Uploads from Al_HikesAZ, tagged vintage, with geodata

Blast from the past - Zion National Park East Entrance with an historic Chevrolet

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:59:54 -0700

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

We went on a camping and hiking trip to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

This is the Zion National Park East Entrance monument sign. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) around 1933. There was a rally of these vintage Chevrolet and Ford Model T automobiles and I happened to be in the right place at almost the right time. [edit Thanks to Kurt for pointing out that this is a Chevrolet. Anybody remember the Dinah Shore jingle "See the USA in your Chevrolet"?]

www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_buildings_and_structures...
The East and South Entrance Signs are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The signs comprise two locally-quarried red sandstone pillars flanking the east and south entrance road, with a horizontal log projecting from one pylon supporting a sign. The signs were designed by the National Park Service Branch of Plans and Designs in 1936 and was built by Civilian Conservation Corps labor from Camp NP-2. They were altered in 1940 to the design of Park Service architects H.W. Young and A.C. Kuehl.[10][11] The sign reflects a consistent design theme that was developed for many park structures in Zion.[12] The signs are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the east sign listed on July 7, 1987 with reference number 86003710 and the south sign on February 14, 1987 as 86003713. 37°14′7″N 112°52′7″W (east) and 37°12′4.7″N 112°59′18.8″W (south).[5]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_State_Route_9

State Route 9 (SR-9) is a state highway in southern Utah, serving Zion National Park. It starts at the western terminus at exit 16 on I-15. It passes through Zion National Park, ending at the eastern junction with US-89. The entire length of the highway has been designated the Zion Park Scenic Byway.[2] There is a fee to travel through Zion National Park, but the highway is open to private vehicles year-round. A separate fee is required for vehicles 7'10" wide and/or 11'4" tall or larger. This fee pays for a ranger to stop traffic from the other side of the Zion - Mt. Carmel Tunnel to allow the larger vehicles to pass through.[3] There is a smaller tunnel in Zion National Park that does not require an escort. Commercial vehicles are prohibited from using SR-9[4] and are directed to use SR-20 instead.

IMG_0361

Roadside Signs - Son Silver West - Sedona

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:56:39 -0700

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

This is the place with the big White Rooster on the way in to Sedona.

My daughter wanted to stop here. She loves watching American Pickers on the History Channel. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pickers Some antiques, some really nice stuff, a lot of tchotchkes.
www.sonsilverwest.com/
1476 Hwy 179 Sedona, AZ 86336

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Flatbed Ford truck - El Portal Luxury Hotel - Sedona

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:29:37 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

This is the wood truck by the El Portal Luxury Hotel in Sedona. This is our favorite place to stay in Sedona. Small and elegant.

"El Portal Sedona Hotel is one of the finest Sedona Luxury Hotels. In the heart of Sedona, luxury awaits you at El Portal, redefining the inn experience, offering a private retreat of exceptional quality."

www.elportalsedona.com/index1.html

El Portal Sedona is a small hotel winner for the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Best in the World 2011!

One of only 49 small hotels in the US!
The final winners were sifted from more than 8 million votes cast in their annual Readers' Choice Awards survey. These awards reflect the combined opinions of 28,876 Condé Nast Traveler readers rating the cities, islands, and hotels they visited in the past year, and the airlines and cruise ships they traveled with. For its range and depth, the Readers' Choice Awards are a unique and trusted source of advice globally, and that is thanks to America's most discerning and demanding travelers.

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Need(ed) help identifying Salt Lake City Dance Pavilion - Saltair Pavilion II (destroyed by fire 1970)

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:12:24 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

Can anyone help with identifying this building. This is a scan of a Kodachrome slide my father shot in June 1951. It is labelled "Salt Lake Ciy" "Dance Pavilion". "June 1951" . That is all the information that I have. . I would love to see what it looks like today.

edit - Thanks to KOHoff this looks like it is Saltair Pavilion II en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltair,_Utah

Intended from the beginning as the Western counterpart to Coney Island, Saltair was one of the first amusement parks, and for a time was the most popular family destination west of New York. Some criticism was pointed at the Church over the sale of coffee, tea or alcohol (all of which are prohibited by Mormon doctrine), as well as Saltair's being open on Sunday[2]. The church finally sold the resort in 1906.[3]

Saltair II

The first Saltair pavilion and a few other buildings were destroyed by fire on April 22, 1925.[3] A new pavilion was built and the resort was expanded at the same location by new investors (again, mostly prominent Mormons), but several factors prevented the second Saltair from achieving the success of its ancestor. The advent of motion pictures and radio, the Great Depression, and the interruption of the "go to Saltair" routine kept people closer to home. With a huge new dance floor – the world's largest at the time –[3] Saltair became more known as a dance palace, the amusement park becoming secondary to the great traveling bands of the day, such as Glenn Miller. Though Saltair showed motion pictures, there were other theaters more convenient to town.

