The Grand Canyon

Congress established the Grand Canyon National Park, and President Woodrow Wilson signed it into law on February 26, 1919. President Theodore Roosevelt had visited it in 1903 and loved its natural beauty. He designated it as a National Monument. Those with land holdings and mining interests had blocked efforts to reclassify it as a U. S. National Park for 11 years. They finally lost that battle.

The Anasazi lived in the region before white explorers came. By the time the Spanish came in the 16th century, ruins were all that was left of this ancient Native American group. However, other Puebloans lived in the area. The Four Corners, where the states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah meet and a person can stand in four states at one time, is located on the Navajo reservation not far from the canyon.

Cut by the Colorado River over millions of years, the beauty of this giant gorge speaks for itself. Both the North Rim and the South Rim offer spectacular views. Photographs can't show its size, correct perspective, or magnificence. You need to go there.

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