Hidden in the annals of history, the logging community of Apex stands as a testament to the resilience and industrious spirit of those who lived through the Great Depression. Situated along the Grand Canyon Railway, north of Williams and close to the Canyon’s South Rim, this community was a bustling hub for those in the timber industry.
In 1928, the Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company established its base in Apex. Today, students of historical archaeology from Northern Arizona University are piecing together the everyday lives of the loggers who once worked there.
For eight years, from 1928 to 1936, the workforce at Apex was diverse. Scandinavian sawyers were responsible for tree cutting, while Hispanic and Indigenous laborers worked at the nearby railroad siding. The community also saw an influx of individuals escaping the harsh realities of the Dust Bowl in the Midwest.
Life at Apex was defined by its living arrangements. Families settled in modest houses, while single men were housed in a communal bunkhouse. These structures, described as the original “mobile homes,” could be relocated along the railway to follow work sites. A converted boxcar served as a schoolhouse, and a company store provided essential goods.
Loggers earned between 35 to 65 cents an hour, with a daily deduction of one dollar and five cents for housing costs. Despite the deductions, they were provided with ample food to sustain them through ten-hour workdays.
The Apex Archaeology Project at NAU, in collaboration with the Kaibab National Forest and supported by the Arizona Humanities Council, invites the public to explore this historical site. Public tours and a summer field school are offered, where students document artifacts like glass bottles and tin cans, practicing a method known as “catch and release” archaeology that leaves artifacts in their original context.
For more details on public tours, reach out to Emily.Dale@nau.edu.
This Earth Note was written by Rose Houk and produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University.
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