In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition into the southwestern United States to look for the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola.
They were said to be full of gold and precious stones.
Along the way, the party split up. One group, led by García López de Cárdenas and guided by Hopi scouts, made it to the Grand Canyon, thus becoming the first Europeans to see the awesome sight. However, when they were unable to cross the wide chasms, they returned to Mexico, empty-handed. By their account, it was a failed expedition.
In 1857, U.S. Lieutenant Joseph Ives led an expedition to chart the still unexplored southwest territory, and reported that the region was “altogether valueless.”
More than 400 years after Cárdenas, the Grand Canyon attracts about 5 million people a year! Come visit this breathtaking, humbling, and even magical natural wonder.
