This Level II Historic American Engineering Record was prepared for the Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Highway Division to record the Apache Trail and its contributing features in fulfillment of mitigation measures outlined in Stipulation III.B of the Memorandum of Agreement Among the Federal Highway Administration, Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, USDA Forest Service (Tonto National Forest), and the Arizona Department of Transportation Regarding the Treatment of Historic Properties for the Apache Trail MP to Project, Maricopa County, Arizona (MOA). The MOA identified fifteen culverts as the contributing features to the Apache Trail.
Patricia Ambacher, M.A., and Mark Bowen, M.A., of Jacobs served as principal investigators for the project and conducted primary and secondary research. Both meet the U.S. Secretary of the Interior s Professional Qualification Standards for history and architectural history. Robert G. Graham of Motley Design Group photographed the structures and prepared the prints and negatives. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 3) Part I. Historical Information A. Physical History 1. Date(s) of construction: (original road); (culverts) 2. Architect/Engineer: Louis C. Hill (original road); Thomas Maddock (early maintenance and culvert construction); O.H. Swaney (new alignment) 3. Builder/Contractor/Supplier: U.S. Reclamation Service, later renamed the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), oversaw local workforce and the cities of Phoenix and Mesa contributed funds.1 4. Original plans and construction: The original construction of the road was completed without formal documented engineering design plans.2 Subsequent culvert construction, maintenance, and road realignment plans were not located. 5. Alterations and additions: In milepost markers were installed.
This same year, a cement pipe culvert was constructed at Mesquite Flat.3 In the road underwent upgrades.4 In the road was widened from 12 -0 to 16 -0 .5 Between and there were several culverts constructed on the Apache Trail at MPs and In the road was rerouted between MP and MP The road was also widened and as part of the road widening, aspects of existing culverts were improved, and new culverts were constructed.7 1 Ernest Douglas, A Dream That Has Come True, Arizona: The New State Magazine 1, no. 5 (March 4. 2 Richard L. Powers, Images of America: Apache Trail (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 11. 3 Powers, Images of America: Apache Trail, 35; Pat H.
Stein, State Route 88 (The Apache Trail): Historic Context Analysis for Planning Safety Enhancements to the Trail (Flagstaff, AZ: Arizona Preservation Consultants), 7. 4 Douglas, A Dream That Has Come True, 4. 5 Glennda Gene Luhnow and Linda M. Schilling, Results of Class I Literature Review, Historic Features Documentation, and Class III Cultural Resources Survey between Milepost and Milepost of State Route 88/Apache Trail, Maricopa County, Arizona (Phoenix, AZ: Jacobs), 35. 6 Luhnow and Schilling, Results of Class I Literature Review, 37, 45. 7 Luhnow and Schilling, Results of Class I Literature Review, 35. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No.
AZ-101-A (Page 4) Between and the road was widened to 24 -0 to accommodate increased vehicular traffic.8 Under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) program, which ran from the mid- to the early improvements were made to the road that included the construction of culverts, retaining walls, and the low water crossing at Tortilla Flat.9 In twelve miles of roadway from Apache Junction to Goldfield were surfaced.10 Between and as part of routine road maintenance, features, such as culverts, were improved or added.11 In 3.7 miles of the new alignment, beginning two miles east of Theodore Roosevelt Dam, were paved.12 Between and the road from Mesquite Flat (MP to MP 218 was realigned.13 Between and ADOT undertook an improvement project for a seventeen-mile stretch of the road.
The improvements included removing potentially unstable boulders above the highway, paving vehicle pullouts, adjusting curves, replacing old guardrail, incorporating new raised pavement markers and centerline rumble strips, and installing new signage. From three miles northeast of Apache Junction and extending seven miles beyond Tortilla Flat, the road was resurfaced.14 B. Historical Context This historic context provides an overview of the development of Arizona s highway system, the Salt River Project, and the Apache Trail. These subjects have been addressed by previous context statements, regulatory reports, and published secondary sources, which are cited in this document s Part III. Sources of Information.
The archival record does not discuss in detail the construction and maintenance of the fifteen culverts that were identified by the MOA. 8 Luhnow and Schilling, Results of Class I Literature Review, 35. 9 Luhnow and Schilling, Results of Class I Literature Review, 35; Michael Sullivan, email message to Lisa Hemesath, February 2, 10 Budget Breakdown Sums Up Highway Projects Planned, Arizona Republican, May 29, 11 Luhnow and Schilling, Results of Class I Literature Review, 34. 12 Phoenix Firm Low on Apache Trail Job, Tucson Daily Citizen, June 23, 13 Michael Sullivan, email message to Lisa Hemesath, February 2, 14 SR 88 (Apache Trail) Improvement Project Completed, Arizona Department of Transportation, accessed October 7, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 5) 1.
Development of Arizona s Transportation System During the period when Arizona was a territory, the Territorial government left the construction of public roads to the counties. The counties operated with small budgets, so road construction proceeded slowly. In the Territorial Legislature created the Territorial Engineer position and placed road construction and maintenance under the engineer s control. The Territorial Engineer was expected to establish a formal highway system that included the design and supervision of all new roads and engineering support to the counties.
However, few substantial improvements were made.15 In Arizona became a state; the Territorial Engineer s title changed to State Engineer and the Arizona Highway Department (Department) was created.16 The State Engineer was a governor-appointed position with a two-year term.17 However, the Department had less than per year under its direct control to spend on a new highway system. At this time, the Department constructed almost all of Arizona s roads from dirt or other local materials and many roads lacked proper grading or drainage. In the Arizona Good Roads Association proposed a bond measure to finance a statewide construction program. Voters thoroughly rejected the measure.
