Nature, Culture, and History at the Grand Canyon

FAIN: BR-50028-07

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ 85281-3670)
Paul W. Hirt (Project Director: January 2007 to September 2013)

Implementation of an interactive web site and a DVD, audio tours, and other materials interpreting the natural and cultural history of the Grand Canyon landscape.

The Grand Canyon is one of the most identifiable and remarkable landscapes on earth and the most internationally recognized symbol of nature in North America. But this grand natural wonder is also, importantly, a cultural landscape. Our aim in this project is to explore the cultural significance of the Grand Canyon to those people who have lived there or passed through during the past 400 years. We will also explore the ways that this unique place has influenced American science, art, environmental values, popular culture, tourism, and leisure. Our audiences will gain a deeper understanding of how the Grand Canyon is both a natural and a cultural landscape and how the relationship between people and place in this iconic American landscape has significantly shaped our nation?s history and values.