Riordan Mansion Lunchtime Lecture: Desert View: An Investigation with Scott Thybony

Join writer Scott Thybony for this investigation into the story of Grand Canyon's Watchtower.

A massive stone tower rises seventy feet from the rim of Grand Canyon. The Watchtower at Desert View provides visitors with dramatic views but goes beyond being a sight-seeing stop. In the 1930s an architectural designer had a vision to create a monument honoring the Pueblo cultures deeply rooted in the region. Mary Colter traveled through the Four Corners country for six months while researching ancient towers and rock art. She based the Watchtower on a prehistoric tower from Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde. And she commissioned three artists, two of them Hopi, to fill the interior walls with images found on cliff faces and kiva walls throughout the region. Based on his field investigations and talks with knowledgeable Hopi, writer Scott Thybony will compare the Watchtower artwork with the original images that inspired them.