This left the Department unable to build new roads, and maintenance measures on existing roads continued to be simple grading of existing dirt or rock and resurfacing with the same materials. It would take the Federal Aid Road Act of to be passed for Arizona to find appropriate funding to construct and maintain its growing highway system.18 By Arizona developed state engineering standards for road, bridge, and culvert designs. These included concrete headwalls for culverts between 12 and 48 wide; reinforced concrete box culverts in sizes from 1 -3 x 1 -3 to 5 -0 x 5 -0 ; and rubble masonry headwalls for pipe culverts. The Department also conducted various surveys of existing roads, including the Apache Trail.
A reconnaissance survey indicated the need to replace the older wood bridges, construct new bridges and culverts, and raise the road grade between MP 57 and 58, which flooded during heavy rains. The survey was conducted by Twitchell, a Department field engineer.19 In the Department came under investigation by the Arizona Senate and House about missing records and the Department s inadequate accounting system as it related to the purchase of equipment for road construction. The investigation determined that many of the early records of the Department were burned by employees in the furnace of the 15 Mark E. Pry and Fred Andersen, Arizona Transportation History (Tempe, AZ: History Plus, 23 24. 16 Pry and Anderson, Arizona Transportation History, 28 29.
17 Arizona Highway Department, Third Biennial Report of the State Engineer to the Governor and the Commission of State Institutions, State of Arizona and (Phoenix: Arizona State Press, 41. 18 Pry and Anderson, Arizona Transportation History, 28 29, 33. 19 Arizona Highway Department, Fourth Biennial Report of the State Engineer to the Governor of the State of Arizona for the Period July 1, to December 31, (Phoenix, AZ: Republican Print Shop, 8, 65, 80. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No.
AZ-101-A (Page 6) Department s headquarters building in Phoenix.20 Other early records were destroyed by the flooding of the Department s basement or were relocated to the counties.21 In the American Association of State Highway Officials, with approval from the Bureau of Public Roads, assigned each of Arizona s highways a unique number. Arizona began numbering its own highways and the Apache Trail became State Route 2. Salt River Project and the Theodore Roosevelt Dam In February the Salt River Valley (Valley) experienced a severe flood that caused tremendous damage in Phoenix and the surrounding cities and towns. This was followed by a drought, which lasted from to and resulted in a significant decline in the Valley s agricultural industry.
The Valley depended on the combined watersheds of the Salt and Verde Rivers for irrigation. The drought impacted the economy and limited the growth of the Valley.23 Residents in the Valley understood that a storage dam was needed to alleviate the problems caused by cycles of flooding and droughts that were characteristic of the area. To achieve this, help from the federal government would be imperative.24 The Reclamation Act of allowed for the federal government s construction of irrigation infrastructure, which was financed by reclamation fund monies drawn from the sale of western lands.
When construction of a project was complete, the local water users would assume responsibility for the operation of the project using their own funds and then repay the cost of construction interest-free for more than ten years. The federal government would retain ownership and management of the project. Additionally, the Act created the U.S. Reclamation Service (today known as U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)), whose responsibility it was to design and construct irrigation projects in the western United States.25 Valley farmers recognized that the federal government needed a local organization to manage these large projects after they were completed. In the Salt River Valley Water Users Association (SRVWUA) was established.
Known as the Salt River Project, the construction of the Tonto Dam (later renamed the Theodore Roosevelt Dam) was the first Reclamation project constructed under the Reclamation Act of The SRVWUA acted as the local contact for Reclamation, ensuring the construction of the dam and the federal government s repayment. In the SRVWUA finalized the construction and repayment contract and bought the land 20 Committees of Investigation of State Highway Department and Affairs, Report (Phoenix, AZ: 1, 4. 21 Committees of Investigation, Report, 5. 22 Pry and Anderson, Arizona Transportation History, 39. 23 Salt River Project, The Story of Water, Power and Community (Phoenix: Salt River Project, accessed October 8, 10. 24 Salt River Project, The Story of the 12.
25 Salt River Project, The Story of the APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 7) where the dam was to be constructed, which was forty miles from Globe, Arizona, and sixty miles east of Mesa, Arizona.26 The dam s construction was completed in 3. Apache Trail i. Construction of the Apache Trail Before construction of the dam began, support facilities were needed. The dam was in a remote area, and the need for an adequate supply route became apparent. The dam was forty miles from Globe, Arizona, over a rough road.
The dam was sixty miles away from Mesa, Arizona, but no road existed.28 Reclamation decided it was less expensive to haul freight from Phoenix to the dam site than it would be from Globe.29 Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe recognized the commercial advantage of having the construction road built from the Valley to the dam site and offered financial aid for the road s construction. Each city distributed bonds totaling toward building the road, which originally was known as the Mesa-Roosevelt Road, as it connected the two locations.30 Unlike Phoenix and Mesa, Tempe did not sell its bonds.31 The total cost for building the road was Louis C.
Hill supervised construction.32 Reconnaissance surveys began in May and the initial construction of the road began in October In December work began on the upper end of the road in the canyon below the dam site. All construction took place under the direction of Reclamation. The road started at what would become known as Apache Junction and ended at the dam site. Apache laborers were hired to perform the difficult task of building the road. These men built retaining walls using only fitted stones with no mortar.33 Reclamation described the route as a most difficult one because below the dam it was a rocky canyon, with nearly vertical sides necessitating solid rock cuts twenty to sixty feet.
34 Work crews had to realign and upgrade the road shortly after the segments were completed.35 By the end of the road was sufficient for basic transit, and transportation of construction loads began in early Reclamation officially opened the sixty-three-mile road for use on April 24, 26 Salt River Project, The Story of the 15 16, 19. 27 Kathleen Garcia, Images of America: Roosevelt Dam (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing), 8. 28 Salt River Project, The Story of the 20. 29 Feeling Good Expressions of Phoenix People Concerning the Future, Arizona Republican, March 19, 30 Salt River Project, The Story of the 20. 31 Stein, State Route 88, 6. 32 Douglas, A Dream That Has Come True, 4.
