The Kolb Studio is a historic structure situated on the edge of the
South Rim of the
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a m ...
in
Grand Canyon Village within
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park, located in northwestern Arizona, is the 15th site in the United States to have been named as a national park. The park's central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often consider ...
in Arizona. It was operated from 1904 until 1976 as the photographic studio of brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb.
History
In 1902, Emery C. Kolb (1881–1976) and Ellsworth L. Kolb (1876–1960) first arrived at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. In 1911, they successfully navigated the
Colorado River
The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid drainage basin, watershed that encompasses parts of ...
, filming their journey. Built between from 1904 to 1926, the building which they constructed was both a family home and photographic studio for the pioneering Kolb brothers. The building has evolved through two major additions and countless minor changes during its century of existence at Grand Canyon.
After the death of Emery Kolb in 1976, the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
acquired the historic studio. During the 1990s, the Grand Canyon Association renovated the building and converted it to its current state. The
Grand Canyon Association now operates an art gallery, bookstore and information inside the building. The bookstore's proceeds go to support the building, and the store features a tribute to the Kolbs’ photographs of
mule
The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two pos ...
riders at Grand Canyon. The start of the
Bright Angel Trail
The Bright Angel Trail is a hiking trail located in Grand Canyon National Park in the U.S. state of Arizona.
Description
The trail originates at Grand Canyon Village on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, descending 4380 feet to the Colorad ...
is to the west of the Kolb Studio.
Restoration project
During 2013 and 2014, the
Grand Canyon Association was in the process of restoring and rehabilitating this significant building. Work includes addressing the structural degradation of Kolb Studio.
: a) rectifying drainage problems from public sidewalks and corresponding retaining walls,
: b) stabilizing the concrete entranceway to assure safe continuing access to the facility
: c) repairing and replacing exterior building features (e.g. log and shingle siding, structural beams, gutters, wooden porches) in order to assure long-term structural integrity of the building and
: d) protecting restored exterior surfaces with paints, sealants and other coatings.
See also
*
Buildings and structures in Grand Canyon National Park
A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and fun ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Grand Canyon National Park
*
Rustic architecture in Arizona
Rustic may refer to:
*Rural area
*Pastoral
Architecture
* Rustication (architecture), a masonry technique mainly employed in Renaissance architecture
* Rustic architecture, an informal architectural style in the United States and Canada with sever ...
References
Other sources
*William C Suran (1991) ''The Kolb Brothers of Grand Canyon'' (Gem Guides Book Company)
Related reading
* Ellsworth Leonardson Kolb (2003) ''The brave ones : the journals and letters of the 1911–1912 expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers by Ellsworth L. Kolb and Emery C. Kolb'' (Flagstaff, AZ: Fretwater Press)
External links
Grand Canyon Association.org: Kolb Studio Art Exhibits
{{authority control
Grand Canyon
Art museums and galleries in Arizona
Artists' studios in the United States
History museums in Arizona
Buildings and structures in Grand Canyon National Park
Buildings and structures completed in 1926
1904 establishments in Arizona Territory
Museums in Coconino County, Arizona
Tourist attractions in Coconino County, Arizona
American Craftsman architecture in Arizona
Rustic architecture in Arizona