Does a beloved institution need its own myths to survive? Can conservationists avoid turning their heroes into legends? Should they try? Yellowstone National Park, a global icon of conservation and natural beauty, was born at the most improbable of times: the American Gilded Age, when altruism seemed extinct and society’s vision seemed focused on only greed and growth. Perhaps that is why the park’s “creation myth” portrayed a few saintlike pioneer conservationists laboring to set aside this unique wilderness against all odds. In fact, the establishment of Yellowstone was the result of complex social, scientific, economic, and aesthetic forces. Its creators were not saints but mortal humans with the full range of ideals and impulses known to the species. Authors Paul Schullery and Lee Whittlesey, both longtime students of Yellowstone’s complex history, present the first full account of how the fairy tale origins of the park found universal public acceptance and the long, painful process by which the myth was reconsidered and replaced with a more realistic and ultimately more satisfying story. In this evocative exploration of Yellowstone’s creation myth, the authors trace the evolution of the legend, its rise to incontrovertible truth, and its revelation as a mysterious and troubling episode that remains part folklore, part wish, and part history. This study demonstrates the passions stirred by any challenge to cherished national memories, just as it honors the ideals and dreams represented by our national myths.
W. E. Sanders , [ Trip to Yellowstone Nat . Park ] , 1880 ; ( Journal of Wilbur Edgarton Sanders Aug 19 - Sept 8 , 1881 ) , both at Montana Historical Society . 5. Wilbur E. Sanders , typescript of 1881 journal at Montana Historical ...
This history explores the conflicted creation of Yellowstone National Park in late nineteenth-century America. The author examines the American myths and late-Victorian values behind the movement both to preserve the...
Myths and Legends of Yellowstone goes behind the scenes to tell these stories and many more, in short episodes that reveal the intriguing people and events that have shaped America’s “Wonderland”.
At the northern end of the Park, a few miles above the Gardner's River, are situated the Mammoth Springs, which travelers usually visit on entering Wonderland, but which we had reserved for our return trip.32 The largest of these ...
" This marvelously detailed book skillfully and objectively traces the park's social and ecological history from Pleistocene times to the present.
Shifting the focus from the usual emphasis on national parks in the United States, this volume adopts an historical and transnational perspective on the global geography of protected areas and its changes over time.
The Yellowstone Story: A History of Our First National Park
Historic Yellowstone National Park captures the most interesting moments in the park’s history, the slices of life in Montana and Wyoming that provide an idea of what life was like for those who chose to explore this gloriously beautiful ...
I give them a “thank you”deeper than Yellowstone Lake and taller than Eagle Peak. A big geyser of thanks to Jessica Solberg, who made the project happen and was super-patient while it took forever to get it done!
Yellowstone: A Natural and Human History, Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming This colorful and profusely illustrated official Handbook from the National Park Service explores the exciting home of...