Long ago, legend told of the Seven Cities of Cibola.
It was said to be a place full of gold and precious stones. In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition into the southwestern United States. They were looking for those cities.
Along the way, the party split up. One group was led by García López de Cárdenas and guided by Hopi scouts. They made it to the Grand Canyon, becoming the first Europeans to see that awesome sight. However, they could not cross the huge canyon, so they went back to Mexico with nothing. To them, the journey had failed.
In 1857, the southwest territory still had not been explored. That year, U.S. Lieutenant Joseph Ives led an expedition to map it out. After his journey, he reported that the region was “altogether valueless.”
More than 400 years after Cárdenas, the Grand Canyon is a popular place. It attracts about 5 million people a year! Let’s visit this amazing natural wonder.
