn McDaniel also recalled moving to Blanding in 1978 and living in the main house when the Browns were running it.
Carol Barton: “I have lots of memories of that motel. We stayed there when my Dad (Lynn Lee) was interviewing for the principal position-in Blanding. We went to see Oklahoma in the movie theatre that night. Then for the next several years I spent lots of time there as Mary and I were the same age. Mary’s mom had such a fun since of humor. It was always fun to go to her house.”
Julie Hawkins: Mitchell Hawkins lived there with his two daughters, Kristi, and Andrea, while he managed it about 1987
Toni Lacy: Mike remembers being taught the gospel of Jesus Christ from a very good missionary (Gene Blickenstaff) in this motel.
The Blickenstaff’s raised a large family, all of whom excelled. Scott served a three-year mission for the LDS church in the Southern Far East and was one of the first missionaries to open Thailand for proselytizing. Upon his return he attended the University of Utah, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, class of 1971. He served in the Army for 13 years, which took him and his family to many exciting places, including three years in Belgium where he developed his love for amazing food. He went on to become the clinical director of Bear River Mental Health after receiving his Ph.D. at Utah State University. He later served two missions with his wife Debra, worked in the Logan Temple, and served as bishop of a Utah State University Singles Ward.
The Blickenstaff children were very talented as well as smart and participated in many Blanding productions. Peter Henderson’s, The Happiest Family included music, dance, comedy and drama and Mary Blickenstaff helped coach actors. Her sister Denise placed 3rd in the National Elks contest and was class valedictorian in 1969. She also played the lead in “I Rememer Mama”. John was also the class valedictorian in 1971 and graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University earning a master of business administration degree. In 1989 John was promoted to vice president of finance and administration, Tanox Biosystems Inc. of Houston, Texas.
“The motel was never a profitable enterprise while my parents owned it”, Kurt recalled. My father thought that Blanding would have a thriving tourist population, which it does today, but rarely did in the 1950s to the 1970s. There were more tourists in town during the summer months than in winter, but they struggled to break even most years. A possible exception to this was during the 60s when the US Department of Defense was testing and training military personnel in the use of long-range guided missiles. They were launched from a facility on White Mesa and aimed at a target area near White Sands, New Mexico. There were many service men involved in these exercises that were stationed in Blanding and housed in local motels for months at a time. This certainly helped the local economy and provided various social opportunities for the local populace.”
Todd also recalled, “When the army was firing Pershing missiles from Dead Horse Point to White Sands, New Mexico, the enlisted men were stationed out on Black Mesa and the officers stayed in our motel. “We made friends with them, and it was fun having them around. My dad would always offer to grill up some hamburgers in the back yard for our motel guests or take them out on a four-wheel-drive adventure in his Jeep. You don’t really get that type of hospitality when you stay in motels now.” Eugene Blickenstaff, Ph.D. was born April 18, 1947. Gene and Francell celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1990. Gene passed away at home in Logan, Utah on March 26, 2023.
Friday, June 28, 2024
San Juan High: A Tradition of History Fair Winners
By Janet Wilcox
"Those who don't understand and appreciate history are bound to repeat it." Santana
Students from San Juan High School have consistently done well at the State History Fair for decades, with many qualifying for Nationals in Washington DC. The first ever to do so was Tonya Morris from White Mesa who won Utah's Grand prize expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. June 12-16, 1988.
SJHS WINNERS FROM THE PAST San Juan High's winners in 1987 for historical papers were: 1st Shelley Singer, 2nd Tonya Morris, 3rd Julie Martineau with Superior ratings going to Steve Black, Kaelin Perkins, LeAnn Lovell, LeeAnn Bowring, Daryl Guymon, Kacee Shumway, Gary Lyman, Katrina Shumway, Lorin Kartchner, Deniane Gutke, Annette Carroll, Kim Hurst, Tyler Palmer, Missy Knight, Jenifer Kurtz, Janell Guymon, and Thelma Tate.
Region Winners 1988 --Historical papers: 1st Shelley Singer, 2nd Tonya Morris, 3rd Julie Martineau; Superior ratings: Steve Black, Kaelin Perkins, LeAnn Lovell LeeAnn Bowring, Daryl Guymon, Kacee Shumway, Gary Lyman, Katrina Shumway Smith, Lorin Kartchner & Deniane Gutke, Annette Carroll, Kim Hurst, Tyler Palmer, Missy Knight, Jenifer Kurtz, Janell Guymon, and Thelma Tate.
SJHS WINNERS FROM THE PAST San Juan High's winners in 1987 for historical papers were: 1st Shelley Singer, 2nd Tonya Morris, 3rd Julie Martineau with Superior ratings going to Steve Black, Kaelin Perkins, LeAnn Lovell, LeeAnn Bowring, Daryl Guymon, Kacee Shumway, Gary Lyman, Katrina Shumway, Lorin Kartchner, Deniane Gutke, Annette Carroll, Kim Hurst, Tyler Palmer, Missy Knight, Jenifer Kurtz, Janell Guymon, and Thelma Tate.
Region Winners 1988 --Historical papers: 1st Shelley Singer, 2nd Tonya Morris, 3rd Julie Martineau; Superior ratings: Steve Black, Kaelin Perkins, LeAnn Lovell LeeAnn Bowring, Daryl Guymon, Kacee Shumway, Gary Lyman, Katrina Shumway Smith, Lorin Kartchner & Deniane Gutke, Annette Carroll, Kim Hurst, Tyler Palmer, Missy Knight, Jenifer Kurtz, Janell Guymon, and Thelma Tate.
STUDENTS WIN TOP PRIZE AT UTAH HISTORY FAIR 1992
2004 Navajo students Lynnette Chee, Reed Sampson and Cyndee Stash of San Juan High were the grand prize winners in the Utah History Fair. They utilized their cultural background to develop a project on Navajo rug-weaving, and won $500. They also won 1st place and $75 in the Brigham Young University's Charles Redd Center contest for the best historical project dealing with Western history. Reed was inspired to use a book format after a book fell down from a shelf and hit him in the head! They created a display with large pages that turned Each page told part of the history of Navajo weaving. Their project also won $75 for best Western Research Exhibit and they won an expense paid trip to Washington D.C. Other local winners in 2004 were Revarae Bitsinnie and Carissa Nelson.
1997
1995:One of the biggest groups from San Juan to qualify for the National History Fair included: L-R: Christina Guymon, Jeanine Christensen, Mindy Redd, Zeb Crofts, Valena Lake and Landry Redd. Platt Nielson and Kyle Laws also qualified. They won numerous awards at each level of competition. Several parents traveled with them to Washington DC along with their advisor.
: Kristina Long placed 1st in individual performance at Region with her story of the Long Walk entitled "Peaches"; 2nd place went to Tyler Jack and his performance related to the CCC Camp in Blanding. Kami Christiansen wrote her research paper on the role that her grandfather County Commissioner, Calvin Black played in the Sagebrush Rebellion. "From Sagebrush Rebellion to Environmental Hellion" was the title. She won 1st place for local research from the Charles Redd Center and a $100 cash prize. She also took 2nd in historical papers in the state. She and her mother went to Washington D.C. in June 1997 to compete. She used over 20 primary sources in her research.
2009: Winners in the Charles Redd competition were Gina Guymon, San Juan. Teachers given Merit Awards included Judy Busk, Richfield High; Janet Wilcox, San Juan High; and James Walker, Grand Middle.
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