Time Line of Rim Rock Drive Roadbuilding Events

May 24, 1911: Colorado National Monument established by Presidential Proclamation.

1911: John Otto, first custodian of Colorado National Monument, works with civil engineer J. F. Sleeper, county surveyor James H. Fisk, and Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce to plan, sponsor, and promote first rough-cut automobile road through monument, eventually known as Serpents Trail.

1912 – 1921: Construction phase of Serpents Trail.

August 1930: Frank A. Kittredge, Chief Engineer for National Park Service, evaluates a new proposed road.

November 1931: Thomas W. Secrest, Park Service Engineer, comes to monument to plan scenic drive along canyon rims. He remains to become project superintendent.

November 21, 1931: Preliminary work begins on new road.

1933: Congress passes Federal Unemployment Relief Act.

April 1933: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt creates Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), advancing park development by many years.

May 1933: Local Experienced Men (LEMs), skilled in carpentry, masonry, construction, etc., hired by National Park Service-Roads and Trails to train and work with CCC at monument.

May 22, 1933: CCC Company 824 moves into camp NM-1-C at Coke Ovens.

June 1933: NM-1-C reaches full strength of 220 men. Begins road construction at Coke Ovens.

November 9, 1933: Company 824 moves to more permanent camp NM-2-C at Saddle Horn (near present-day Visitor Center). Continues construction, builds caretaker’s residence.

November 1933: Company 825, Mesa Verde National Park, moves to monument, eventually occupying the "last word" in CCC camps, camp NM-3-C at mouth of Fruita Canyon. Continues road construction and begins steel fence to protect monument’s bison herd.

December 12, 1933: Half-Tunnel Accident kills nine local men when blast brings cliff down upon them.

December 1935 – July 1937: Works Project Administration occupies vacant NPS Roads and trails camp at Glade Park, now designated WPA Camp WC-2. Installs water mains and continues road improvements.

December 7, 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor.

February 1942: National defense needs end all CCC projects.

June 1942: WPA projects end. All, including custodian and rangers, called to active duty.

October 1949: Work on road from Cold Shivers Point to Grand Junction entrance resumes.

1950: Completion of 22.42 mile Rim Rock Drive. Serpents Trail made a hiking trail and closed to vehicles.

In addition to Rim Rock Drive, these organizations (and many others) worked together to build the open storage building, the roads and trails shop, the building and utilities shop (all located in the maintenance area), the comfort station in Loop C of Saddlehorn Campground, the picnic shelter at Devils Kitchen Picnic area, and the caretaker’s residence and garage (commonly called the stone house and stone garage). All are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.