By Kristy McCaffrey
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| Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter |
A visit to the Grand Canyon is remarkable for many reasons, not
the least of which are the various buildings designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane
Colter. In 1902, she became an architect, designer, and decorator for the Fred
Harvey Company. At the time, American architecture followed the fashions of
Europe, but Mary preferred to let her conceptions grow from the land, paying
homage to the Native Americans who inhabited the area. Her designs include
Hermit’s Rest, Lookout Studio, Bright Angel Lodge, Hopi House and the
Watchtower—all located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon—along with Phantom
Ranch, situated at the bottom of the canyon.
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| Lookout Studio |
Mary Jane Colter was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and
while her family lived briefly in Texas and Colorado, the Colter’s finally settled
in St. Paul, Minnesota when Mary was eleven, and she always considered this her
home. She desired to pursue art as a career but couldn’t due to family
opposition. It wasn’t until the death of her father that she moved toward
following her dream.
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| From inside Hermit's Rest |
Mary attended the California School of Design in San
Francisco, studying art and design. Few universities taught architecture, so
she apprenticed with a practicing architect. This was unusual for a woman, but
Mary was determined. In 1890, as a new graduate, her biggest concern was
finding a job to support her mother and sister. She returned to St. Paul as a
teacher. In 1892, at the age of 23, she began a 15-year teaching career at the Mechanic
Arts High School, an all-boys institution. Mary taught freehand and mechanical
drawing, and after eight years her salary rose to 90 dollars a month.
Ambitious, she also lectured at the University Extension on world history and
architecture, and participated in the Century Club lectures in Minnesota and
Iowa. In addition, she reviewed books as the literary editor of the St. Paul Globe. On her own, she studied
archaeology. To her delight, she would eventually receive a job offer from the
Fred Harvey Company.
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| Bright Angel Lodge |
The Fred Harvey Company operated gift shops, newsstands,
restaurants, and hotels of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway beginning
in 1876. Mary’s first assignment was to decorate the Indian Building which was
adjacent to a new hotel built in Albuquerque. Once that job was complete,
however, the company had no more work for her and she returned to St. Paul to
teach.
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| The Watchtower |
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| Photo of my dad from inside the Watchtower. |
In 1904, when the Santa Fe Railway determined to extend a
line to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, the Fred Harvey Company decided to
build a hotel at the edge. Plans were commissioned for El Tovar, and Mary was
hired to design an Indian building across from the hotel, which resembled a
Swiss chalet. Her building, Hopi House, was based on Hopi dwellings located in
Oraibi, Arizona. Once again, with this project complete, Mary returned to St.
Paul and to teaching, needing the steady income it provided. Soon thereafter she
took a job in Seattle to develop a decoration department for the Frederick and
Nelson Department Store, and her mother and sister accompanied her. Tragically,
her mother died within a year after becoming ill from pernicious anemia.
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| Hopi House |
In 1910, at the age of 41, Mary was finally offered a
permanent job with the Fred Harvey Company. She would design and decorate the
new Fred Harvey hotels, restaurants, and union station facilities, a coveted
position, especially for a woman. She wasn’t without her detractors, as a
railroad man once complained of her “poorly illuminated buildings.” Mary often
used soft lighting to create a restful atmosphere.
Those who knew Mary Colter describe her in many ways. To her
critics, she was a small woman with piercing violet eyes and hair that was
never combed. She chain-smoked, was outspoken, and even cruel at times. To her
friends, she was tall and stately, a wonderful woman, fun to talk with, and a
happy person interested in life around her. Once her designs of Phantom Ranch
were constructed—individual cabins, a large dining hall, and a recreational
hall at the bottom of Grand Canyon—she took the mule trip down to view her new
buildings. At 53, she remained in good health.
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| Phantom Ranch |
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My mom, myself and my daughter Kate
at Phantom Ranch in 2011. |
For 30 years, she worked as an architect (few women did) and
completed 21 projects for the Fred Harvey Company. She considered the La Posada
Hotel in Winslow, Arizona her masterwork. It still stands today.
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| The La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona ~ then and now. |
In 1948, Colter retired to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and passed
away in 1958 at the age of 88.
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Work Cited
Grattan, Virginia L. Mary Colter: Builder Upon The Red
Earth. Grand Canyon Natural History Association, 1992.
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I welcome comments and apologize in advance for not
responding in a timely manner. I’m currently in Baja Mexico viewing the calving
lagoons of the Pacific Gray Whale, and anticipate having no internet access. A
small price to pay for interacting with these magnificent and gentle giants. My
very best to everyone ~ Kristy
