GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - On Feb. 26, Grand Canyon National Park will celebrate the 94th anniversary of its designation as a national park by the State of Arizona.
Protection of the area’s spectacular landscape started long before the Grand Canyon became a national park. It was made a national forest reserve in the 1890s by President Benjamin Harrison and a national game preserve and national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt, who said, “Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.”
The Grand Canyon was designated as a national park in February 1919.
“This place really does have a fascinating and sometimes complicated history,” Grand Canyon Superintendent Dave Uberuaga said.
A “birthday party” for the park will be held at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the South Rim at 11 a.m. on Feb. 26. Cake will be served for all in attendance, followed by a contest to test people’s park knowledge.
The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, averages 10 miles across and its walls rise nearly a mile above the Colorado River. It is not only a national park but a World Heritage site as well. In 2012, 4.5 million people visited the park.
To learn more about the Grand Canyon’s colorful history and stunning landscapes, visit the park’s website, or better yet, visit the park itself.
Event details and contact information
Date: Feb. 26
Time: 11 a.m.
Location: Grand Canyon Visitor Center, South Rim
Admission: Free
Contact: Grand Canyon National Park – 928-638-7888
Submitted by: Grand Canyon National Park
Email: news@stgnews.com
One Comment on "Grand Canyon National Park, 94 years old and still going strong as one of America’s leading attractions"
Happy Birthday!