Beloved Grand Canyon gift shop now visitor center
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- A century-old gift shop at the popular South Rim of the Grand Canyon has been converted into a visitor center that incorporates the building's history.
The family-owned Verkamp's Curios gift shop closed in September after operating at the Grand Canyon since 1906.
The closure ended the Verkamp family's three-generation run at the canyon that began with its patriarch selling souvenirs out of a tent in 1898.
Now the Verkamp's Visitor Center has displays that explain what it's like to live at the Grand Canyon and the Verkamp family history.
Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Steve Martin says the Verkamp family has helped make the park what it is today -- a world-renowned natural wonder that attracts millions of tourists every year.
The Grand Canyon celebrates its 90th year as a national park on Feb. 26.