In addition, the first Saltair had benefited from its location on the road from Salt Lake City to the Tooele Valley and to Skull Valley, which in the late 1800s was home to Iosepa, a large community of Polynesian Mormons. Being near a major intersection, Saltair also served as the first (or last) major facility on the road, making it a popular resting area for those travelling by horseback or wagon. When Saltair was rebuilt, however, this traffic was all but gone. Part of the reason was the advent of automobiles, bus and train service to the Tooele Valley, but the other cause was the abandonment of Iosepa, as Polynesians went to homes in the Salt Lake Valley or the community forming around the new LDS Temple in Laie, on Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands.

Saltair thus had to survive solely against strong competition, and in a dwindling market. Disaster struck in 1931, in the form of a fire which caused over $100,000 in damage, then again in 1933 as the resort was left high and dry when lake waters receded (forcing the construction of a miniature railway to carry swimmers between the resort and the water). Saltair was forced to close during the Second World War, which forced the rationing of fuel and other resources while it took many of the resort's paying customers – and vital employees – out of Utah. Reopening after the war, the resort found the same situation that it had faced in the 1930s. There were so many other entertainment options, closer to home, and the public was no longer in the habit of going "all the way out there." The resort closed in 1958, causing the railroad to cease passenger operations at the same time.[4]

Attempts over the next decade to breathe new life into the resort finally ended in November 1970, when an arson fire was set in the center of the wooden dance floor, completely destroying Saltair.[1]

www.thesaltair.com/?page_id=30
img020

Need(ed) help identifying Salt Lake City Dance Pavilion - Saltair Pavilion II (destroyed by fire 1970)

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:12:23 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

Can anyone help with identifying this building. This is a scan of a Kodachrome slide my father shot in June 1951. It is labelled "Salt Lake Ciy" "Dance Pavilion". "June 1951" . That is all the information that I have. I would love to see what it looks like today. Any help identifying the cars will also be appreciated.

edit - Thanks to KOHoff this looks like it is Saltair Pavilion #2 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltair,_Utah

Intended from the beginning as the Western counterpart to Coney Island, Saltair was one of the first amusement parks, and for a time was the most popular family destination west of New York. Some criticism was pointed at the Church over the sale of coffee, tea or alcohol (all of which are prohibited by Mormon doctrine), as well as Saltair's being open on Sunday[2]. The church finally sold the resort in 1906.[3]

Saltair II

The first Saltair pavilion and a few other buildings were destroyed by fire on April 22, 1925.[3] A new pavilion was built and the resort was expanded at the same location by new investors (again, mostly prominent Mormons), but several factors prevented the second Saltair from achieving the success of its ancestor. The advent of motion pictures and radio, the Great Depression, and the interruption of the "go to Saltair" routine kept people closer to home. With a huge new dance floor – the world's largest at the time –[3] Saltair became more known as a dance palace, the amusement park becoming secondary to the great traveling bands of the day, such as Glenn Miller. Though Saltair showed motion pictures, there were other theaters more convenient to town.

In addition, the first Saltair had benefited from its location on the road from Salt Lake City to the Tooele Valley and to Skull Valley, which in the late 1800s was home to Iosepa, a large community of Polynesian Mormons. Being near a major intersection, Saltair also served as the first (or last) major facility on the road, making it a popular resting area for those travelling by horseback or wagon. When Saltair was rebuilt, however, this traffic was all but gone. Part of the reason was the advent of automobiles, bus and train service to the Tooele Valley, but the other cause was the abandonment of Iosepa, as Polynesians went to homes in the Salt Lake Valley or the community forming around the new LDS Temple in Laie, on Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands.

Saltair thus had to survive solely against strong competition, and in a dwindling market. Disaster struck in 1931, in the form of a fire which caused over $100,000 in damage, then again in 1933 as the resort was left high and dry when lake waters receded (forcing the construction of a miniature railway to carry swimmers between the resort and the water). Saltair was forced to close during the Second World War, which forced the rationing of fuel and other resources while it took many of the resort's paying customers – and vital employees – out of Utah. Reopening after the war, the resort found the same situation that it had faced in the 1930s. There were so many other entertainment options, closer to home, and the public was no longer in the habit of going "all the way out there." The resort closed in 1958, causing the railroad to cease passenger operations at the same time.[4]

Attempts over the next decade to breathe new life into the resort finally ended in November 1970, when an arson fire was set in the center of the wooden dance floor, completely destroying Saltair.[1]

img019

Navajo Bridge - Marble Canyon Arizona - August 1948

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:39:48 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

