The Grand Canyon is a river valley in the Colorado Plateau that exposes uplifted Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata. Nearly two billion years of Earth’s geological history have been exposed. The Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted.
GRAND CANYON – SOUTH RIM
Grand Canyon History
Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon.
Continuously inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. They built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon a holy site and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540.
GRAND CANYON TOURISM
Grand Canyon National Park is one of the world’s premier natural attractions, attracting about five million visitors per year. Overall, 83% were from the United States: California (12%), Arizona (9%), Texas (5%), Florida (3%) and New York (3%). Seventeen percent of visitors were from outside the United States. The most prominently represented nations were the United Kingdom (4%), Canada (4%), Japan (2%), Germany (2%) and The Netherlands (1%). The South Rim is open all year round weather permitting. The North Rim is generally open mid-May to mid-October.
South Rim Buildings
There are several historic buildings located along the South Rim with most in the vicinity of Grand Canyon Village.
Desert View Watchtower in 2004
- Buckey O’Neill Cabin was built during the 1890s by William Owen “Buckey” O’Neill. He built the cabin because of a copper deposit that was nearby. He had several occupations such as miner, judge, politician, author and tour guide. This cabin is the longest continually standing structure on the South Rim. It is currently used as a guest house and advanced booking is required.
- Brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb built Kolb Studio in 1904. They were photographers who made a living by photographing visitors walking down the Bright Angel Trail. In 1911, the Kolb brothers filmed their journey down the Green and Colorado Rivers. Emery Kolb showed this movie regularly in his studio until 1976, when he died at the age of 95. Today the building serves as an art gallery and exhibit.
MORE BUILDINGS ON SOUTH RIM
- The El Tovar Hotel was built in 1905 and is the most luxurious lodging on the South Rim. The hotel consists of 4 stories with a rustic chalet appearance called “National Park Rustic.” It was designed by Charles Whittlesley. A gift shop and restaurant are located inside the hotel.
- Mary Jane Colter built Hopi House in 1905. It is based on structures that were built in an ancient Hopi settlement called Old Oraibi, located on the Third Mesa in eastern Arizona. It served as a residence for the Hopi.
AGE AND HISTORY
- Third Mesa in eastern Arizona. It served as a residence for the Hopi Indians who sold arts and crafts to South Rim visitors.
- Verkamp’s Curios was built by John Verkamp in 1905 and stand next to the Hopi House. He sold arts and crafts as well as souvenirs. Run by his descendants until September 2008, the building reopened as a visitor center in November 2008. At that time focusing on the history of the Grand Canyon Village community.
GRAND CANYON RAILWAY DEPOT
- Grand Canyon Railway Depot was completed in 1910 and contains 2 levels. Gordon Chappell, Regional Historian for the Park Service, claims that this depot building is one of only three log-cabin-style train stations currently standing. Not to mention out of fourteen ever built in the U.S. The depot is the northern terminus of the Grand Canyon Railway which begins in Williams, Arizona.
The GRAND CANYON RAILROAD & Hotel leaves Williams Arizona each DAY except Christmas at 9:30 AM and returns at 3:30 PM. Also Overnight stays at Grand Canyon are available. Spring and Summer are the busiest and 2 trains are necessary. (thetrain.com)
GRAND CANYON
Tourists wishing for a more vertical perspective can go skydiving, board helicopters and small airplanes in Boulder, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Grand Canyon National Park Airport(seven miles from the South Rim) for canyon flyovers. Furthermore Scenic flights are above 1500 feet of the rim and last video footage was in 1984. However, some helicopter flights land on the Havasupai and Hualapai Indian Reservations within Grand Canyon (outside of the park boundaries).
Grand Canyon Skywalk
In 2007, the Hualapai Tribe opened the glass-bottomed Grand Canyon Skywalk on their property, Grand Canyon West.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk cost $30 million to construct and was funded by Hualapai Indian tribe in partnership with Chinese-American businessman David Jin. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge with a glass walkway in Arizona. Also located near the Colorado River on the edge of a side canyon in the Grand Canyon West area of the main canyon. The Skywalk is about 250 miles (400 km) by road from Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. The skywalk has attracted “thousands of visitors a year, most from Las Vegas”
If GRAND CANYON is on your BUCKET LIST, dont waste anymore time!
After a long day of traveling and enjoying the scenery, what a moment to ENJOY a glass of FINE WINE. Whether it be red or white, set the mood
Response Magic