• View of Grand Canyon National Park at sunset from the South Rim

    Grand Canyon

    National Park Arizona

History & Culture

Archeological Resources The CCC at Grand Canyon Historic Structures
 

Administrative History

Although first afforded Federal protection in 1893 as a Forest Reserve and later as a National Monument, Grand Canyon did not achieve National Park status until 1919, three years after the creation of the National Park Service. Today Grand Canyon National Park receives close to five million visitors each year - a far cry from the annual visitation of 44,173 which the park received in 1919.

This link takes you to the Administrative History of Grand Canyon National Park, a political and economic history of the park from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present.

 
Click here to visit Nature Culture and History of the Grand Canyon by ASU and GCA
Click on the photo above to learn more about nature, culture and history at Grand Canyon.
 
PREHISTORIC GRANARIES ABOVE NANKOWEAP.

Granaries above Nankoweap

Archeological Resources

The oldest human artifacts found are nearly 12,000 years old and date to the Paleo-Indian period. There has been continuous use and occupation of the park since that time.

The park has recorded over 4,300 archeological resources with an intensive survey of over 5% of the park area.

The park’s 11 Traditionally Associated Tribes and historic ethnic groups view management of archeological resources as preservation of their heritage.

Archeological remains from the following culture groups are found in Grand Canyon National Park: Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Basketmaker, Ancestral Puebloan (Kayenta and Virgin branches), Cohonina, Cerbat, Pai, Southern Paiute, Zuni, Hopi, Navajo, and Euro-American. Learn more...
 
Archeology Virtual Tour Console

Take the virtual tour

Grand Canyon Archeology Virtual Tour NEW

Discover ancient places within the Grand Canyon where people lived long ago.

What did the archeologists find during the first major excavation to occur along the Colorado River corridor in nearly 40 years? Interactive 360° photos, show archeologists at work, along with their tools, such as shovels, trowels, screens and buckets.

http://www.nps.gov/features/grca/001/archeology/index.html

Learn more by watching a video of these  archeological excavations here.
 
Grand Canyon National Park Archeology Includes:

The River Monitoring Program
generates data regarding the effects of dam operations on historic properties, identifies ongoing impacts to historic properties within the APE [Area of Potential Effect], and develops and implements remedial measures for treating historic properties subject to damage.

The Vanishing Treasures Program
Grand Canyon National Park is one of 45 National Park Service areas that participate in the Vanishing Treasures Program. The goal of the Vanishing Treasures program is the conservation of architectural remains through research, documentation, and preservation treatment.

 
NPS Views: Discovery web site
NPS VIEWS - Grand Canyon Discovery

The Grand Canyon truly is a special place. Life abounds within the canyon, in the Colorado River, and even along the rims.

Even humans have inhabited this area for at least the past couple thousand years. Learn more...

 
Cover of CCC Grand Canyon Village Trail Guide.

Civilian Conservation Corps Walking Tour (1.15 MB PDF file)

Severe economic depression challenged the confidence of the people of the United States. One in four people was unemployed. Many were homeless. The Civilian Conservation Corps was created in 1933 to put young men to work on worthwhile conservation projects. At Grand Canyon the CCC built roads, trails, walls, shelters and much of the infrastructure that still is in use today.

The walking tour travels a circular route in the Historic District of Grand Canyon Village of approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km), although you can begin at any point and walk as much of the loop as you wish.

 
RANGER OPERATIONS BUILDING
The Park Operations Building also known as Ranger Operations (1929)
 

Historic Structures in Grand Canyon National Park

National Historic Landmarks

  • Individual Buildings 5
    El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon Railroad Depot, Grand Canyon Lodge, Grand Canyon Park Operations Building (also known as Ranger Operations) and the Grand Canyon Power House.

  • Districts 2
    Grand Canyon Village (257 contributing properties) and the Mary Colter Buildings

 National Register of Historic Places

  • Individual Properties 9
  • Individual Structures 1
  • Districts 8
  • Archeological Sites 1

Determinations of eligibility have been received for an additional 14 structures and districts and 316 archeological sites; and nominations for ten trails are pending for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.


List of Classified Structures (LCS) 874 listings

LCS is inclusive of the National Historic Landmark and National Register programs currently being reviewed.

 
shrine_main_entrance

Shrine of the Ages

The Shrine of the Ages (1970)

is one of the many historic buildings at Grand Canyon with an intriguing history.

This multi-purpose building was originally planned as an interdenominational chapel sitting on the edge of the canyon itself. More...

Did You Know?

WHITEWATER RAFTING

There are different river trip opportunities through Grand Canyon National Park, including professionally guided raft trips, available to the public and often reserved a year or two in advance; and self-guided, or "private" river trips, made available to the public through a weighted lottery. More...