This is a scan of a Kodachrome slide my father took of the Original Navajo Bridge in August, 1948. He was standing east of the bridge so the new bridge would be east of here. Just to the right of where he was standing. The first autos crossed the bridge on January 12, 1929

www.nps.gov/glca/historyculture/navajobridge.htm

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Bridge

The original bridge has been designated as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 13, 1981.[3]

Original bridge

Dedicated: 1929-06-14 to 1929-06-15 after two years of construction
Total length: 834 ft (254 m)
Steel arch length: 616 ft (188 m)
Arch rise: 90 ft (27.4 m)
Height above river: 467 ft (142 m)
Width of the roadway: 18 ft (5.5 m)
Amount of steel: 2.4 million lb (1,089,000 kg)

Amount of concrete: 500 yd³ (385 m³)
Amount of steel reinforcement: 82000 lb (37,000 kg)

Construction cost: $390,000

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North Rim Lodge - August, 1948 - Grand Canyon

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 11:16:20 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

Playing with my Chanukah present - an Epson V600 scanner. This is a scan of a Kodachrome slide my father took in August 1948 of the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge entrance. I have been tempted to process these, but other than removing some dust digitally I have not made any changes. Any help identifying the cars will be appreciated.

My son saw this and asked "What was the occasion for all the old cars?". I told him those are new cars, it's an old photo :)

From the National Register of Historic Places
Grand Canyon Inn and Campground (added 1982 - - #82001872)
Also known as North Rim Inn and Campground
North Rim , Grand Canyon National Park
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Underwood,Gilbert Stanley, Utah Parks Co.
Architectural Style: Other
Area of Significance: Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Federal
Historic Function: Domestic, Landscape
Historic Sub-function: Camp, Park
Current Function: Domestic, Landscape
Current Sub-function: Multiple Dwelling, Park

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon_Lodge

img005

The Route 66 Roadhouse Bar & Grill Man Cave

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:27:11 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

I've been looking for some ideas for redecorating my man cave. This is inspirational.

On the way home from the Grand Canyon, I stopped in Bellemont for gas and figured it was time to check out the Route 66 Roadhouse Bar & Grill. The restaurant is great. Great food, 3 pool tables, lots of tables, lots of televisions with NFL football. You chose your meat and grill it yourself on a large grill. And there is also a Route 66 Museum attached. It's connected with a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Retail store and repair shop next door. Parts of the movie Easy Rider were filmed here in Bellemont. The famous Pine Breeze Motel "No Vacancy" sign hangs in the bar.

www.legendsofamerica.com/az-bellemont.html

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Kolb Studio - the original historic Movie Projector, a Powers Cameragraph - Grand Canyon - South Rim

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:27:21 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

This is the projector that Emery Kolb used to show their special film . The Powers Cameragraph

www.grandcanyon.org/canyonviews/canyonviewsfall06.pdf

By 1915, the forest service relented, agreeing to let the Kolb brothers show the film at the canyon. The brothers added an auditorium to their building on the canyon rim, and they were soon ready to show what would ultimately become the longest-running film in history. Enter the Power’s Cameragraph projector, which would continue to serve them for more than 50 years. (Emery bought a new projector in the late 1960s.)

The projector was recently discovered in the basement of the Williams-Grand Canyon Masonic Lodge #38, where it had been stowed more than 40 years ago by Emery’s friend and colleague Leo Atherton. Kolb and Atherton had both contributed artifacts to the Williams Chamber of Commerce to be used in a new museum of Grand Canyon memorabilia. When the museum venture failed, Atherton put the projector in the basement for safekeeping.

And that’s where building chairman, Daniel Repony, recently uncovered it during renovation of the historic lodge. Repony suggested that Atherton donate the projector to the National Park Service with the stipulation that it be returned to its original home. With Atherton’s approval, Repony took the heavy projector apart, delivered it to Kolb Studio, and reassembled it in place to the delight of visitors and history buffs.

Power’s Projectors were, along with Edison’s machines, the first American film projectors produced on a commercial scale. Thousands were sold in the U.S. and abroad. It is not a rare machine, but it is "esteemed and venerated" for its authenticity. The Kolbs’ projector was patented in 1906. It ran on DC current (50-65 volts/15-30 amps, for you techies) and used Peerless carbon arc lamps for illumination through a Bausch and Lomb optical lens. The lamps produced so much heat that the projection booth was sheathed in metal.

explorethecanyon.com/grand-canyon-photography-and-movie-h...
Grand Canyon Photography and Movie History
Ellsworth and Emery Kolb, brothers who founded a photography studio at the Bright Angel trailhead, gained their notoriety as the first men to make a motion picture of the Colorado River amid its entire course through the Grand Canyon.

