The Strong Tower

by Priscilla Burgers

Title

The Strong Tower

Artist

Priscilla Burgers

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The Watchtower is at the far eastern end of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Sunsets make the tower take on a beautiful glow. The Colorado River repeats the colors of the beautiful sunset. A canvas texture was applied. The scripture is Proverbs 18:10

The Watchtower is at Desert View... aptly named because of the views to the east of the Painted Desert. You can also see the Colorado River make a big bend and continue to the west, the North Rim more than 10 miles away, and a panoramic view for well over 100 miles on a clear day.

The Watchtower dominates the near view. This structure was designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter who is often referred to as the architect of the southwest. She traveled throughout the southwest to find inspiration and authenticity for her buildings. The architecture of the ancestral Puebloan people of the Colorado Plateau served as her model. This particular tower was patterned after those found at Hovenweep and the Round Tower of Mesa Verde. Ms. Colter indicated that it was not a copy of any that she had seen, but rather modeled from several.

As you get closer to the building you might see how well it blends into the environment. It is difficult to tell where the rock of the canyon walls end, and the tower begins. Her intent was to design a building that would become part of its surroundings. To obtain this result she insisted that the rocks not be cut or worked, so they would not lose the weathered surfaces.

She also included intricate designs in the tower, such as the white decorative stones near the top, which fade out as the eye goes around the tower. She had seen this pattern at Chaco Canyon and thought it would break the monotony of this Watchtower. The built in cracks which are patterned from some of the ancient towers she had seen are deliberately designed. There are petroglyphs on some of the stones which were brought here from near Ash Fork.

The internal steel framework of the Watchtower was designed and supervised by the bridge builders of the Santa Fe Railway company. Upon this framework, each exterior stone was selected and carefully placed to ensure exactly the look Mary Colter was hoping to obtain for she was a stickler for detail. At one point she had to leave for a day and the workmen continued to put on stone, completing two layers. When she returned, she was not satisfied with one stone on the newly laid layers, and the men had to take the whole thing down and re-do it to her exacting specifications. Her attention to accuracy of detail was amazing.

The kiva room, which is now used as retail space, was also carefully designed as a rest area. It was here that visitors to the canyon in the 1930's could sit in comfort and have outstanding views of the canyon. The fireplace is unique in that it does not block the view for visitors.

The top floor of the tower is without decoration which might detract from the beautiful panoramic views of the Grand Canyon. Again, this design reflects Mary Colter's respect for the landscape in which she was building.

The Watchtower stands today, partly as a monument to Ms. Colter's careful attention to detail, her enchantment with the southwest, and her commitment to the cultural preservation.

SOLD:
- A T-shirt to a buyer in Santa Maria, CA on 3/25/2021. Thank you!

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Uploaded

July 18th, 2013

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