Research and Education
in the National Parks

National Park Service Research and Education in the National Parks

PART I
THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN THE NATIONAL PARKS

GRAND CANYON

Development at Grand Canyon has been planned and executed under the general direction of Dr. John C. Merriam, president of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. At his request a number of scientists spent several weeks at the Grand Canyon studying the problem of interpreting this masterpiece to the public. As a result of this careful study it was decided to erect a scientific observation station on the rim of the canyon at Yavapai Point. Particular pains were taken that the building should harmonize with the natural surroundings.

In the plan of the station, for it can not be called a museum, the primary objectives are the things of interest as they appear in the canyon, not as artificial representations. The station is in effect a window through which one looks into the canyon from an unusually favorable place.

Operation of the station involves two groups of aids to the visitor; first, the parapet views arranged along the outer or parapet wall of the observation porch (see fig. 21), and second, the supporting exhibits of photographs and specimens in the exhibit room to the rear of the porch.

FIGURE 21.—Viewing the Grand Canyon at close range through the telescopes erected on the parapet at Yavapai. The station is designed to aid visitors to become acquainted. With the principal features of the Grand Canyon not easily seen or understood without assistance.

The parapet views are so arranged as to locate features of extraordinary interest, to give closer views in many instances by telescopes or field glasses, to give small close-up views with photographs accompanying the telescopes, to illustrate the localities with specimens and to point out trails by which they can be reached. One telescope permits a view of the rushing, muddy Colorado River, another the top of Cedar Mountain, and still others, certain rock strata. In the boxes may be seen the tools used by the river in cutting its channel—mud, silt, sand, pebbles, and bowlders. A sample of the water from the river shows the large amount of sediment carried. Other boxes show specimens indicating crustal movement, oldest rocks of the canyon, remains of ancient life, and present-day life.

A "formations column" constructed of actual rocks brought from the strata in the canyon forms a notable exhibit at the southwest corner of the porch. (See fig. 22.) Alongside is a "fossil column" which shows the evidence of life that has been found in the different horizons. A remarkable block illustrating an unconformity of hundreds of millions of years is displayed at the rear of the observation porch. Here also are several large sandstone slabs exhibiting fossil footprints. Some of these are pictured in Figure 23.

FIGURE 22.—On the parapet of the Yavapai Station, Grand Canyon National Park. At the left is a geologic map of the region. At the extreme right is a "formations column" showing the succession of rocks in the Grand Canyon by use of actual specimens placed in the order in which they appear in the canyon walls.

Supporting exhibits in the interior room amplify by means of transparencies, specimens, motion pictures, and lantern slides the story of the canyon as told on the parapet. Exhibit cases are oriented to correspond to the parapet views and are similarly numbered. Automatic machines show films of the Colorado River in action.

The cutting of the Grand Canyon has made visible to the eye one of the greatest geologic time-tables in the world. Although it takes us but a moment to shift our glance from the depths of the inner gorge to the canyon rim above, the time period recorded in that mile of sediments is many hundreds of millions of years. With this tremendous story of earth history before the visitor at Yavapai Station there is a chance to teach geology as in no other part of the world. In order to link this story with the physiographic history of the surrounding country, a large airplane diagram of the entire canyon region has been prepared and placed on the parapet of the Yavapai Station. This has proved of real assistance to the geologist as well as to the lay visitor.

FIGURE 23.—Footprints of 4-footed animals preserved in the rocks of the canyon walls. These tracks were made by amphibians and reptiles that lived in the Grand Canyon region many thousands of years ago. Although several good specimens are on exhibit in the Yavapai Station, the visitor is urged to follow some one of the trails into the canyon where he may observe the footprints in place.

As an aid to visitors using the Yavapai Station a carefully prepared guidebook interpreting the parapet views and exhibits has been issued. The story of the canyon as brought out in this little booklet is divided into four stages: (1) Forces which produced the canyon and its walls; (2) history of earth building; (3) record of life through the ages; (4) forming of Grand Canyon as affecting life of to-day. The 15 views illustrating these stages are indicated in table form in the booklet as follows:

VIEWS FROM PARAPET OF YAVAPAI STATION

The Yavapai project is best considered as an educational experiment to determine the best methods to employ in interpreting national parks to visitors. In construction, installation, and method of presentation it is unique. It is designed to be self-operating. The visitor may, on his own initiative, obtain such general or orientation views as will present the major features in their natural relation to each other. Emphasis is upon leading the visitor to see and interpret the thing itself from the best viewpoint rather than lead him away from it to see fragments or artificial explanations.

Near Lipan Point, some 15 miles to the east of Yavapai Point, several Indian ruins have been excavated under the supervision of Dr. Harold S. Gladwin, of the Gila Pueblo. Mrs. Winifred Mac Curdy donated funds for the construction of a small museum to house the artifacts found in this and other ruins. The building was completed during the summer of 1931.

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Last Modified: Sat, Feb 16 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
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