INTERPRETING AMERICA’S HISTORIC PLACES: NATURE, CULTURE, AND HISTORY AT THE GRAND CANYON

A National Endowment for the Humanities “We The People” Initiative in Collaboration with Arizona State University and the Grand Canyon Association: $365,000 over three years

The Grand Canyon is one of the most identifiable and remarkable landscapes on earth and the most internationally recognized symbol of nature in North America.  But this grand natural wonder is also, importantly, a cultural landscape.  It has been lived in, traveled through, feared, marveled at, exploited for profit, and utilized for education and inspiration by an incredibly diverse array of people over a very long time.  The national park, which presently protects this stunning landscape, is an artifact of contemporary times and reflects a distinct set of values about the relationship between nature and culture.  But those values and the manner in which they have been expressed are not static.  The park itself, its boundaries and management policies, its meaning and significance to Americans, its caretakers, residents, and visitors have all evolved in fascinating ways during the past 100 years.  Our aim in this project is to explore the cultural significance of the canyon to those people who have lived here or passed through during the past 400 years. We will explore the ways that this unique place has influenced American science, art, environmental values, popular culture, tourism, and leisure. To accomplish these goals, the project team will develop an interactive website and DVD exploring the human history of the Grand Canyon; a pedestrian audiotour of the Grand Canyon Village historic district and various locations on the North Rim and along the trails in the inner gorge; brochures for park visitors; “traveling trunks” for public school teachers with curriculum and classroom materials; training seminars for park interpreters; and public lectures. 

Follow these links for more information:

Grand Canyon Project in the News
http://www.asu.edu/clas/history/FundedProjects/GrandCanyon.htm http://www.asu.edu/clas/grandcanyonhistory/