Thanks and a Tip of the Stetson to Larry Henderson

Retired National Park Service career employee Larry Henderson, a Carlsbad citizen with many civic interests and friend to the caverns (and to me), recently contacted Mitzi (Haney) Gorden, a local woman whose father Ert and mother Mitt worked at the caverns for many years. Mitzi began living at the caverns when she was 6 months old and grew up knowing Jim White, Sr. and Superintendent Tom Boles who both became family friends. She left the caverns at age 17 to attend college in Las Cruces.

Mr. Henderson talked to Ms. Gorden extensively during his visits and gathered valuable historical memories from her. She also generously donated a scrapbook of wonderful caverns-related historical pictures to the caverns for preservation and to benefit future generations who will now be able to better understand the park's historical story and significance.

Last week Henderson and Gorden, as well as others, returned to her former caverns home where she shared even more memories. Valerie Cranston of The Current-Argus wrote an interesting and very informative article about Ms. Gorden's visit and reminisciences that I posted on this blog earlier today.

Thanks to Mr Henderson for putting his effort into helping Ms. Gorden share her historical memories, and thanks to Ms. Gorden for sharing, and to Ms. Cranston for writing the article. Also thank you to the Argus for allowing me to reprint Cranston's article.