Lookout Studio facts for kids
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Mary Jane Colter Buildings (Hopi House, The Lookout, Hermit's Rest, Phantom Ranch, the Desert View Watchtower, Bright Angel Lodge, and two employee dorms)
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Lookout Studio, 2017
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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 | 1914 |
| Architect | Mary Colter |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001436 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 28, 1987 |
| Designated NHL | May 28, 1987 |
Lookout Studio, also known as The Lookout, is a unique stone building. You can find it right on the South Rim of the amazing Grand Canyon in Arizona. It's located inside Grand Canyon National Park.
This special building is part of the Grand Canyon Village Historic District. It's also one of the important Mary Jane Colter Buildings National Historic Landmark. Today, Lookout Studio works as a gift shop and a place for visitors to enjoy the views. It even has telescopes on its outdoor terrace!
The Santa Fe Railway built Lookout Studio in 1914. It was first a photography studio. It was made to compete with another studio called Kolb Studio. Lookout Studio is one of six buildings at the Grand Canyon designed by the famous architect Mary Colter. Her other designs include Bright Angel Lodge, Hermit's Rest, Hopi House, Phantom Ranch, and Desert View Watchtower.
Mary Colter used her special "rustic" style for Lookout Studio. This means she used rough, natural rocks from the area. She wanted the building to look like old indigenous structures. This style also helped the building blend in perfectly with the natural environment.
This stone building sits right at the edge of the canyon. Its walls rise up to an uneven top, which includes the chimneys. Before the roof was replaced, it had a pile of stones. These stones were made to look like they had fallen into ruin.
The Lookout has three levels. The main level has a shop and an enclosed viewing area. There's also a lower viewing platform. A small enclosed observation tower is also part of the building. You can still see the wooden viga roof structure inside. Even though the building has been updated, this original feature remains. Lookout Studio is quite bright inside for a Colter building. This is because it has many large windows that let in lots of light.
Why Lookout Studio is Special
Lookout Studio is a very important part of the Mary Jane Colter Buildings National Historic Landmark. This means it's recognized as a nationally important historic place. It became part of this special group on May 28, 1987.
Both Hopi House and Lookout Studio are also key buildings in the Grand Canyon Village National Historic Landmark District. This shows how important these buildings are to the history and beauty of the Grand Canyon.
