Human History
The first humans in the Tuweep region were likely ice-age hunters
who lived a nomadic hunting, gathering existence in what was a milder
climate. The Ancestral Puebloans farmed in this area, arriving about
2000 years ago and migrating eastward around A.D.1300. The most recent
American Indian group to live here is the Paiute, who have a
reservation to the north.
Evidence of past human presence in this
region includes dwellings, rock art, and numerous lithic/artifact
sites.
John Wesley Powell visited Tuweep in 1870 while unsuccessfully
searching for missing members of his 1869 river expedition. He mapped
and named many of the local features. More recently, European-Americans
ranched, mined, and settled in the area. While ranchers used this
valley seasonally in the early 1900s, the first year round homestead
was the Lower Kent Ranch, built in 1927, located just north of the
park.
Other pioneers in the region included the Schmutz, Cunningham,
Craig, and Bundy families. Henry Covington herded sheep and mined on
the Esplanade off and on for over 20 years. There are still many sites
that speak of his determination to live and prosper in this arid
region.
In 1932 the Tuweep area was protected within Grand Canyon National
Monument, despite opposition from local residents. Congress added the
area to Grand Canyon National Park in 1975.
One of the best known
residents of the area was Tuweep ranger John Riffey, who worked here
for 38 years. His helpfulness, longevity, and airplane ("Pogo")
contributed to his legendary status. Today, the area is managed for
preservation of the abundant natural and cultural resources and for the
enjoyment of the few who venture to this remote corner of the Grand
Canyon.
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