33 United States Reclamation Service, Final History of Salt River Project, Arizona Transmitted to Director (April 1, 75; Salt River Project, The Story of the 20. 34 United States Reclamation Service, Final History, 75. 35 Stein, State Route 88, 7. 36 Powers, Images of America: Apache Trail, 8 9. 37 Stein, State Route 88, 9. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 8) ii.
Maintenance of the Apache Trail Because it was in constant use, the road received maintenance and improvements during the construction of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam from to There were 1.5 million pounds of freight hauled over the road each month, which increased as oil shipments increased.38 In May Eager & Company, based in Los Angeles, California, drove oil wagons with six horses each over the road to the dam site.39 In these early days, the journey by horse-drawn wagons could take close to twelve hours, and the wagons left deep ruts in the road.40 Travel, however, often was interrupted by flooding.
On November 27, the Salt River flooded and was compared to the Great Flood of causing considerable damage to the Apache Trail.41 To help combat flooding on the road, Reclamation installed cement pipe culverts, the earliest of which was at Mesquite Flat in However, once the dam was completed, Reclamation did not consider maintenance a priority because the road was treated as nothing more than a construction access road. This left the road open for degradation and created maintenance problems for future travelers using the Apache Trail.43 According to the SRVWUA, since the road s construction, the SRVWUA was the only entity providing initial maintenance of the Apache Trail.44 Because a portion of the Apache Trail travels through the Tonto National Forest, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Forest Service (Forest Service) wanted to see improvements and maintenance performed on the Apache Trail to assist with the Forest Service s land management goals. The survey was conducted by the Bureau of Public Roads in The reconnaissance survey started at the Theodore Roosevelt Dam and continued westward for approximately forty miles. The survey noted damage from flooding, steep grades, bridges in need of replacement, and the need for the construction of additional culverts.45 In Senator Marcus A. Smith was quoted in the newspaper as saying: It is a disgrace for the most beautiful scenic highway in the United States to be left in such poor condition.
46 In leaders from Gila County, Arizona, the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the SRVWUA met to discuss funds for restoring the Apache Trail.47 38 Powers, Images of America: Apache Trail, 10; Stein, State Route 88, 10. 39 Mesa, Arizona Republican, May 16, 40 Cars Now Speed on Apache Trail, Ancient Highway, Oakland Tribune, June 27, 41 United States Reclamation Service, Final History, 77 78. 42 Stein, State Route 88, 30. 43 Michael Sullivan, email message to Lisa Hemesath, February 2, 44 Salt River Valley Water Users Association, Annual History, Salt River Project Research Archives and Heritage Center 9. 45 Stein, State Route 88, 15.
46 Pave Apache Trail in Senator Smith s Appeal After Trip, Tombstone Epitaph, May 4, 47 Meet Here Today to Discuss Restoring of the Apache Trail, Arizona Republican, March 12, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 9) As early as there were pleas to have the Apache Trail incorporated into Arizona s highway system and be maintained for its continued use by tourists.48 In the Omnibus Bill passed, which provided for improvements to the Apache Trail. However, an additional was needed and could only be acquired from sources other than state taxation.
To raise the funds, an agreement was reached between the Department and the Maricopa County Highway Commission that (1) certain roads in Maricopa County would become Federal Aid Projects, (2) the County Highway Commission would pay the full cost of certain roads within its program, and (3) of the federal aid monies should be applied to the Apache Trail and the balance spent on other roads in Maricopa County.49 The Department was expected to start the work in April Many sections of the road were washed out, requiring work crews to grade and fill the road. The State Engineer, Thomas Maddock, planned to have the road surfaced with either gravel, decomposed granite, or crushed rock.
It depended on what materials were available and which would work best for each section of road.51 Additionally, culverts for drainage were installed because much of the damage to the road was not caused by vehicles, but by water.52 This work was conducted under the supervision of Julius Irions, and the chief construction superintendent Rand Bone.53 The work that was done in what the Department identified as the First Section included widening the road in certain places.
This First Section extended from the start of the Apache Trail to the area known as the Horse Mesa Section.54 The Department employed four crews one crew on the approach from Mesa, another two crews on the lower reaches of the road where it ascended from the valley floor, and a fourth crew working at the end of the trail by the Theodore Roosevelt Dam.55 By January the Apache Trail had received most of the improvements slated for the First Section. Newspaper accounts said The new concrete work and drainage on the highway constitutes exceptionally fine engineering. The water is drained under the road and the construction is permanent.
56 Work on the Second Section took place between and As part of this work, four bridges and a culvert were constructed, which was part of the reconstruction work done between Mormon Flats and Horse Mesa Trail.
Two of the bridges were designed as steel low-truss spans with concrete floors, one measuring 73 -6 (Fish Creek Bridge) and 48 The Apache Trail, Arizona Republican, September 26, 49 Arizona Highway Department, Fifth Biennial Report of the State Engineer to the Governor of the State of Arizona for the Period July 1, to June 30, (Phoenix: AZ, 50 Total Federal Aid for Arizona In Year, Arizona Republican, January 21, 51 Repair Work on Apache Trail to Be Soon Begun, Arizona Republican, April 21, 52 Start Work of Repairing the Apache Trail, Arizona Republican, May 2, Arizona Highway Department, Fifth Biennial Report, 53 Start Work of Repairing the Apache Trail, Arizona Republican, May 2, 54 Arizona Highway Department, Statement of Work Performed by the State Highway Department Upon the Apache Trail Between the Apache Junction and Roosevelt (Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Highway Department, February 7, 1.