Seeking a life of adventure, Ellsworth arrived at the Grand Canyon in 1901 and worked as a bellhop at the Bright Angel Hotel. At his brother’s request, Emery made his way to the Canyon a year later with hopes for landing a mining job. When he arrived, though, the mine was closed.
Searching for another endeavor, Emery found a photography business for sale. Since he had experience in the field, he bought the business and moved it to the Grand Canyon, where the Kolb brothers opened a studio in 1903 photographing visitors who rode the Fred Harvey mule trains down the Bright Angel Trail.

Initially, the studio was housed in a small cave in the side of a canyon wall. The brothers placed a blanket over the entrance so they would have a makeshift darkroom. A year later, they built a two-story wooden structure on a rock shelf blasted out of the canyon wall.
In 1912, the Kolb brothers embarked on a historic boat trip down the Colorado River. They were the first individuals to record their exploits with a movie camera. The adventure started in Green River, Wyoming where John Wesley Powell’s famous expedition departed in 1869. The journey took two months and saw the brothers traverse the Green River to the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The trip ended in Needles, Calif.

After completing the adventure and finalizing their movie, they toured the world promoting the film and then returned to the Grand Canyon. In 1915, they started showing the movie daily in an auditorium they built at their studio. It was part of a three-story addition (including living quarters). Ellsworth lost interest in the business and headed west for Los Angeles in 1924, but Emery operated the film daily until his death in 1976.

Today, historic Kolb Studio is open year-round. It features an exhibit venue, bookstore, and information center operated by the Grand Canyon Association, a nonprofit organization. Proceeds from sales at the bookstore are used for the continuing restoration and care of the building. Fully remodeled in 2004 for the Kolb Studio Centennial, the bookstore now contains a tribute to the Kolbs’ photography of mule riders at the Grand Canyon.

grandcanyonhistory.clas.asu.edu/sites_southrim_kolbstudio...

IMGP0380

Historic camera - Kolb Studios - Grand Canyon

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:18:17 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

I went up early to the Grand Canyon South Rim for a big backpacking trip and visited several of the tourist destinations. I was very fortunate to be invited on a rare and special tour of the Kolb Residence with Ranger Marna Bastian. The NPS is considering having more of these tours in 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Kolb Brothers rafting & photography expedition of the Colorado River.

grandcanyonnews.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID...
3/8/2011 15:27
Peeking into Kolb Studio's past
House suspended below rim home to history and Grand Canyon legend

Clara Beard Williams - Grand Canyon News Reporter
Ryan Williams/WGCN
A Hoosier Cabinet Silver Edition, circa 1900, sits in the kitchen once used by the Kolb brothers.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - How many of the Grand Canyon's 5 million yearly visitors experience a sunrise peering through the window of a home built precariously on the edge of the South Rim?

A handful at the most, which is one of the reasons local resident Bill Brookins counts himself fortunate to be one of the few.

Kolb Studio, a well-known and popular attraction and art exhibit location at Grand Canyon, houses five stories and 23 rooms of curiosities, which visitors to the upstairs gift shop rarely realize lie beneath their feet. Last week, Grand Canyon resident Bill Brookins generously offered the News an insider's look, where we discovered just how special Kolb Studio is.

Natives to Philadelphia, the Kolb brothers, Ellsworth and Emery, decided to make the Grand Canyon their home in 1902, 17 years before the establishment of Grand Canyon National Park. Avid photographers and river rafters, the Kolbs were the first to document a boat trip down the Colorado River with a movie camera, shown to park visitors from 1915 until 1956, making it the longest film showing in history. The 35mm projector used is available to view in the gift shop.

The Kolb brothers were passionate about photography, and the majority of their photos were sold to visitors meandering up the Bright Angel Trail on the backs of mules. According to Brookins, developing film was a journey in itself.

"When they were doing their photos up here, they didn't have any access to fresh water. It wasn't a park yet, and the person that had control over the water was Fred Harvey," he said. "The Kolb brothers weren't going to give anything to him since they were in competition with each other, so what they would do is take the pictures of people riding the mules down the trail, and then they would take the negatives in glass plates, put them in a back pack and run down to the only available source for fresh water. It was four and a half miles down and four and a half miles back up. That's a long way. And Emery must have done that a couple times a day."

Walking into the sitting room, Brookins brought out reproductions of photo scenes from their famous movie, 'Floating Down The River,' as well as actual furniture owned by the family.

"Emery Kolb had all sorts of interesting guests - John Muir, Albert Einstein the list goes on and on," he said. "I like to sit in here and think about, 'Well geez, what were they talking about or what did they have for dinner,' my little pea brain just goes crazy thinking about all those folks that were in here."

Heading into what could only be described as a sun porch, it is hard not to notice how startlingly close the structure is to the edge. Only a period window separates visitors from the bottom of the Colorado River. There, the brothers watched the stars and wildlife from the comfort of their brown wicker chairs.

