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Leo Crane Collection, 2009.

NAU.MS.256
NAU.PH.658

Biographical Note

Leo Crane was the Indian Agent at Keams Canyon for the Hopi and Navajo Tribes, starting in 1911. He then served as the agent for the Pueblo Tribes of New Mexico, and was later transferred to the Crow Creek Reservation, South Dakota. He also worked at the Colorado River Tribes Agency. In the 1950's he worked as guide and ranger at the Boulder Canyon Dam. He authored two books on the southwest: Indians of the Enchanted Desert and Desert Drums: The Pueblo Indians of New Mexico, 1540-1928.

Scope and Content

The Leo Crane collection contains maps, marriage certificate and divorce decree, correspondence, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, reports, copies of two books by Crane, Desert Drums (1928) and Indians of the Enchanted Desert (1925), and photographs and photo indexes.

Restrictions

Conditions Governing Access

In July 2025, materials in this collection were identified as containing culturally sensitive information related to the Hopi people and Hopi culture. These materials have been placed under restriction with guidance from the Hopi Tribal Historic Preservation Office. These restrictions are noted under the individual descriptions below. Permission for use of these items will need to be obtained through the Hopi Tribal Historic Preservation Office. Please contact Special Collections and Archives at special.collections@nau.edu or 928-523-5551 for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for Northern Arizona University, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Administrative Information

Digital Material Available

SCA staff digitized selected images from the Leo Crane collection. Digitized materials are available via the Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. Search for "Leo Crane" or "NAU.PH.658."

Click here to view all digitized material from the Leo Crane collection available via the Colorado Plateau Digital Collections.

Preferred Citation

[Title or brief description of item or file.] Leo Crane collection [manuscripts], NAU.MS.256, Box [ ], Folder [ ]. Northern Arizona University. Cline Library. Special Collections and Archives. Flagstaff, Arizona.

[Title or brief description of item or file.] Leo Crane collection [photographs], NAU.PH.658.[ ], Box [ ], Folder [ ]. Northern Arizona University. Cline Library. Special Collections and Archives. Flagstaff, Arizona.

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