Description
Northland Press, Published 1982. Paperback, 131 pp.; 20 cm; first edition, second printing; illustrated with black-and-white photographs.
Rare, out-of-print & unusual books · Since 1997
112
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Catalog notes
Condition & notes
In Good condition. Burgundy pictorial wraps with bumping and creasing to edges and corners, a few small nicks along edges, some color loss along edges and spine. Chipping to lower corner of first four leaves. Previous owner's printed address label on half-title. Pencil annotations at nine locations as described below, pen caret in margin of p. 84, pen underlining to one sentence on p. 97. Binding tight. First biography of Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, chief architect and decorator for the Fred Harvey Company from 1902 to 1948, whose Hopi House, Hermit's Rest, Lookout Studio, Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Lodge and the Watchtower stand on the South Rim. An association copy, annotated in pencil by a former Grand Canyon Village employee recalling the years 1928 to 1931. He writes in the first person and identifies himself as staff. Beneath the porch of Hermit's Rest: "I worked here when ever Emily Paulson went on vacations." Beneath the fireplace alcove: "Many happy hours spent here, pleasant cards in front of big fire place. Emily & Miles Paulson were hosts to the tourist, were served bullion in the mornings & tea in afternoon. I substituted for Emily when she was on vacation." At Hopi House: "Mr & Mrs Spencer + their daughter lived here. We visited with them and had one of the loveliest dinners ever." At Lookout Studio: "Many hours after work, exciting michigan rummy was played here with friends." The rear free endpaper carries a list headed "Friends 1928-1931" naming village staff by household and post, from the park superintendent down to the station master, the postmaster and the curio dealers. Four entries check against published record: Tillotson was superintendent from 1927 to 1938, the Kolbs ran Kolb Studio, Verkamp's sold curios on the rim from 1906 to 2008, and Art Metzger was appointed Grand Canyon postmaster in May 1928. The roster and the marginalia corroborate each other throughout: the endpaper lists the Paulsons at Hermit's Rest and the Spencers at Hopi House, exactly where the annotator places them. A note at p. 108 identifies Earl Shirley, named in Grattan's text, as head of the Fred Harvey transportation department. Further annotations label the buildings in the Grand Canyon Station photograph at p. 96 and discuss the Kolb brothers at p. 88. Contents: List of Illustrations; Beginnings 1869-1910; A New Career 1910-1922; Buildings and Interiors 1922-1929; Buildings and Interiors 1929-1941; Working in Retirement 1941-1958; Afterword; Notes; Bibliography; Mary Colter's Buildings; Index.