"Can you imagine just sitting here every day, and looking out here? To take in the full experience here you just have to sit and relax and just take it all in," Brookins said. "The longer you sit here, the more you will notice things. During the summer there is always some kind of wildlife walking by, whether it is a deer of a bobcat, it is like a Disney moment."

Just sitting in silence is spectacular. The majesty of the Canyon changes every time you look, Brookins said.

Sitting so close to the edge is an incredible feeling, and Brookins added how difficult it is to imagine how people lived in the building prior to its structural stability assessment.

"When the Grand Canyon Association (GCA) decided to restore the building, they hired a structural engineer, he came down here and said, 'Well, the first thing you need to do is to attach the building to the wall,'" Brookins said.

Leaving the sun porch and stepping into the kitchen, the eye first lands on the brothers' Hoosier kitchen cabinet, which Brookins said has a unique story.

"The GCA got this cabinet back when Helen (Ranney, director of outreach and public relations, Grand Canyon Association) was trekking in Nepal," Brookins said. "They were talking to a park ranger who used to be at the Canyon and he said, 'Hey, I've got this Hoosier kitchen cabinet that I bought after Emery died. It is just sitting in my garage.'"

Donated to the GCA and restored, the cabinet sits prominently upright in the small kitchen, complete with a flour shifter and sugar bin built inside, which makes it an upgraded model according to Brookins.

"There is a packing list on each one of the pieces that says 'Ship to Mrs. Emery C. Kolb, Box 12, Grand Canyon,' so that makes it priceless," he said.

Traveling down into the dark room, which still holds the lingering smell of chemicals, Emery Kolb's hand-made photography stands and fascinating make shift tools still reside, which at one time helped to generate the photos that are famous in the park today.

"He made all of this, he didn't go to Wal-mart and buy any of it," Brookins said.

Kolb Studio is just one example of history sitting in the shadows of the Grand Canyon, and the people who helped shape its future.

"The more time you spend here, the more you see it isn't just all about the Canyon," Brookins said.

For more information on Kolb Studio and its rotating exhibits, visit www.grandcanyon.org.

explorethecanyon.com/grand-canyon-photography-and-movie-h...
Grand Canyon Photography and Movie History
Ellsworth and Emery Kolb, brothers who founded a photography studio at the Bright Angel trailhead, gained their notoriety as the first men to make a motion picture of the Colorado River amid its entire course through the Grand Canyon.
Seeking a life of adventure, Ellsworth arrived at the Grand Canyon in 1901 and worked as a bellhop at the Bright Angel Hotel. At his brother’s request, Emery made his way to the Canyon a year later with hopes for landing a mining job. When he arrived, though, the mine was closed.
Searching for another endeavor, Emery found a photography business for sale. Since he had experience in the field, he bought the business and moved it to the Grand Canyon, where the Kolb brothers opened a studio in 1903 photographing visitors who rode the Fred Harvey mule trains down the Bright Angel Trail.
Initially, the studio was housed in a small cave in the side of a canyon wall. The brothers placed a blanket over the entrance so they would have a makeshift darkroom. A year later, they built a two-story wooden structure on a rock shelf blasted out of the canyon wall.
In 1912, the Kolb brothers embarked on a historic boat trip down the Colorado River. They were the first individuals to record their exploits with a movie camera. The adventure started in Green River, Wyoming where John Wesley Powell’s famous expedition departed in 1869. The journey took two months and saw the brothers traverse the Green River to the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The trip ended in Needles, Calif.
After completing the adventure and finalizing their movie, they toured the world promoting the film and then returned to the Grand Canyon. In 1915, they started showing the movie daily in an auditorium they built at their studio. It was part of a three-story addition (including living quarters). Ellsworth lost interest in the business and headed west for Los Angeles in 1924, but Emery operated the film daily until his death in 1976.
Today, historic Kolb Studio is open year-round. It features an exhibit venue, bookstore, and information center operated by the Grand Canyon Association, a nonprofit organization. Proceeds from sales at the bookstore are used for the continuing restoration and care of the building. Fully remodeled in 2004 for the Kolb Studio Centennial, the bookstore now contains a tribute to the Kolbs’ photography of mule riders at the Grand Canyon.

grandcanyonhistory.clas.asu.edu/sites_southrim_kolbstudio...

