First a little about the architect, artists, and history of this grand landmark...
The Desert View Watchtower was designed by Mary Colter (if you don't know who she is, Google her!), a prolific American interior designer and architect...and if you've been to the Grand Canyon, chances are, you have seen her breathtaking designs (Hopi House, Hermit's Rest, the Bright Angel Lodge complex, Phantom Ranch buildings, and Lookout Studio, to name a few...and yes, she decorated the famous El Tovar Hotel). To me, her style was admirable - blending her buildings into their surroundings mixing multiple styles, elements, and materials...she beautifully combined Native American art, Spanish Colonial Style, Mission Revival Style, and Southwestern elements. The more I research her history and her work, the more I am inspired...she has given me a new found love of Native American craftsmanship and motifs.
The historic Watchtower is a four-story, 70-foot stone building completed in 1932. The carefully arranged texture mixture of stones, rock, mortar, and concrete somewhat resembles an over-sized Ancestral Puebloan tower...and it overlooks the south rim of the Grand Canyon with spectacular views of the Colorado River and the Painted Desert. The tower interior is decorated with bold and beautiful murals painted by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie and detailed petroglyph-style motifs by Fred Greer. I could go on and on (and on and on) about this marvelous structure and the picture perfect details inside and out (like the vast array of irregular window sizes - bringing in the optimum amount of light and providing amazing views...and the fireplace that left me speechless) but there is plenty of written information, if you wish to study it further. For now, I will share a selection of my favorite photos...and just maybe, you will find them as magical as I do...
Just a note...
Long time readers of my blog may remember a post I did back on August 31, 2014 when my husband I visited the Grand Canyon and the Desert View Watchtower...back then, the tower housed a large retail shop and it was like a tourist market inside (very crowded and uncomfortable and you couldn't see any of the brilliant wall murals). In 2015, the National Park Service took over the tower and has worked hard to restore the structure to Mary Colter's vision, removing the commercial marketplace. On this visit, we arrived shortly after 8:00 AM when the entrance opens and before the crowds arrived, giving me the prime opportunity take photos and admire the magnificence.
Finally, for those who have 10 minutes and would like to learn more about Mary Colter and the Desert View Watchtower, here is an excellent video from the National Park Service...
If you can't see the video here, visit this link: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=6AF7C29B-155D-451F-67ED6E0546596E5B
If you can't see the video here, visit this link: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=6AF7C29B-155D-451F-67ED6E0546596E5B
