Goofin' around in Bryce City

When we stopped in Bryce City it was quickly apparent that someone by the name of Ruby held a prominent position within this area. I was thinking 'you go girl!'... til I found out that Ruby was short for Reuben. Course, you know what they say, behind every great man is a woman, and in this case her name was Minnie.

In 1916 Reuben & Minnie Syrett brough their family to the wilds of Southern Utah and established a ranch. Shortly after their arrival, a local rancher told Ruby of the canyon called Bryce. When the Syretts saw the canyon they were so impressed by its beauty that they told their friends about it. Soon they began hosting visitors. In 1919 Ruby built a small lodge near the brink of the canyon and "Tourist Rest" became the first lodging at Bryce Canyon. The name of the lodge changed to Ruby's Inn when Bryce Canyon became a National Monument. It's now a large operation. What started with tent houses and a place to serve meals paved a way for todays modern facilities. Ruby's Inn is owned and operated by Ruby's family.

It's interesting to note that we couldn't find out where the name Bryce Canyon came from but it's clear that a great deal of its success is due to Ruby and his family.