The first European American who reached the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon marveled at what was before him: an astounding system of canyons, profound fissures and slender spires that seemingly tottered from their bases.

Common sense dictates that settlement near the south rim of the Grand Canyon should never have occurred, as the area lacks a permanent groundwater supply. As part of the Coconino Plateau, the rim slopes away from the canyon toward the southwest and precipitation drains away from the edge of the gorge. Yet the mystique and splendor of the Grand Canyon have always drawn adventurers and the curious, which ultimately led to the establishment of a community known as Grand Canyon Village.