Construction on this log and wood-frame structure began in 1909 under the direction of the Santa Fe Railway. When train travel was the primary mode of reaching the Grand Canyon, the depot was the gateway through which visitors entered the developed area of the south rim, and served as a rustic gateway to welcome travelers to the luxurious El Tovar Hotel. To impress the visitor from the moment they stepped off the train, copper letters were used to spell out "Grand Canyon" and a unique Santa Fe logo centered near the gable ridge greeted the passengers.⁴

Photograph by Jack E. Boucher, September 1975, National Park Service, Historic American Engineering Record. [Library of Congress reproduction number: HABS, ARIZ,3-GRACAN,2- (HABS AZ-11-7)]