55 Arizona State Highway Department, Desert s Heat Fails to Wilt Vim of Arizona s Road Builders, Arizona Highways, 2, no. 1 (August 17, 3. 56 Apache Trail Rapidly Becoming Fine Boulevard, Arizona Republican, January 14, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 10) the other measuring 56 -8 . The third bridge was a 60 -0 steel, low-truss span with a timber floor (Lewis and Pranty Creek Bridge). The fourth bridge had a 32 -0 steel I-beam span Wash Bridge), and the culvert was 9 -0 and made from elephant shelters. The contract to build the bridges was awarded to the Lashnet Company. Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Company was given the contract on two of the steel spans for the delivery of the material.57 The Third Section of work also was known as the Mormon Flats Section.
Maddock contracted the work to the SRVWUA over a four-mile stretch.58 Before work began there were conflicts between the state s engineers and those of the SRVWUA. The original agreement between the two parties was that the new sections of road would be built by SRVWUA to standards equal to the old section s width, grades, and curvature. However, since that agreement was made, the state began to widen the Apache Trail from 10 -0 to 12 -0 and from 14 -0 to 16 -0 . If the SRVWUA constructed their section to meet the standards of the old road, then it would be too narrow and not conform to the state s improvements. A second issue arose concerning bridge design and durability.
A revised agreement was reached in December and the new road completed by the SRVWUA conformed to the state s standards and two bridges also were added in this section.59 The Fourth Section encompassed more than eight miles of an entirely new road, necessitated by the construction of Horse Mesa Dam.60 The work included grading and adding three bridges that were each 19 -0 long each with concrete piers and abutments. Additionally, two 50 -0 concrete arch bridges were proposed, however only one, the Pine Creek Bridge was constructed.61 The new road began at a point approximately nine miles below the Theodore Roosevelt Dam and a junction was made with the old road about one mile below the dam.
The new road was approximately 18 -0 wide and had an 8 percent grade toward Theodore Roosevelt Dam and a 10 percent grade from the junction for the new road. The culverts were built using corrugated metal pipes with dry masonry headwalls made of local rock. The work for this new part of the Apache Trail was overseen by Hugh McKay, the general foreman, and O.H. Swaney, resident engineer.62 The construction of this new section of the Apache Trail eliminated nine miles of the original roadway leading to the dam and removed some of the road s tight curves.63 The work on this section of the Apache Trail began in February but by 57 Arizona Highway Department, Statement of Work, 4; Clayton B.
Fraser, Bridges: Arizona Historic Bridge Inventory (FRASERdesign, 424 432 58 Arizona Highway Department, Statement of Work, 6 7. 59 Arizona Highway Department, Statement of Work, 6 7; Fraser, Bridges, 428 Stein, State Route 88, 17. 60 Arizona Highway Department, Seventh Biennial Report of the State Engineer of the State of Arizona (Phoenix: AZ, Arizona Highway Department, 61 Arizona Highway Department, Statement of Work, 10, 12; Michael Sullivan, email message to Lisa Hemesath, February 2, 62 Arizona Highway Department, Seventh Biennial Report, 63 The Engineer s Log, Arizona Highways, May 20. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No.
AZ-101-A (Page 11) November funds were depleted and construction was temporarily halted.64 In the Horse Mesa Dam was completed, which subsequently flooded the Valley and the roadway closest to the reiver s edge forcing the closure of the Apache Trail below Roosevelt Dam in June. With additional state budgetary funds, the last two miles of the realignment was completed and the closed section was reopened in December None of the work done in the complied with federal standards because those standards required maximum grades of 6 percent instead of the existing grade that was 10 percent. Those standards also required longer-radius curves and a wider roadbed. To comply with those standards would have meant a complete relocation and reconstruction of the entire road.
That was expensive and considered unnecessary by the Department because the Apache Trail was used primarily as a scenic route. The Department continued to maintain the Apache Trail and make improvements. In the mid- to late the road was widened to 24 -0 to accommodate increased vehicular traffic. During this same period, WPA projects were implemented that included the construction of culverts and retaining walls.66 During the there was minimal maintenance on the road, which included the removal of debris from rockfalls. After World War II, the Department began efforts to resurface the Apache Trail using bituminous surface over an aggregate base. The work began on the section of road closest to Apache Junction and proceeded incrementally to the Theodore Roosevelt Dam.
In the early there was talk of realigning and resurfacing a three-mile segment east of Mesquite Flat, but public protest halted such activities. It was argued that the Department was substantially altering the character of the Apache Trail, which would eventually impact tourism and visitors to the road. The result was that the road underwent few changes in the and In the maintenance on the Apache Trail continued and included culvert repairs and replacements at MPs and Maintenance and improvements on the Apache Trail continue into the twenty-first century for the safety of its travelers. iii. Tourism and the Apache Trail By the summer of there were two competing stagecoaches using the Apache Trail. William A. Kimball operated eight- and ten-passenger stagecoaches between Mesa and Roosevelt.
The existing stagecoach line, J. Holdren and Sons, responded by ordering 64 Arizona Highway Department, Seventh Biennial Report of the State Engineer of the State of Arizona (Phoenix: AZ, Arizona Highway Department, 65 Arizona Highway Department, Seventh Biennial Report of the State Engineer of the State of Arizona (Phoenix: AZ, Arizona Highway Department, Stein, State Route 88, 18 19. 66 Luhnow and Schilling, Results of Class I Literature Review, 35. 67 Stein, State Route 88, 20 21, 30. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 12) larger passenger automobiles that made daily roundtrip drives between Mesa and Government Well in a shorter amount of time.68 The Apache Trail became a popular tourist attraction for visitors with their own automobiles.