IMGP0388

Historic Kolb residence - sitting porch - Grand Canyon - South Rim

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:20:13 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

I went up early to the Grand Canyon South Rim for a big backpacking trip and visited several of the tourist destinations. I was very fortunate to be invited on a rare and special tour of the Kolb Residence with Ranger Marna Bastian. The NPS is considering having more of these tours in 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Kolb Brothers rafting & photography expedition of the Colorado River.

grandcanyonnews.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID...
3/8/2011 15:27
Peeking into Kolb Studio's past
House suspended below rim home to history and Grand Canyon legend

Clara Beard Williams - Grand Canyon News Reporter
Ryan Williams/WGCN
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - How many of the Grand Canyon's 5 million yearly visitors experience a sunrise peering through the window of a home built precariously on the edge of the South Rim?

A handful at the most, which is one of the reasons local resident Bill Brookins counts himself fortunate to be one of the few.

Kolb Studio, a well-known and popular attraction and art exhibit location at Grand Canyon, houses five stories and 23 rooms of curiosities, which visitors to the upstairs gift shop rarely realize lie beneath their feet. Last week, Grand Canyon resident Bill Brookins generously offered the News an insider's look, where we discovered just how special Kolb Studio is.

Natives to Philadelphia, the Kolb brothers, Ellsworth and Emery, decided to make the Grand Canyon their home in 1902, 17 years before the establishment of Grand Canyon National Park. Avid photographers and river rafters, the Kolbs were the first to document a boat trip down the Colorado River with a movie camera, shown to park visitors from 1915 until 1956, making it the longest film showing in history. The 35mm projector used is available to view in the gift shop.

The Kolb brothers were passionate about photography, and the majority of their photos were sold to visitors meandering up the Bright Angel Trail on the backs of mules. According to Brookins, developing film was a journey in itself.

"When they were doing their photos up here, they didn't have any access to fresh water. It wasn't a park yet, and the person that had control over the water was Fred Harvey," he said. "The Kolb brothers weren't going to give anything to him since they were in competition with each other, so what they would do is take the pictures of people riding the mules down the trail, and then they would take the negatives in glass plates, put them in a back pack and run down to the only available source for fresh water. It was four and a half miles down and four and a half miles back up. That's a long way. And Emery must have done that a couple times a day."

Walking into the sitting room, Brookins brought out reproductions of photo scenes from their famous movie, 'Floating Down The River,' as well as actual furniture owned by the family.

"Emery Kolb had all sorts of interesting guests - John Muir, Albert Einstein the list goes on and on," he said. "I like to sit in here and think about, 'Well geez, what were they talking about or what did they have for dinner,' my little pea brain just goes crazy thinking about all those folks that were in here."

Heading into what could only be described as a sun porch, it is hard not to notice how startlingly close the structure is to the edge. Only a period window separates visitors from the bottom of the Colorado River. There, the brothers watched the stars and wildlife from the comfort of their brown wicker chairs.

"Can you imagine just sitting here every day, and looking out here? To take in the full experience here you just have to sit and relax and just take it all in," Brookins said. "The longer you sit here, the more you will notice things. During the summer there is always some kind of wildlife walking by, whether it is a deer of a bobcat, it is like a Disney moment."

Just sitting in silence is spectacular. The majesty of the Canyon changes every time you look, Brookins said.

Sitting so close to the edge is an incredible feeling, and Brookins added how difficult it is to imagine how people lived in the building prior to its structural stability assessment.

"When the Grand Canyon Association (GCA) decided to restore the building, they hired a structural engineer, he came down here and said, 'Well, the first thing you need to do is to attach the building to the wall,'" Brookins said.

Leaving the sun porch and stepping into the kitchen, the eye first lands on the brothers' Hoosier kitchen cabinet, which Brookins said has a unique story.

"The GCA got this cabinet back when Helen (Ranney, director of outreach and public relations, Grand Canyon Association) was trekking in Nepal," Brookins said. "They were talking to a park ranger who used to be at the Canyon and he said, 'Hey, I've got this Hoosier kitchen cabinet that I bought after Emery died. It is just sitting in my garage.'"

Donated to the GCA and restored, the cabinet sits prominently upright in the small kitchen, complete with a flour shifter and sugar bin built inside, which makes it an upgraded model according to Brookins.

"There is a packing list on each one of the pieces that says 'Ship to Mrs. Emery C. Kolb, Box 12, Grand Canyon,' so that makes it priceless," he said.

Traveling down into the dark room, which still holds the lingering smell of chemicals, Emery Kolb's hand-made photography stands and fascinating make shift tools still reside, which at one time helped to generate the photos that are famous in the park today.

"He made all of this, he didn't go to Wal-mart and buy any of it," Brookins said.

Kolb Studio is just one example of history sitting in the shadows of the Grand Canyon, and the people who helped shape its future.

"The more time you spend here, the more you see it isn't just all about the Canyon," Brookins said.

