The Landmarks
The Great Garden Express features landmarks from national parks and southwest missions, nestled in high-elevation desert plantings and structures that mimic the picturesque, rocky landscape of the Southwest and Arizona.
Train Schedule
| October 1 – May 30 | June 1 – September 30 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday – Sunday | Tuesday – Sunday |
| 9:00am – 2:00pm | 8:00am – 1:00pm |
Learn About the Buildings
All the buildings you see were created using natural materials like sticks, leaves, seeds, nuts, and more!
Alamo
San Antonio, TX
The Church, or “Shrine” is one of the most recognizable structures at the Alamo. Originally a Spanish mission church (1755-1793). It was made to be defendable from raids, and in 1836 pro-Texas soldiers held out for several days against the Mexican Army from within the mission’s walls.
Bright Angel Lodge
Grand Canyon, AZ
Inside the hotel lounge, Mary Colter designed the now famous 10-foot-high fireplace, representing the layers of rock inside the canyon.
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
Richmond, VA
Maggie Walker, an African-American woman, devoted her life to civil rights advancement, economic empowerment, and educational opportunities for Jim Crow-era African Americans and women.
Grand Canyon Depot
Grand Canyon, AZ
Designed by architect Francis Wilson and constructed in 1909-1910. The last passenger train passed through the station in 1968, with the freight office closing a year later.
Freedom Tower
Miami, FL
This Mediterranean revival, 17-story building was originally used as the headquarters for Miami Daily News and Metropolis. It was later used by the U.S. federal government to take in refugees from Cuba and supported them with medical services.
Old Faithful Inn
Yellowstone National Park, WY
Built in 1903, the Old Faithful Inn exemplifies the use of rustic architecture at a large scale to complement a natural landscape.
Taos Pueblo
Taos, NM
Dating back to between 1000 and 1450 A.D. The first Spanish explorers arrived in Northern New Mexico around 1540, believing the Pueblo to be one of the golden cities of Cibola. Constructed entirely of adobe, the Pueblo is many individual homes built side-by-side and in layers.
San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Carmel, CA
Carmel, CA
Founded by Father Junipero Serra in 1770 and named after Saint Charles Borromeo, a 16th-century archbishop of Milan. The stone church was completed in 1797 and restored after years of neglect in 1884.
San Francisco De Asis Church
Taos, NM
San Francisco de Asis is a National Historic Landmark. The adobe church was completed in the early 1800s.
Mission San Xavier Del Bac
Tucson, AZ
San Xavier was founded as a Catholic mission by Father Eusebio Kino in 1692. Construction of the current church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797. It is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona, the interior is filled with original statuary and murals.
Totem Poles of Sitka National Historical Park
Sitka, AK
The home of fascinating
totem poles by the Tlingit and
Haida people indigenous to Alaska.
This traditional site was where a
battle took place between Russian
traders and the Tlingit.
The Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Stanton, ND
An earth lodge would be between 30 and 60 feet in diameter, 10 to 15 feet high, and took approximately 7 to 10 days to complete from start to finish.
Iolani Palace
Honolulu, HI
Built in the late 1800s, the palace not only stands for Hawaiian Independence but also is the only royal palace in the United States. King Kalakaua and his sister Queen Lili’uokalani were the last rulers of the palace in 1893.
John Muir National Historic Site
Martinez, CA
John Muir studied biology, botany, and geology. With a plant press in his backpack, Muir walked more than 1,000 miles from Kentucky to the Gulf of Mexico, gathering specimens. Muir’s writings brought the beauty of nature to readers nationwide.
Camp Skagway No. 1
Skagway, AK
Built for the fraternal order of the Arctic Brotherhood during the Klondike gold rush of February 1899. In July of 1923, President Warren G. Harding became the last initiated member.
El Santuario de Chimay
Chimayo, NM
Often called the “Lourdes of America” for its magical healing soil in a small prayer room.
Tumacácori Church
Rio Rico, AZ
The church foundations were laid in the early 1800s under the direction of Franciscan missionaries.
Pisgah National Forest Gate
North Carolina
The Pisgah National Forest covers over 500,000 acres. Mountain slopes are heavily forested with hardwood trees to the banks of whitewater rivers, and cascading waterfalls. The region was the first tract of land purchased under the Weeks Act of 1911.
Mission San Francisco De La Espada Chapel
San Antonio, TX
Founded in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas near present-day Weches, Texas. In 1731, the mission was transferred to the San Antonio River area and renamed Mission San Francisco de la Espada.
National Park Sign with Bison
The arrowhead was authorized as the official National Park Service emblem on July 20, 1951. The elements of the emblem symbolize the major facets of the national park system. The Sequoia tree and bison represent vegetation and wildlife, the mountains and water represent scenic and recreational values, and the arrowhead represents historical and archaeological values.
Tharp’s Log
Three Rivers, CA
Once used as a shelter by early pioneers, this structure is a hollowed-out giant sequoia log that was crafted by a pioneer named Hale Tharp.
Peirce Mill
Washington, DC
Built by Isaac Peirce in 1829, the mill was used to ground corn, wheat, and rye using moving water to power the grinding stone. The mill operated until 1897.
