On The Streets

Here’s a look back and a reminder of how Page looked in those early days. Most of these photos are scattered throughout other posts but I wanted to get them into the same post, so here they are!

This is in the MCS trailer court at the corner of B Street and what is today, Aero Ave, looking northwest. The USBR warehouse is in the distance.

1957 Page Business District. Donna Taylor (the first graduate of PHS) and Petey Lloyd Dietz talking in front of Babbitt’s. This building was located behind present-day Stix Market. The MCS Trailer Court is visible in the background. Photo courtesy of Petey Lloyd Dietz.

Ernie Severino inside the original Page Jewelers. Photo courtesy of Ernie Severino Jr. Undated.

Here’s a shot of the old Barber Shop and Post Office. The sign on the barber shop door says there were 3 barbers at that time. I only remember Hank. Photo courtesy of Petey Lloyd Dietz. Undated.

Here’s a nice view of the MCS Trailer Court. Photo courtesy of Petey Lloyd Dietz. Undated.

Mike Severino in front of present-day Lake Powell BLVD. That’s Keisling’s service station on the right. Photo Courtesy of Ernie Severino Jr. April, 1962

These huts housed a handful of Page businesses in those early years. Most (if not all) of the business owners lived in trailers next to their store as seen in this photo. These buildings were along North Navajo Drive opposite the USBR warehouse. Babbitt’s, the bank, etc were located to the right of this picture. Photo courtesy of Ernie Severino Jr. Undated.

One of those early businesses was The Men’s Store. The closing of this store may have coincided with the strike in 1959. If anyone can confirm or deny that, please let me know. Photo courtesy of USBR. Undated.

Another perspective on the old business huts that were along North Navajo Drive. If I remember right, Firestone was owned by the Warners. You can zoom in to see the other signs. Photo courtesy of Terry Edwards. There is no specific date but it was late 50s or very early 60s.

That’s all for now. Enjoy!

Children at Play

Photo: USBR, Date Unknown

Do you recognize anyone in these photos? Are you in any of these shots? I don’t remember who supplied me with the picture above. It’s uncategorized in my files. But each time I open it, my eyes are drawn to what appears to be a Chevy Suburban behind the bus. After I stare at that Suburban for a second, wishing it was parked in my garage, I realize there are other things in this picture, like children and a school bus. 🙂

I don’t know where this was taken exactly. Maybe in front of the old Butler buildings? There’s no road curbing or pavement yet, if that’s the case. I’m having trouble identifying the plateau on the left side of the picture behind the Chevy. Here’s another one….

Photo: USBR, 1957

This basketball rivalry took place at the Transa Homes along South Navajo Drive. Are you in this photo or do you recognize anyone in it? If you are or do, please leave a comment below. I’d like to hear the story. The paragraph below concerning the above photo was sent to me from Donna Bloxton Petersen:

Steven Clark “Steve” LeClaire, Page High School Class of 1962, as an 8th grader, December 14, 1957, behind his pink “Transit-Home” near the PHS “Butler Buildings” on South Navajo Drive in Page, Arizona, playing basketball with Howard ’62 & John ’64 Perkins & Paul ’62 & Mack ’63 Page. Steve’s back is to the camera. He is third from left, if you count the boy in front of him. (USBR photo). Steve lived in Kanab, Utah, part of 1957, where he attended first semester of 8th grade while his dad worked on the Glen Canyon Construction Site until their Transit-Home had arrived in Page with the others that made a long row along S. Navajo Drive.

Photo: USBR, undated

Based on the building at the end of the road on the right side of this photo, it looks like it was taken on or near D, E, or F-Street in the MCS Trailer Court. Do you remember those buildings along that road to the airport? They were barracks and a cafeteria for the Dam construction workers. The dirt road they sat along is called Aero Avenue today. Maybe it was called that then too, it’s all a blur at times. From the air, most of those buildings were H-shaped (not that spent a lot of time in the air or anything like that). Also, if you were in this photo or recognize someone in it, please leave a comment.

Enjoy!

Something You’ll Only See Here

Photo: A. E. Turner, USBR
Undated
Source: The LeGate Family

This photo is undated, but I think it must be 1957ish. The handwritten caption on the back reads,

“In bottom of canyon upstream from bridge. Concrete form for diversion tunnel shown here. To the bottom left is tunnel (mile plus long) which will connect the power house to top of canyon wall and to Page.”

There are a couple of things that need pointed out on this photo. The writing I cited above mentions a diversion tunnel and a tunnel that goes to the top of the canyon wall. Those are two different things. The opening mentioned on the left of the picture is the bottom of the tunnel that runs from there to the top of the canyon and comes out behind the old Country Club an golf course. That tunnel is still in use. The lower opening to the tunnel that you see in this picture is now on the downstream side of the dam and comes out near the power house. The next time you’re there, look down and you’ll see it. It’s interesting that the back caption says this tunnel WILL connect the top to the bottom, as it was still under construction at the time of this photo.

The concrete form mentioned in the picture is the round object on the right. There were two diversion tunnels that re-directed the Colorado River water around the dam site during construction. In future posts, I’ll be sharing some pictures with you of construction inside those diversion tunnels, as well as the upper spillways which connected to the diversion tunnels.

Notice the roadway in the center of the bridge and the road protruding out from the canyon on the right side. The present-day visitor’s center is located on the right side of this picture by the road. Also notice the netting that hung off the bottom of the bridge to catch falling workers and material. The cables that spanned the canyon are clearly visible and it looks like there is another roadway support being set at the time of this photo. This view is long gone!

-Mike

A Tunnel Runs Through It

Photo: F. S. Finch, USBR
4/27/1957
Source: The LeGate Family
The back of the photo reads, “Small tunnel in keyway. Used for what I don’t know.”

These are great shots of some unidentified workers in random tunnels in the rock around Glen Canyon Dam. The captions below the pictures tell you what was written or stamped on the back. I don’t know what these tunnels were used for, or if they’re still there. Enjoy!

Photo: A. E. Turner, USBR
1/30/1958
Source: The LeGate Family
The back of this photo simply reads, “Tunnel in Keyway.”

-Mike