Inside the Carl Hayden Visitor Center

The Glen Canyon Dam has a few places to see within its vicinity. There is a visitor center here which is called the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. Carl Hayden was a US Senator representing the state of Arizona. He was one of the sponsors of the bill which led to the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. It is for this reason that the visitor center was named after him. The visitor center itself is nothing remarkable from the outside. I did notice a fountain outside which I thought was a luxury in this desert climate. The visitor center as you might expect is an exhibition of both the geology of the local area as well as a lesson on the history of the Glen Canyon Dam.

While there was a lot of controversy surrounding the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, there is no denying the benefits it brought to the people, directly and indirectly. Hydroelectric power, irrigation, water have benefited the people who live here and further outside this area. I am not sure what side I am on the debate about dams. I know the benefits are huge but there is also the environmental aspect which you can’t ignore. By building the dam, the ecology of the area has permanently changed. Whatever animals and plants which used to live there are now long gone and a new ecology has replaced it. Additionally and archeological sites which are present here would be very difficult access now that the area is under water.

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