On average, the drive between Phoenix and Globe took six hours.69 As early as the Southern Pacific Railroad named and promoted the road as the Apache Trail in part to romanticize the road for sightseers.70 Travelers could book a ticket on the railroad s Sunset Route, which left the main line at Maricopa, Arizona, heading to Phoenix. From there, riders could take a side trip and travel by automobile over the Apache Trail to Globe and then board cars on the Arizona Eastern Railway to travel to Bowie, Arizona. This side trip was an extra The Southern Pacific Railroad promoted the Apache Trail throughout the United States and printed colorful posters to advertise the trip.
Both the Raymond-Whitcomb and Gillispie-Kinport tourist companies were providing transportation over the Apache Trail in cooperation with the Southern Pacific Railroad.72 In alone, the Southern Pacific Railroad was preparing to spend thousands of advertising dollars to promote the Apache Trail.73 By the end of Southern Pacific Railroad tourists accounted for nearly 80 percent of the road s visitors.74 Wes Hill, owner of the Globe-Phoenix, a touring company, also was operating a stage line over the Apache Trail using both horse-drawn buses and automobiles.75 The Union Auto Transportation Company used sliding top coaches to transport visitors on the Apache Trail and provided them an overhead view of the surrounding landscape.76 In Union Auto Transportation Company operated stage cars on the Apache Trail.
Three hundred Shriners from New York, New York, and Rochester, New York, along with their families, toured the Apache Trail with this company.77 In the Southern Pacific Railroad invested in writing a tour booklet, The Flora of the Apache Trail, highlighting the flora that could be seen along the Apache Trail.78 iv. Safety and the Apache Trail Accidents on the Apache Trail were not uncommon because of the rugged terrain. A stagecoach went out of control down the hill into Roosevelt, causing a broken leg for the driver. Sudden flooding also plagued stagecoach drivers, causing them to lose their 68 Stein, State Route 88, 10. 69 Salt River Project, The Story of the 20. 70 Agent Praises Apache Trail, Arizona Republican, September 27, Melissa Keane and J.
Simon Bruder, Good Roads Everywhere: A History of Road Building in Arizona (Phoenix: AZ, 70. 71 Agent Praises Apache Trail, Arizona Republican, September 27, 72 To Entertain Tours Party, Arizona Republican, April 7, Apache Trail Parties, Arizona Daily Star, January 29, 73 Fee Says Espee Will Make Apache Trail Big Feature, Arizona Republican, September 22, 74 Stein, State Route 88, 14. 75 Traffic On Apache Trail Has Started, Arizona Republican, February 11, 76 Union Auto Transportation Company, Apache Trail of Arizona. Brochure, Arizona State Library. 77 Apache Trail Fills Hearts Of Visitors With Wonders, Arizona Republican, June 11, 78 Apache Trail Flowers to Lengthen Tourist Season Through New Book, Arizona Daily Star, May 21, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No.
AZ-101-A (Page 13) wagons.79 Racing along the Apache Trail became fashionable with automobile drivers trying to best each other by traveling the road in the shortest amount of time. The first fatality on the Apache Trail occurred on August 29, when Al Miller s automobile overturned, killing him and injuring his passengers.80 This caused an immediate response from Reclamation because, while under Reclamation s control, the Apache Trail was considered a government highway. Its use by the public was permitted, but there were safety rules that travelers had to abide by. The speed limit on the desert portion of the road was set by state laws.
Between Government Wells and Theodore Roosevelt Dam, the speed limit was set to no more than fifteen miles per hour and reduced to a slower pace over bridges and around sharp curves.81 The speed limitation was set in by Reclamation s engineer W.A. Farish.82 Passing was permitted, but at a slow speed and providing plenty of clearance between the automobiles. Horns had to be sounded at all sharp curves to alert drivers approaching from the opposite direction. Horse-drawn teams had to be approached carefully and, whenever possible, they were given the inside lane right-of-way.83 79 Stein, State Route 88, 11. 80 Stein, State Route 88, 12.
81 Strict Road Rules Govern High Water Tour to Dam, Arizona Republican, April 4, 82 Roosevelt Motorists Must Reduce Speed, Arizona Republican, September 2, 83 Strict Road Rules Govern High Water Tour to Dam, Arizona Republican, April 4, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 14) Part II. Structural/Design Information A. General Statement 1. Character The section of the Apache Trail that is the subject of this document is a rural two-lane earthen roadway that extends from the Theodore Roosevelt Dam at its highest elevations at the east down along the southern banks and drainages of the Salt River in a southwest direction to the Apache Lake Marina and Resort turnoff where the main road has been gated due to weather-related damage.
The Apache Trail roadway rises and falls along numerous turns and curves as it passes through the remote and arid Salt River canyon areas where the scenic views often are broken only by the transmission power lines and large towers that follow the roadway. The rural character of the roadway alignment provides a sense of the logistical challenges of initial construction of the wagon road in the early and upkeep in the mid-twentieth century when automobiles and other motorized vehicles used the route.
The easier sloping grades of the trail (6 percent or less) underscore the trail s early use by wagons and horses, while the wider curves of this portion of the road (radii between 100 -0 and 300 -0 ) underscore the fact that much of this portion of the Apache Trail was constructed or improved with the intended use by faster motorized vehicles. The fifteen culverts described in this document were selected by the signatories of the MOA because they are intact representatives of the many similar character-defining features found along the Apache Trail. 84 They are a mix of early dry-laid cut rock and mortared-stone fascias with corrugated metal pipe and preformed concrete tubes to convey drainage water.
