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Inspiration Point Bryce Canyon November 2018 panoramaPhoto: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
History · Bryce Canyon City

Bryce Canyon City dates to 1928

Most of Bryce Canyon City was built recently: 0.0% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1970. Below: 12 old photos and papers and maps from 1966 on.

1928founded
0on the National Register
0.0%homes built before 1940
12old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Bryce Canyon City’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Bryce Canyon City began

When was Bryce Canyon City founded?

1928

Bryce Canyon City dates its founding to 1928 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1927.

2020 census: 33698 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1927.The full story ↓

What stands out about Bryce Canyon City’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A town in old photos12 old photos, postcards and papers, 1960–1995.
★ What stands out · By decade

Bryce Canyon City, decade by decade

3 decades in the archive, from the 1960s to the 1990s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1960s–1980s10 items
HPC-0002371960HPC-000237HPC-0002391960HPC-000239HPC-0002401960HPC-000240Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah1980Bryce Canyon National Park, UtahProcession of 'hoodoo' formations1980Procession of 'hoodoo' formationsBryce Canyon National Park 1989 151989Bryce Canyon National Park 1989 15Bryce Canyon National Park 1989 161989Bryce Canyon National Park 1989 16Bryce Canyon National Park 1989 421989Bryce Canyon National Park 1989 42Bryce Canyon National Park 1989 431989Bryce Canyon National Park 1989 43Cañón Bryce, panorámica 101989Cañón Bryce, panorámica 10
1990s2 items
Scenic Byway 12 - Canyons Forever in Bryce1995Scenic Byway 12 - Canyons Forever in BryceScenic Byway 12 - Clouds and Canyons at Bryce Canyon National Park1995Scenic Byway 12 - Clouds and Canyons at Bryce Canyon …
The story

How Bryce Canyon City came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bryce Canyon City.

Read it all →

Little is known about early human habitation in the area. Archaeological surveys of the Paunsaugunt Plateau indicate that people have lived in the area for at least 10,000 years. Basketmaker Anasazi artifacts thousands of years old were found south of the park. Other artifacts from the Pueblo-period Anasazi and the Fremont culture (up to the mid-12th century) were found.

ChaptersNative American habitationEuropean American exploration and settlementCreation of the parkPost-1950

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bryce Canyon City, 1927 to 1995

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1927Post officeThe Rubys Inn post office opens
  3. 1928
    FoundingBryce Canyon City is established
  4. 1960In the archiveHPC-000237
  5. 1966On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1980In the archiveBryce Canyon National Park, Utah
  7. 1995In the archiveScenic Byway 12 - Canyons Forever in Bryce
On the map

Bryce Canyon City on the map, 1966 to 2002

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bryce Canyon City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Bryce Canyon City on the 1966 USGS mapBryce Canyon City on the 1980 USGS mapBryce Canyon City on the 2002 USGS map1966Bryce Canyon sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bryce Canyon City.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

HPC-000237
Retake this viewHPC-000237, 1960

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Bryce Canyon City’s page.

Retake this view · +15
Famous people

Famous people close to Bryce Canyon City

Nobody well known was born in Bryce Canyon City itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Wayne OwensAmerican politician · b. 1937
C
Claude E. CarpenterSet decorator · b. 1904
Whittni MorganAmerican middle-distance runner and steeplechas… · b. 1997
Evan VickersAmerican politician · b. 1954
Ricky Havili-HeimuliAmerican football player · b. 1991
T
Tut ImlayAmerican football player and coach · b. 1902
Help out

Finish Bryce Canyon City’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
3 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewHPC-000237: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Questions about Bryce Canyon City’s history

What year was Bryce Canyon City founded?

In 1928, according to Wikidata. Bryce Canyon City’s post office opened in 1927.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (11), the Library of Congress (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.