‘Paving the Way to Zion’ historical lecture recounts park’s early days; author-artist John Clark

ZION NATIONAL PARK – On Thursday, June 20, John Clark will present “Paving the Way to Zion,” a historical lecture, at the Zion Canyon Community Center in Springdale. The lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

John Clark, location and date unknown | Photo courtesy of Zion National Park
John Clark, location and date unknown | Photo courtesy of Zion National Park

Clark, artist and author of “Opening Zion,” will uncover the fascinating history of early tourism in Zion National Park. When Zion Canyon became a national monument in 1909, few people knew of its existence. To encourage tourism, the railroad industry, automobile enthusiasts, and the government blazed trails, built accommodations and published articles to draw people to this remote and spectacular canyon. In a few short years, tourists responded by the thousands following the path paved by Zion’s publicity pioneers.

Clark’s presentation is part of the the Zion Canyon Field Institute’s Fern and J.L. Crawford Lecture Series, a collaborative monthly presentation between the institute and the Division of Resource Management in Zion National Park. This year, the lectures aim to broaden the community’s understanding of its shared heritage within Southern Utah and to encourage and foster a continued culture of preservation. The next lecture, “Stewardship of the Built Environment,” will be held July 18, at 7:30 p.m.,

More information on the series can be found here.

Event details and contact information

Date: June 20

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Zion Canyon Community Center, 126 Lion Boulevard, Springdale

Admission: Free

Contact: Zion National Park – 435-772-3256

Submitted by: Zion National Park

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

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