Grand Canyon Park Operations Building facts for kids
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Grand Canyon Park Operations Building
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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 Location in Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Location | Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona |
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| Built | 1929 |
| Architect | NPS Landscape Division |
| Part of | Grand Canyon Village Historic District (ID75000343) |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001412 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 28, 1987 |
| Designated NHL | May 28, 1987 |
| Designated NHLDCP | February 18, 1987 |
The Grand Canyon Park Operations Building is a special building located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park. It was built way back in 1929. This building is important because it's a great example of how the National Park Service designed buildings to fit right into nature. They used a style called National Park Service Rustic.
The Operations Building was first used as the main office, or headquarters, for the park. It took the place of the old Superintendent's Residence. Later, in 1967, a newer building became the park headquarters. Today, the Operations Building is where the park's law enforcement team works. The National Park Service Landscape Division, led by Thomas Chalmers Vint, designed this unique building. It has been named a National Historic Landmark because of its special design.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The Park Operations Building has two floors. The bottom part is made from strong, rough limestone rocks found in the Kaibab area. The upper part is built with wood.
The building has huge, sloped stone pillars that go up to the second floor. At each corner, there are three big, peeled log posts. The roof is not very steep and has wide edges supported by brackets. In 1938, a restroom was added, and it was built to match the original building's style and materials. The main side of the building has a row of windows on the second floor. On the first floor, there's a central entrance door with windows on either side.
Inside the Operations Building
Not much of the inside looks like it did when it was first built. It was changed a lot in 1938 and several times after that. However, the main lobby area still looks mostly the same. It has a large stone fireplace. The chimney of this fireplace helps to hold up the log beams on the ceiling.
The Operations Building is one of the first and biggest examples of the Park Service's rustic design at the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Village area is one of the largest developed spots in any U.S. national park. All the buildings in Grand Canyon Village were designed with a special, consistent style. This was different from the mix-and-match styles used by other businesses in the park, like the El Tovar Hotel.
Why is it a Historic Landmark?
The Park Operations Building was officially named a National Historic Landmark on May 28, 1987. This shows how important it is as a great example of the rustic building style used in national parks. It is also part of the larger Grand Canyon Village National Historic Landmark District.
