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In 1957, the town of Page, Arizona was born with a “BANG” as then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower set off the first blast of dynamite that officially began the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. The massive structure, a mere 6 feet shorter than the Hoover Dam downstream, would harness the Colorado River behind it, providing life-giving water to farmlands, and providing hydroelectric power to the growing population centers of the American West. The lake that rose between the sandstone walls of the remote canyon would become one of the most scenic and controversial waterways in the world.
Comprised of mostly trailers and other temporary structures, Page would serve as a “camp” for the workers who would build the Glen Canyon Dam over the course of the next decade. It was rough going trying to eke out a life in this harsh, untamed desert, let alone try to raise a family with some sense of normalcy in this little town on a lonely mesa. Events took place over the years that threatened the town’s very survival. But the people who called Page home were a special breed – resilient, independent, and willing to lend a hand to a neighbor in need, whether one knew them personally or not.
Today, Page revels in its new identity as an international tourist magnet, visited by millions annually who come to enjoy activities like float trips on the Colorado River, 4 wheel drive tours to Antelope Canyon, scenic cruise adventures on Lake Powell, or just good old-fashioned fun and relaxation. Known as “The Hub of the Grand Circle,” Page and Lake Powell are the geographic center of a scenic treasure trove, within easy driving distance of places like the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the Paria Canyon Wilderness Area, just to name a few. Its residents enjoy a quality of life that is increasingly difficult to find in the modern world.
This is the story of a 50-year-old who beat the odds and lived to celebrate “50 Dam Great Years.” Make it a memento of your trip to the American Southwest. Get your copy today!