The rudimentary nature of the culverts strongly supports the understanding that the Apache Trail began and continued to operate through an in the field design using as needed construction techniques along with as available construction materials that would not serve more heavily traveled highways in Arizona. The fifteen culverts noted here and described more fully below, represent only a portion of the total culverts needed for the numerous drainages present along this section of road. Concrete and steel bridges, as well as stone and mortar retaining walls, also are evident in various locations on the Apache Trail. 2. Condition of Fabric Recent fires and storm damage from water flows through the canyon further degraded the culverts that are the focus of this report.
Water scour and silting from the redeposit of washed soils have, in some instances, buried or destroyed key features of the culverts and required regrading and even slight realignment of the roadway. The scour of drain water in some locations exposed the backside of culvert fascia, leaving the structures vulnerable to collapse or other damage. The roadway in this section remains drivable for most 84 Federal Highway Administration, Memorandum of Agreement Among the Federal Highway Administration, Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, USDA Forest Service (Tonto National Forest), and the Arizona Department of Transportation Regarding the Treatment of Historic Properties for the Apache Trail MP to Project, Maricopa County, Arizona. p. 5.
APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 15) vehicles and trailers that access the marina and local campgrounds. More recent grading established small raised earthen curbs along each side of the road. Culverts are in varying conditions, and it proved challenging to locate inlets and outlets easily in some locations. B. Description The Apache Trail in its entirety is approximately 115 miles long and extends between the cities of Mesa and Globe. From Tonto National Forest s southern boundary to the intersection with State Route the Apache Trail is thirty-seven miles long. The surface and width of the road varies. The southern miles is paved with bituminous asphalt and is a standard 20 -0 wide, two-lane road.
A portion of the road (from the Fish Creek Hill Viewpoint to the Apache Lake Vista parking area at the intersection with Forest Service Road 79) currently is closed to through traffic. After that, the road width varies between 12 -0 and 28 -0 , with native material and decomposing granite on its surface. The 1.4 miles below Theodore Roosevelt Dam is paved, and the width is approximately 20 -0 , with some wider pullouts.85 The fifteen culverts documented in this report are located between MP and MP and were assigned character-defining feature numbers.
The culverts are described in the following sections from the lowest milepost and elevation to the highest milepost measurement and general elevation as the road meanders in a northeast direction from Forest Service Road 79 near the Apache Lake Marina and Resort to the Theodore Roosevelt Dam near State Highway The descriptions were adapted from Michael Sullivan s January report, Assessment of Roadway Features Along Apache Trail (State Route 88) From Milepost to The descriptions were confirmed and enhanced by Mark Bowen, M.A., after his field visit in October Milepost (Feature No. The culvert at this location is close to the Apache Lake Vista parking area. It is composed of two 24 corrugated metal pipes and two 36 riveted corrugated metal pipes.
The headwalls are mortared native stone with a later addition of mortared native stone wall added to the top of the outlet, which displays the workmanship of and maintenance efforts. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide, and the headwalls are close to the roadway. Milepost (Feature No. Also located near the Apache Lake Vista parking area, this culvert is comprised of a simple single 18 diameter corrugated metal pipe at the inlet and a similarly sized reinforced concrete pipe at the outlet set within a mortared native stone headwall. The outlet headwall represents rockwork from the road-improvement period. Replacement of the inlet likely resulted 85 Michael Sullivan, Assessment of Roadway Features Along Apache Trail (State Route 88) From Milepost to Revised January 1 2.
APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 16) from that side being buried previously. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide at this location. Milepost (Feature No. This culvert is comprised of dual 24 diameter reinforced concrete pipe at the inlet and 30 helical corrugated pipe at the outlet. The inlet pipe is set within a mortared native stone headwall and the outlet pipe is set within a reinforced concrete headwall with repurposed concrete blocks. The inlet headwall represents rockwork from the road-improvement period. The outlet is representative of the to maintenance period. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide at this location and the difference in the headwalls is likely the result of road widening. Milepost (Feature No.
The culvert at this location is comprised of a 24 helical corrugated metal pipe outlet that drains into a more elaborate, channelized energy dissipator and a 24 reinforced concrete pipe inlet. The headwalls noted from the and are mortared native stone with notable differences in construction between inlet and outlet. The earthen road is exceptionally wide at this location (approximately 25 -0 ), and the inlet headwall is close to the roadway while the outlet is approximately 20 -0 from the roadway. Milepost (Feature No. The culvert at this location is comprised of a single 24 corrugated metal pipe. The headwalls are mortared native stone that highlights and rockwork completed at that time. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide with a pronounced grading berm on the outlet side.
The inlet and outlet headwalls are close to the roadway through this steeper-sloped area. Milepost (Feature No. This currently non-functioning culvert features a visible outlet of 30 reinforced concrete pipe that is faced by a massive mortared native stone headwall that was previously reported to be of differing construction to that of the inlet. The rockwork may have been created as part of realignment work to the immediate north of this location. The inlet was buried by sediment from a storm event and portions of the back side of the outlet headwall have been scoured apart from the grade. The roadway at this location appears regraded, wider than most areas, and slightly realigned from repair work. Milepost (Feature No.
The culvert at this location is comprised of a single 24 riveted corrugated metal pipe at the inlet and a same-size reinforced concrete pipe at the outlet. The headwalls are mortared native stone, with the inlet dating to the construction period. The outlet dates to the dam completion period and then was upgraded both in with realignment of the road and in the to when the mortared native stone spillway and apron were added. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide with a pronounced grading berm on the outlet side. The inlet and outlet headwalls are close to the roadway through this steeper-sloped area, and the inlet headwall extends above the road grade by roughly 2 -0 . Milepost (Feature No.
