Festival of Science- Little Spring: History and Ecology of a National Historical Landmark

In terms of understanding nature, the historically most important site around
Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks is Little Spring, which is northwest of the Peaks
at an elevation of 8,300 feet. Its use by Native Americans is unknown, but early
ranchers used Little Spring as a source of water for livestock. It also was an important
stop for 19 th -century travelers between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, including the
Grand Canyon-Flagstaff Stage Line which began around 1895.

Most impactful, in 1889 Little Spring was the campsite for a small group of
scientists headed by biologist C. Hart Merriam. From their base at Little Spring, they
traversed the region and developed an ecological framework whose core elements are
still applied throughout western North America today. For this reason, Little Spring is
designated as a National Historic Landmark.

The hike will be co-led by historian Roy May and ecologist John Vankat. Roy has
written a book on C. Hart Merriam that currently is being reviewed for publication. John
recently published The San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff Through the Lens of Time
(Soulstice Publishing, Flagstaff). It includes a chapter on Little Spring that features 19 th –
century photographs paired with John’s modern repeats.

The meeting place will be the intersection of Forest Service roads 151 and 418B. Then an easy, half-mile walk to
Little Spring. We will discuss history and ecology and visit several sites where 19th-
century photographs were recently repeated to show ecological changes.

Free, but please register here.