Interview near Coppermine

Interview near Coppermine (1958)
United States
United States › Arizona › Coconino County › Coppermine

This photograph, taken on October 15, 1958 by J. L. Digby, captures a moment of conversation between representatives of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and local Navajo residents near Coppermine, Arizona. In the image, Wilbur Rusho and Abe Begay are seen interviewing Alvin and Leola Tsiniginie outside their traditional dwelling.

The photograph was taken during a period of major transformation in the region. At the time, workers were arriving in growing numbers to the nearby town of Page, where construction of the Glen Canyon Dam had just begun. Photographers and officials from the Bureau of Reclamation were documenting the surrounding communities and landscapes, seeking to better understand the people living in the area around Manson Mesa as the large federal project reshaped the Colorado River basin.

Scenes like this reflect an important moment in the history of the American Southwest, when traditional Navajo life coexisted with the rapid expansion of modern infrastructure.

Photo courtesy of the Glen Canyon Conservancy and The Powell Museum & Archives digital collection.

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