This culvert functions through a 24 diameter riveted corrugated pipe at both the inlet and the outlet. Both the inlet and the outlet APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 17) pipes are set within a repurposed concrete block headwall. The headwalls for the inlet and outlet are representative of work from the to maintenance period, when these headwalls were repurposed from the former ADOT maintenance yard buildings in Globe. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide at this location and the headwalls are close to the road in the relatively level graded area. Both headwalls extend above the road grade by 1 -0 in height. Milepost (Feature No.
The culvert at this location is constructed of a single 24 corrugated metal pipe at the inlet, which changes to a 30 riveted corrugated metal pipe at the outlet. The headwall at the inlet is mortared native stone, with no headwall surrounding the outlet. The inlet is an excellent example of the construction conducted during the realignment of the road that took place in this section of the trail. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide and the inlet headwall is close to the roadway. Milepost (Feature No. The culvert at this realigned portion of the Apache Trail is comprised of a single 24 riveted corrugated metal pipe. The headwalls are dry-stacked native stone that highlight the rockwork completed at that time.
The earthen road is approximately 20 -0 wide with a pronounced grading berm on the outlet side. The inlet headwall is close to the roadway through this steeper-sloped area. The outlet is approximately 15 -0 from the road edge. Milepost (Feature No. This culvert is comprised of a set of dual 42 diameter riveted corrugated pipes at the inlet and the outlet. The inlet and outlet pipes are set within a dry-stacked native stone headwall. The headwalls represent rockwork from the road realignment period. The earthen road is approximately 20 -0 wide at this location near a steep canyon. Milepost (Feature No. The culvert at this realigned portion of the Apache Trail is comprised of a single 24 riveted corrugated metal pipe.
The headwalls are dry-stacked native stone that highlights rockwork completed at that time. The earthen road is approximately 18 -0 wide with a pronounced grading berm on the outlet side. The small inlet is close to the roadway through this steeper- sloped bench area. The outlet is approximately 30 -0 from the road edge and downslope from the roadway. The scoured condition of the outlet rockwork gives the appearance of a supporting tower holding the pipe. Milepost (Feature No. The culvert at this location is comprised of a 24 riveted corrugated metal pipe outlet that drains into a steep channel near the Salt River. The headwall for the inlet has recently been buried with only a portion of the dry-stacked native stonework visible.
The similarly constructed outlet remains more visible and represents the road realignment effort. The graded road along the steep bench is more narrow than other locations at approximately 16 -0 wide. The inlet is close to the roadway given the steep grade, while the outlet is 20 -0 to 30 -0 from the roadway and set below the grade. Milepost (Feature No. The culvert at this location is constructed of a single 30 riveted corrugated metal pipe at both the inlet and outlet. The headwalls APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 18) for the inlet and outlet for this culvert are impressively sized and carefully constructed dry-stacked native stone types.
They represent excellent examples of the construction conducted in the realignment of the road that took place in this section of the trail. The earthen road is approximately 20 -0 wide and the inlet headwall is close to the roadway. Milepost (Feature No. This culvert is constructed of a single 36 diameter riveted corrugated arch at both the inlet and the outlet. The inlet is set within a repurposed concrete block headwall, while the outlet is mortared native stone. The somewhat unique arch culvert is representative of the upgrade efforts, while the headwalls for the inlet and outlet are representative of the to maintenance period, when these headwalls were repurposed from the former ADOT maintenance yard buildings in Globe and dismantled at that time.
The earthen road is narrow at this location at approximately 16 -0 wide. The headwalls are close to the road in the steeply sloped area adjacent to the Salt River. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 19) Part III. Sources of Information A. Primary Sources Arizona Highway Department. Fifth Biennial Report of the State Engineer to the Governor of the State of Arizona for the Period July 1, to June 30, Arizona State Historical Society, Tucson, Arizona. Arizona Highway Department. Fourth Biennial Report of the State Engineer to the Governor of the State of Arizona for the Period July 1, to December 31, Phoenix: Republican Print Shop, Arizona Highway Department. Seventh Biennial Report of the State Engineer of the State of Arizona.
Phoenix: Arizona Highway Department, Arizona State Historical Society, Tucson, Arizona. Arizona Highway Department. Statement of All Work Performed by the State Highway Department Upon the Apache Trail Between the Apache Junction and Roosevelt, February 7, Phoenix: Arizona Highway Department, Arizona Memory Project, Arizona State Government Publications Collection. October 13, Arizona Highway Department. Third Biennial Report of the State Engineer to the Governor and the Commission of State Institutions, State of Arizona and Phoenix: Arizona State Press, Bull, William H. Apache Trail of Arizona. Southern Pacific. San Francisco: Southern Pacific, Print. California State Library, Picture Collection, October 8, e%20trail&mode=Basic.
Committees of Investigation of State Highway Department and Affairs. Report. Phoenix, MS 465 Folder Highway Construction Highway Dept of Transportation, Arizona State Historical Society, Tucson, Arizona. Federal Highway Administration. Memorandum of Agreement Among the Federal Highway Administration, Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, USDA Forest Service (Tonto National Forest), and the Arizona Department of Transportation Regarding the Treatment of Historic Properties for the SR88-Apache Trail MP to Project, Maricopa County, Arizona. Unpublished document. Signed in Fraser, Clayton B. Bridges: Arizona Historic Bridge Inventory. October 14, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 20) Historic Photographs.
PC Main Photo Collection Places: Apache Trail. Folder 12. Arizona Historical Society, Tucson, Arizona. Keane, Melissa and J. Simon Bruder. Good Roads Everywhere: A History of Road Building in Arizona. Prepared for Arizona Department of Transportation May Lubken, Walter J. Historic Photographs. Salt River Project Research Archives and Heritage Center, Phoenix, Arizona. Luhnow, Glennda Gene and Linda M. Schilling. Results of Class I Literature Review, Historic Features Documentation, and Class III Cultural Resources Survey between Milepost and Milepost of State Route 88/Apache Trail, Maricopa County, Arizona. Prepared for Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Highway Division, June 11, (Submittal 3). Salt River Valley Water Users Association.
