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Celebrating a Century at Grand Canyon: 1930-1939
Part 2 of 10: Grand Canyon through the decades

The original Grand Canyon Lodge was completed on the North Rim in 1928. It burned after a kitchen fire in September 1932. (Photo/NPS)

The original Grand Canyon Lodge was completed on the North Rim in 1928. It burned after a kitchen fire in September 1932. (Photo/NPS)

1930: The Tusayan Ruins along the east rim of Grand Canyon were excavated

The National Park Service excavated the ruins of Tusayan Pueblo, a small ancient communty of about 16 to 20 people.

Tree ring dates indicate

that people began construction of Tusayan Pueblo around 1185.

1932: Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim is gutted by fire

Completed in 1928, the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim was considered luxury in the wilderness with its stone lodge and 140 cabins. In 1932, a fire started in the ledge’s basement, completely gutting the main lodge and reaching two of the cabins. The lodge was rebuilt in its original footprint in 1936.

1935: Last bucket of concrete poured at Hoover Dam

On May 29, 1935, the last bucket of concrete was poured at Hoover Dam, creating the country’s largest reservoir in Lake Mead.

Bright Angel Lodge opens along the South Rim

One of the many buildings designed by architect Mary Jane Elizabeth Colter, Bright Angel Lodge opened June 22, 1935 after two years of construction and about half a million dollars.

photo

Haldane “Buzz” Holmstrom became the first man to navigate all of Grand Canyon’s rapids. (Photo courtesy of University of Utah Library, Special Collections)

1938: Buzz Holmstrom becomes first man to navigate all the rapids in Grand Canyon

On October 25, 1938, Haldane “Buzz” Holmstrom of Coquille, Oregon, began a solo journey down the Colorado River from Green Wiver, Wyoming to Lake Mead. He made the trip in just under two weeks, emerging from his boat Nov. 6.

1939: Genevieve de Colmont becomes the first woman to successfully run the Colorado River

Parisian adventurers Bernard de Colmont, his wife Genevieve and their friend, Antoine de Seyne embarked on a heart-pounding traverse of the Green and Colorado Rivers - in kayaks.

Not only did de Colmont become the first woman to navigate the mighty Colorado where Bessie Hyde had failed only a decade earlier, she also captured her adventure in film - the trio filmed the adventure on 16 mm film, in color, a year before the first Hollywood studio released a color film.


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