Grand Canyon - First tourism

a gallery curated by ArizonaSandra

Americans knew early on that the Grand Canyon would be a popular tourist attraction. Here are images from those early days of tourism development.

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ArizonaSandra says: 1904 image of train at Canyon depot yard. The first railway came to the Canyon in 1901 which opened the door to bringing visitors to the canyon in a much bigger way.

05442 Grand Canyon Historic Railroad Depot 1904 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1905 view of Hopi weavers who lived and worked in the Hopi house. Today you never see this activity in public. At Hopi it is done in kivas or clan houses.

09825 Grand Canyon Historic Hopi House- Hopi Weaver c. 1905 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1906 image of Navajo employees of the El Tovar Hotel who at that time lived in nearby hogans. Native people were a key part of the Fred Harvey Company tourism profile.

09831 Grand Canyon Historic- Hogans by Hopi House c. 1906 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1905 coach tour pick up at El Tovar.

03678 Grand Canyon Historic El Tovar Hotel by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1905 carriage ride from train to Bass Camp, one of the early tourism lodgings.

07175 Grand Canyon National Park Coach by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1908 tourism ad. This is the year it became Grand Canyon National Monument, managed by the US Forest Service.

09508 Grand Canyon Historic Railroad Depot- Santa Fe Ad 1908 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1908 Hopi House photo. At this time Hopis actually lived on the upper floors of the building. Hopi House opened in 1905, a year before the break up of the Hopi village of Oraibi. Oraibi had been a source of inspiration for architect Mary Jane Colter. First autos appeared at Canyon in 1909.

15608 Grand Canyon Historic Hopi House c. 1914 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1908 coaching touring parties leaving to explore.

09851AGrand Canyon Historic El Tovar Hotel by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1910 ad working to attract tourists to the canyon.

09507 Grand Canyon Historic Railroad Depot- Santa Fe Ad 1910 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1911 Hermit Road touring coaches.

09605 Grand Canyon National Park Horse-drawn Tour by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1922 Harvey touring coaches and mounted tourists. People came and spent a few days at that time. The hotel had its own greenhouse. Grand Canyon received national park status only 3 years earlier in 1919.

09654B Grand Canyon Historic El Tovar Hotel by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1922 photo of Native people on the roof of Hopi House looking across at the largest and most elegant of the the South Rim lodges. I find the contrast fascinating. Both were built circa 1905.

04980 Grand Canyon Historic Hopi House View from Roof 1922 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1921 traffic jam in Grand Canyon Village. How we Americans love touring in our cars. By 1926 more Americans came to the Canyon by auto than train.

03552A Grand Canyon National Park Touring by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1929 Kaibab suspension bridge which allowed access to Phantom Ranch in the bottom of the canyon.

07496 Grand Canyon Historic Kaibab Trail Suspension Bridge by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1935 CCC brave worker helping to install the first trans-canyon telephone line.

00200 Grand Canyon Historic_ Trans Canyon Phone Line c. 1935 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1937 - workmen repairing emergency phone using mule transport. Mules played a big role in tourism development of the canyon and are still seen today.

10217 Grand Canyon Historic Kaibab Trail Tipoff Phone by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: CCC crews built and improved many of the trails we use we use today. Image from 1935.

04055 Grand Canyon Historic_ River Trail Construction c. 1935 by Grand Canyon National Park

ArizonaSandra says: 1946 tourists unloading from the much smaller buses of that day. Notice how dressed up they are compared to today at the Canyon.

09666 Grand Canyon Historic_ Bright Angel Lodge Front Entrance by Grand Canyon National Park

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