For more information on Kolb Studio and its rotating exhibits, visit www.grandcanyon.org.

explorethecanyon.com/grand-canyon-photography-and-movie-h...
Grand Canyon Photography and Movie History
Ellsworth and Emery Kolb, brothers who founded a photography studio at the Bright Angel trailhead, gained their notoriety as the first men to make a motion picture of the Colorado River amid its entire course through the Grand Canyon.
Seeking a life of adventure, Ellsworth arrived at the Grand Canyon in 1901 and worked as a bellhop at the Bright Angel Hotel. At his brother’s request, Emery made his way to the Canyon a year later with hopes for landing a mining job. When he arrived, though, the mine was closed.
Searching for another endeavor, Emery found a photography business for sale. Since he had experience in the field, he bought the business and moved it to the Grand Canyon, where the Kolb brothers opened a studio in 1903 photographing visitors who rode the Fred Harvey mule trains down the Bright Angel Trail.
Initially, the studio was housed in a small cave in the side of a canyon wall. The brothers placed a blanket over the entrance so they would have a makeshift darkroom. A year later, they built a two-story wooden structure on a rock shelf blasted out of the canyon wall.
In 1912, the Kolb brothers embarked on a historic boat trip down the Colorado River. They were the first individuals to record their exploits with a movie camera. The adventure started in Green River, Wyoming where John Wesley Powell’s famous expedition departed in 1869. The journey took two months and saw the brothers traverse the Green River to the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The trip ended in Needles, Calif.
After completing the adventure and finalizing their movie, they toured the world promoting the film and then returned to the Grand Canyon. In 1915, they started showing the movie daily in an auditorium they built at their studio. It was part of a three-story addition (including living quarters). Ellsworth lost interest in the business and headed west for Los Angeles in 1924, but Emery operated the film daily until his death in 1976.
Today, historic Kolb Studio is open year-round. It features an exhibit venue, bookstore, and information center operated by the Grand Canyon Association, a nonprofit organization. Proceeds from sales at the bookstore are used for the continuing restoration and care of the building. Fully remodeled in 2004 for the Kolb Studio Centennial, the bookstore now contains a tribute to the Kolbs’ photography of mule riders at the Grand Canyon.

grandcanyonhistory.clas.asu.edu/sites_southrim_kolbstudio...

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Original Hoosier Cabinet - Historic Kolb Residence - Grand Canyon

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:20:30 -0800

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El Portal truck - Sedona Arizona

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:31:10 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

This is the wood truck by the El Portal Luxury Hotel in Sedona. This is our favorite place to stay in Sedona. Small and elegant. The truck is an old Ford but I don't know what year or model.

"El Portal Sedona Hotel is one of the finest Sedona Luxury Hotels. In the heart of Sedona, luxury awaits you at El Portal, redefining the inn experience, offering a private retreat of exceptional quality."
www.elportalsedona.com/index1.html

El Portal Sedona is a small hotel winner for the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Best in the World 2011!

One of only 49 small hotels in the US!
The final winners were sifted from more than 8 million votes cast in their annual Readers' Choice Awards survey. These awards reflect the combined opinions of 28,876 Condé Nast Traveler readers rating the cities, islands, and hotels they visited in the past year, and the airlines and cruise ships they traveled with. For its range and depth, the Readers' Choice Awards are a unique and trusted source of advice globally, and that is thanks to America's most discerning and demanding travelers.

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Whizz Kills Pain Sign - Son Silver West - Sedona

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:32:03 -0700

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

My daughter wanted to stop here. She loves watching American Pickers on the History Channel. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pickers Some antiques, some really nice stuff, a lot of tchotchkes.
www.sonsilverwest.com/
1476 Hwy 179 Sedona, AZ 86336

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Signs - Son Silver West Roadside Gallery

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:31:56 -0700

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Vintage Chevrolet Flatbed - North Rim - Grand Canyon National Park

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:21:36 -0700

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

I was intrigued by this vintage Chevrolet 3600 Flatbed at the campgrounds on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. It was painted in NPS color but I think it was being used by a Park Contractor.

[edit] thanks to Kurt I did a little more research. This is a 1951 3/4 ton truck. The original would have had a 216cid/92hp Inline 6 with a 4-speed overdrive transmission. Not sure what is currently in this one. [end edit]

Old Ford truck - Parada del Sol Rodeo - Scottsdale

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:36:13 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

This old Ford flatbed was parked out back of the Westworld Arena. It apparently still works and it's not one of those fancy refurbished models. I'm not sure what that barrel is in the front.

