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Grand Canyon named one of USA's 'Most-Endangered Historic Places'

Ben Abramson
USA TODAY
Citing development pressures from tourism and mining, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Grand Canyon one of America's Most Endangered Historic Places for 2015.

Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation names its 11 most-endangered historic places in America, often selecting neighborhoods, landmarks and even sports arenas. But for 2015, one of the nation's most iconic natural attractions, the Grand Canyon, makes the list.

Citing development pressures from tourism and mining, the National Trust deemed the Grand Canyon to be "at risk of destruction or irreparable damage."

Other well-known places on the list include popular spots in big cities such as the Fort Worth Stockyards, New York's South Street Seaport and Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.

The nonprofit National Trust, which has been doing the list since 1988, says the "designation has been a powerful tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save endangered sites."

See the complete 2015 list below or in the accompanying slideshow.

America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2015

A.G. Gaston Motel - Birmingham, Ala. This motel played host to Martin Luther King Jr. and served as a "war room" for leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. Now vacant and badly deteriorating, it can be restored as part of a new Civil Rights center.

Carrollton Courthouse – New Orleans. Built to serve Jefferson Parish before the city of Carrollton was annexed by New Orleans in 1874, this is one of the most significant landmarks outside of the French Quarter. After decades of use as a school building, it is now vacant and for sale with no preservation protections in place.

Chautauqua Amphitheater – Chautauqua, N.Y. A beloved National Historic Landmark that has occupied a special place in American culture for well over 100 years, the "Amp" is threatened by the Chautauqua Institution's plans to demolish it.

East Point Historic Civic Block– East Point, Ga. East Point City Hall, City Auditorium, City Library and Victory Park form a contiguous block that has been the heart of downtown East Point since the 1930s, but is currently suffering a potential fate of demolition by neglect.

Fort Worth Stockyards – Fort Worth. This historic district attracts millions of visitors each year to experience Fort Worth's emergence as a center of the American livestock industry. A large-scale redevelopment project would forever alter the character of the stockyards historic district.

The Grand Canyon – Ariz. A beloved international icon and a sacred place for several Native American tribes, the Grand Canyon is threatened by development proposals ranging from tourist resorts to mining.

Little Havana – Miami. A symbol of the immigrant experience and the American melting pot, Little Havana's scale and character is threatened by zoning changes and lack of protection for its many historic buildings.

Oak Flat – Superior, Ariz. A sacred site to the San Carlos Apache and several other Native American tribes, Oak Flat is threatened due to a land exchange provision included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 that would open the site up to mining.

Old U.S. Mint – San Francisco. A National Historic Landmark built in 1874 and one of the very few downtown buildings to survive the 1906 earthquake and fire, the Old U.S. Mint is increasingly at risk as decades of neglect and inattention take their toll

South Street Seaport – New York. The focal point of the early maritime industry in New York, the South Street Seaport today features some of the oldest architecture in the city. A tower and other development proposals threaten to dramatically alter a historic neighborhood that has endured for generations.

The Factory – West Hollywood, Calif. The Factory was built in 1929 to house the Mitchell Camera Corporation. After being adapted to serve many other uses, The Factory re-opened in 1974 as Studio One, an influential disco for gay men that became a hotbed for celebrity performances and AIDS activism. It is currently threatened by a development proposal.

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