User:Acroterion/GRCA

The historical buildings and structures of Grand Canyon National Park represent one of the most diverse assemblages of built structures in the U.S. National Park Service system. Structures include ancient pueblos, elaborate concession hotels, the only railroad to terminate in a national park, rustic Park Service facilities, and a substantial amount of infrastructure to support visitor activities. Much of the built environment predates the establishment of Grand Canyon National Park, and was incorporated into the new park and expanded as visitation grew. Concession structures, most notably those designed by architect Mary Jane Colter, mimicked ancient native American structures as part of a managed visitor experience created by the Fred Harvey Company. The intensive development, perched directly on the south and north rims of the Grand Canyon, posed significant challenges in infrastructure that led to innovations in the design of public utilities. The significance of these structures is noted by the designation of seven national historic landmark structures and districts, and fourteen districts and properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Prehistory
Native Americans inhabited the Grand Canyon area from about 4,000 years ago, at first living in caves and in the shelter of the cliffs. Anasazi or Ancient Pueblo peoples inhabited the area and built pithouses beginning about 500 BCE. About 2,000 archeological sites have been identified within Grand Canyon National Park. The Tusayan Ruins are a representative site, accessible from the South Rim Road and interpreted by the Park Service. Many of the inhabitants of the Grand Canyon moved east to become the Hopi people. In the 20th century Hopi craftsmen would return to assume a prominent role in the built environment of the Grand Canyon.

Portions of the Grand Canyon trail network were established by the Havasupai, who continue to inhabit the canyon in their own reservation just to the west of the park boundaries. The Bright Angel Trail originally ran from the South Rim to the Inner Canyon at Garden Creek, and was extended to the Colorado River in the 1890s.

Mining
A number of mining claims were filed in the Grand Canyon, but few were actually worked. The most significant site is the Grandview Mine near the eastern end of the South Rim Drive, which was established in 1892 to mine copper ore. The Grandview was owned from 1907 by William Randolph Hearst, who kept the mine until 1940 when he sold it to the Park Service. The mine was a source of notable mineral specimens. Little remains of the site, and the mine shafts have gradually filled with debris. John Hance's asbestos claim near the Grandview became a base for tourist operations between 1886 and 1895. A number of other ventures by a variety of entrepeneurs followed, of which little evidence remains.

South Rim development
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon, with a relatively mild climate that allows access throughout the year and proximity to Flagstaff, Arizona, has seen the most intensive development.

Pre-park development
The first built structure in what is now Grand Canyon National Park was established by John D. Lee in 1872 at the extreme eastern end of the modern park. Lee's Ferry ran until the construction of the Navajo Bridge provided a direct road crossing in 1928.

North Rim development
The North Rim is at a higher elevation, with severe winters that close the area through the winter and early spring months. Remote from populated areas, the North Rim was developed much later than the South Rim.