The Parada del Sol Rodeo is held annually in the Equidome at Westworld in Scottsdale. The 57th Annual Parada del Sol Rodeo was a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association ( PRCA ) Sanctioned Rodeo. Each performance consisted of bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling and bull riding. www.paradadelsol.org/

Arizona Historic Vehicle LTN8 Ford V8 flatbed truck

Hudson Lamp - Cruisers - Old Route 66 Williams AZ

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:12:58 -0700

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

We stopped for lunch at Cruisers Café on Old Route 66 in Historic Downtown Williams AZ on our way to a camping and fishing trip at White Horse Lake in the Kaibab National Forest. They converted an old gas station and have a really funky décor with some of the old signs and hardware. Touristy. Good (not great) food.

INFORMATION ON CRUISER'S CAFE 66:

Cruisers Cafe 66
233 W. Route 66
Williams, AZ

Enjoy a nostalgic experience at the Cruisers Cafe 66! Just imagine your favorite 1950s-style favorite high school hangout, add in cocktail service, and you have this charming Cafe. Here you will find classic American favorites, such as good burgers, steaks, ribs, seafood, salads, and malts. Special decor touches, such as the large mural, stuffed buffalo, and historic cars out front make this a Route 66 favorite. Adults and kids alike enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the jukebox tunes.

INFORMATION ON WILLIAMS, ARIZONA & ROUTE 66:

Relive the glory of Old Route 66 on the Route 66 Loop Through Williams, Arizona, the only stretch of Route 66 on the National Historic Register. At the turn of the century a muddy pathway developed along the railroad tracks. Within 20 years private booster clubs linked together sections of road to form a ribbon from Chicago to the West and it was called the Old Trails National Highway.

John Steinbeck, in 1939, proclaimed Route 66 as the “Mother Road” in his classic novel The Grapes of Wrath. When the movie was made just a year later, it immortalized Route 66 in the American consciousness.

In 1926 U.S. Highway 66 was established to serve the ever increasing highway traffic. "Route 66", the Main Street of America, came right through Williams, and a great deal of tourist-related business grew up along the famous route.

The highway's heyday saw a succession of Dust Bowl migrants, World War II troops, families on vacation, and others making their way across "the mother road". But the increased traffic overwhelmed the highway and it was gradually replaced by the interstate system. In 1984, Williams became the last Route 66 town to be bypassed by the Interstate-40.

Much of Route 66 still remains as a reminder of the past, including the "loop" through Williams. Celebrating its heritage, the town of Williams recently returned Bill Williams Avenue to its original name of Route 66. This stretch of American history was awarded National Historic Register status in 1989. Williams' share of Route 66 is also home to The Route 66 Place, featuring Twister's Soda Fountain and the largest collection of Route 66 memorabilia in town.

Today you can cruise the loop on historic Route 66 in Williams, or take a leisurely stroll along the many shops and restaurants that line this legendary roadway.

Source: www.thegrandcanyon.com/HistoricRoute66.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 13, 1984 (I wonder if it was a Friday) the last remaining stretch of Route 66 was bypassed by the opening of a six mile segment of nearby Interstate 40. But Williams lives on. It is another true Route 66 town. Williams not only survived but is at the heart of a Route 66 revival. The downtown area has been cleaned up; new streetlights, fresh paint, and sidewalks have brought the town back to life. The community takes pride in its special relationship to the Mother Road and it shows.

Williams was named for one of the most colorful of all Mountain Men, Old Bill Williams. Though it is debated whether he ever was in the area of the town and mountain that bears his name, it is a well known fact that he was "acquainted with every inch of the Far West" as he would have put it. Williams was founded in 1876 and nothing much happened here until the railroad arrived in 1882. In 1901 the Santa Fe Railroad laid tracks from Williams to the Grand Canyon and insured Williams' claim as Gateway to the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon Railroad reopened in the late 1980's and started running train tours to the Grand Canyon from the beautiful Frey Marcos Harvey House and Depot which has been restored to its former grandeur. The Grand Canyon has always been a Route 66 destination though it is located 50 miles from the Mother Road. Route 66 was always the primary highway vacationers used to get there.

Route 66 souvenir shops offer every imaginable piece of memorabilia of the old road. There are plenty of fine motels and cafes that bring back the flavor of Route 66 in its hey day. Williams is a great place to stop and explore and maybe even stay a day or two if you have the time.

Source: www.theroadwanderer.net/RT66williams.htm

Fire Truck by Hozho Galleries

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:00:47 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo:

This vintage Ford F150 volunteer fire truck has been converted to a marketing icon and a delivery truck for statues and sculptures from Galleries at the Hozho Center in Sedona. It has the Lark Art Gallery emblem on the door.
www.sedonagalleryassociation.com/subjects/galleries/bios/...
From the Lark Gallery webpage "Look for the antique red fire truck and stop in to see us at Hozho Center in the heart of Sedona's "Gallery Row.""

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Lark "Fire Truck" by James Ratliffe Gallery

nobody@flickr.com (Al_HikesAZ) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:01:05 -0800

Al_HikesAZ posted a photo: