Russell Homestead at Cliff Dwellers

by Julie Niemela

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Russell Homestead at Cliff Dwellers

Artist

Julie Niemela

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Photograph - Photography

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The story of Cliff Dwellers began during the Great Depression, when Blanche Russell gave up a dancing career back East to tend to her husband, Bill, who was suffering from tuberculosis. The couple packed up and moved to the Southwest, crossing the recently completed Navajo Bridge across the Colorado River south of Lees Ferry.

The Russells only made it a few more miles, however, before their car broke down near some big rocks at the base of the Vermilion Cliffs. At that point, Blanche decided that it would be a good place to live and the couple threw up a lean-to of tarpaper and boards against the largest rock. Then, she started serving food to passers-by in return for labor, and the house got larger.

After a while, the couple had a full-scale restaurant and added a gasoline pump for some of the earliest motorists to the Canyon's North Rim. They also catered to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in wagons who were taking the Mormons' nearby Honeymoon Trail to have their marriages sanctified at the temple in St. George, Utah.

Cowboys who drove cattle on the Arizona Strip called the Russell homestead ‘Cliff Dwellers’ because of its proximity to the Vermilion Cliffs.

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June 15th, 2012

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