Annual History, Salt River Project Research Archives and Heritage Center, Phoenix, Arizona. Stein, Pat H. State Route 88 (The Apache Trail): Historic Context Analysis for Planning Safety Enhancements to the Trail. Prepared for Roadside Development Section Intermodal Transportation Division Arizona Department of Transportation, March (Revised February Sullivan, Michael. Assessment of Roadway Features Along Apache Trail (State Route 88) From Milepost to Revised January Union Auto Transportation Company, Apache Trail of Arizona. Brochure, Travel Brochure, Vertical File. Arizona State Library, Phoenix, Arizona. United States Reclamation Service. Final History, Salt River Project, Arizona Transmitted to Director.
April 1, Salt River Project Research Archives and Heritage Center, Phoenix, Arizona. B. Secondary Sources Total Federal Aid for Arizona In Year. Arizona Republican, January 21, Agent Praises Apache Trail. Arizona Republican, September 27, Apache Trail Fills Hearts of Visitors with Wonders. Arizona Republican, June 11, Apache Trail Flowers to Lengthen Tourist Season Through New Book. Arizona Daily Star, May 21, Apache Trail Parties. Arizona Daily Star, January 29, Apache Trail Rapidly Becoming Fine Boulevard. Arizona Republican, January 14, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 21) Arizona Department of Transportation. SR 88 (Apache Trail) Improvement Project Completed. October 7, Budget Breakdown Sums Up Highway Projects Planned.
Arizona Republican, May 29, Cars Now Speed on Apache Trail, Ancient Highway. Oakland Tribune, June Desert s Heat Fails to Wilt Vim of Arizona Road Builders. Arizona Highways, Vol. 2, No. 1 (August 17, 3 6. Douglas, Ernest. A Dream That Has Come True. Arizona: The New State Magazine 1, no. 5 (March 3 7. The Engineer s Log. Arizona Highways, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May Fee Says Espee Will Make Apache Trail Big Feature. Arizona Republican, September 15, Feeling Good Expressions of Phoenix People Concerning the Future. Arizona Republican, March 19, Garcia, Kathleen. Images of America: Roosevelt Dam. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, Meet Here Today to Discuss Restoring of the Apache Trail. Arizona Republican, March 12, Mesa.
Arizona Republican, May 16, Pave Apache Trail Is Senator Smith s Appeal After Trip. Tombstone Epitaph, May 4, Phoenix Firm Low On Apache Trail Job. Tucson Daily Citizen, June 23, Powers, Richard L. Images of America: Apache Trail. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, Mark E., and Fred Andersen. Arizona Transportation History, October 22, Repair Work on Apache Trail to Be Soon Begun. Arizona Republican, April 21, Roosevelt Motorists Must Reduce Speed. Arizona Republican, September 2, Salt River Project. The Story of Water, Power, and Community. Phoenix: Salt River Project, October 8, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 22) Start Work of Repairing the Apache Trail. Arizona Republican, May 2, Strict Road Rules Govern High Water Tour to Dam.
Arizona Republican, April 4, The Apache Trail. Arizona Republican, September 26, To Entertain Tours Party. Arizona Republican, April 7, Traffic on Apache Trail Has Started. Arizona Republican, February 11, C. Likely Sources Not Yet Investigated Record Group 115 at the National Archives at Denver, Colorado. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 23) Appendix A. Maps Map Sheet 1. Location of features. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 24) Map Sheet 2. Location of features. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 25) Appendix B. Historic Images Figure 1. Apache Trail of Arizona. Southern Pacific. Courtesy of the California History Room, California State Library, Sacramento, California. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 26) Figure 2.
View showing natural roadbed before construction. Date unknown. Walter J. Lubken photograph, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Courtesy of the Salt River Project Research Archives and Heritage Center, Phoenix, Arizona. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 27) Figure 3. Junction of Fish Creek and Lewis and Pranty Creek showing hill and road. Date unknown. Walter J. Lubken photograph, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Courtesy of the Salt River Project Research Archives and Heritage Center, Phoenix, Arizona. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 28) Figure 4. Freighter on Apache Trail. Walter J. Lubken photograph, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Courtesy of the Salt River Project Research Archives and Heritage Center, Phoenix, Arizona. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No.
AZ-101-A (Page 29) Figure 5. The Walls of Bronze at Foot of the Noted Fish Creek Grade, Apache Trail Highway. Date unknown. Historic Photographs. PC Main Photo Collection Places: Apache Trail. Folder 12. Courtesy of the Arizona Historical Society, Tucson, Arizona. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 30) Figure 6. The Painted Cliffs, Apache Trail Highway. Date unknown. Historic Photographs. PC Main Photo Collection Places: Apache Trail. Folder 12. Courtesy of the Arizona Historical Society, Tucson, Arizona. APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 31) Figure 7. Arizona Highway Department.
Statement of All Work Performed by the State Highway Department Upon the Apache Trail Between the Apache Junction and Roosevelt, February 7, Phoenix: Arizona Highway Department, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 32) Figure 8. Arizona Highway Department. Statement of All Work Performed by the State Highway Department Upon the Apache Trail Between the Apache Junction and Roosevelt, February 7, Phoenix: Arizona Highway Department, APACHE TRAIL, MILEPOSTS TO HAER No. AZ-101-A (Page 33) Figure 9. Arizona Highway Department. Statement of All Work Performed by the State Highway Department Upon the Apache Trail Between the Apache Junction and Roosevelt, February 7, Phoenix: Arizona Highway Department,
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