Julian D. Hayden photograph collection

Julian D. Hayden was born in 1911 in Missoula, Montana, raised in Riverside, California and came to Arizona in 1929 where he remained until he passed away in Tucson, March 6, 1998. Julian received an Associate of Arts from Riverside Junior College prior to moving to Pueblo Grande Archaeological Park. Julian spent much of his life promoting and protecting the Sierra Pinacate in northern Sonora, Mexico, although he made significant contributions to Hohokam and southwestern Arizona archaeology.

Julian began his archaeological field experiences when he and his Harvard trained father, Irwin Hayden excavated the Grewe ruin and Compound F at Casa Grande Ruins for the Los Angeles County Museum. Irwin and Julian also worked together at Mesa House in southern Nevada with M.R. Harrington, at Kiet Siel in Northern Arizona and with Harold Gladwin and Emil Haury in 1934-1935 at Snaketown in southern Arizona. Julian supervised much of the work at Mound 29 at Snaketown. It was at Snaketown Julian met his wife, Helen Pendleton. Julian and Helen had two sons and two daughters together.>

While at Pueblo Grande Julian became involved in excavating and taking notes and photographs for the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) project, under the direction of Odd Halseth. Julian quickly advanced from student technician to junior foreman. In May 1938, Julian was promoted to senior foreman, much to the surprise of the National Park Service, since Julian had no formal academic training.

From 1936 to 1940 Julian supervised the excavation of hundreds of archaeological features; the CCC crews excavated more than 50 rooms in the area, which remains one of the most systematic excavations of a Hohokam platform mound ever undertaken. Julian’s field notes, sketches and 700+ photographs are featured in numerous publications, including Archaeology of the Pueblo Grande Platform Mound and Surrounding Features, C.E. Downum and T.W. Bostwick, eds., Pueblo Grande Museum Anthropological Papers No. 1, 1994. Julian also published multiple articles about the ancient Southwest and contributed his knowledge to ethnographic studies regarding Tohono O’Odham. He received the Don Crabtree Award for Avocation Archaeology in 1988 and in 1992 was honored by Friends of Pronatura for his lifelong advocation of the Sierra Pinacate region. He also served as president for the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society.