“Brighty” the Burro
The Legend of the Grand Canyon’s Most Spirited Wild Burro
If you find yourself visiting the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim, take a peek in the Sunset Room where you will find a life-size bronze statue of a burro created by sculptor Peter Jepson over in the corner. Legend and lore has it if you rub its nose, it will bring good luck. If this is true then there are a lot of lucky people out there because his muzzle has been polished clean by thousands of hands over the years.
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But there is much more to this story than just a trinket of luck. This is a statue of “Brighty,” the Grand Canyon’s most legendary burro.
You see, Brighty was a real burro who lived near Bright Angel Creek on the North Rim from approximately 1892 until 1922. He was appropriately named Bright Angel, but people called him “Brighty” for short.
Brighty was first seen in the canyon standing near an abandoned miner’s tent as if waiting for someone to return. It didn’t take long to realize he was extremely tolerant of people especially when food was involved. It is said Brighty had a special fondness for pancakes.
Brighty with Bob McKee taking tanks used to carry water from Cliff Dweller Spring to the Wylie Way Camp on the North Rim, Kaibab Plateau, 1918.
Photo Courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05272
During summer, Brighty spent time up on the cooler North Rim hanging out with the game warden Uncle Jim Owens and the McKee family who ran the Wylie Way tourist facilities.
Uncle Jimmy Owens with Brighty the Burro, circa 1910. Uncle Jimmy Owens was the game warden known as the “Grand Old Man of the North Rim,” a canyon character full of colorful stories.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05270.
Although Brighty was essentially free to come and go as he pleased, he would often carry water from a spring to the tourist accommodations, and you could regularly find children riding on his back for hours.
Brighty the Burro would let children ride on his back for hours. Here he is at Wylie Way Camp with Bob McKee and others, circa 1918.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05271
Rumor had it that despite his love of children, if Brighty felt you were unworthy, he would have nothing to do with you. If someone he disliked caught him and tried to make him carry supplies, Brighty would run away, scrape up against the trees until the supplies fell off then be off on his merry way the opposite direction.
Brighty the Burro was like family. Here he is posing with Wylie Way Camp staff and the McKee Family at the North Rim Tourist Camp, July 1918.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05427
Brighty was quite a character and a big hit at the park. He was the first to cross the new suspension bridge at the bottom of the canyon when it was built, and he even met President Theodore Roosevelt.
Brighty the Burro with Bob McKee staring out over Transept Canyon at the North Rim, Kaibab Plateau, 1918.
Photo courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, #05273.
For over 30 years, Brighty did as he pleased. It was this fierce independent spirit that captured the hearts of so many and led to this beloved wild animal being forever immortalized in a 1953 children's book by Marguerite Henry, Brighty of the Grand Canyon. That book caught the attention of a TV producer who put the story of Brighty up on the big screen and led to the creation of the incredible bronze statue of Brighty that was later donated to the park.
Be sure to stop by and see Brighty on your visit to the North Rim for he is sure to still bring good luck to all those who honor him.
A special thank you to both the Museum Collection at the Canyon and the Grand Canyon Historical Society for your incredible assistance in providing me with background information and historic photos for this article.
Please consider becoming a member or donating to GCHS to help their efforts in preserving our history.
Read more…
Books:
Bobby, Brighty & the Wylie Way, a collection of stories, letters and memoirs by Martha McKee Krueger, daughter of Bob McKee.
Brighty of the Grand Canyon, a children’s book by Marquerite Henry.
More Articles on Grand Canyon:
South Rim of the Grand Canyon Must-Sees, Where the Earth Gives Way to an Expanse of Endless Vistas & Breathtaking Views.
North Rim of the Grand Canyon Must-Sees, The Lesser Known, Tranquil Side of Things.
