Death Valley, its harsh and rugged landscape established a national monument in 1933 and named a national park in 1994, has long held a fascination for visitors, even before it became tourist friendly. Shortly after the first visit of nonnative inhabitants, a party of forty-niners looking for a shortcut to the goldfields of California crossed this land with tragic results, inadvertently giving the valley its moniker. Despite the immense suffering in their midst, prospectors began exploring the area looking for mineral wealth. Boomtowns formed, prospered, and died all within a few years, most disappearing completely into the desert. Adding to Death Valley's mystique was the shameless self-promotion of Death Valley Scotty, which lasted for a period spanning more than 50 years.
Yosemite National Park and Vicinity
9780738531427
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The astonishing scenery of Yosemite National Park is known throughout the world, primarily for the soaring granite outcroppings and graceful waterfalls around Yosemite Valley. But this park is much larger than just the valley. Relatively few visitors get to experience Yosemite's vast expanses, whether south to Wawona and Fish Camp or east to White Wolf and Tuolumne Meadows. Indeed, it was John Muir's efforts to protect the meadows and hills around the valley that ultimately led to the establishment of Yosemite National Park in 1890. The state park, which had been established in 1863 and consisted of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, was added to the federal park in 1913.
Sequoia National Park
9780738559407
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Sequoia National Park is the nation's second-oldest national park, a spectacular, awe-inspiring place preserving the world's largest trees and the highest peak in the continental United States. The park's human history glows as richly as its natural splendor--among the stories are a utopian collective targeting social change with lumber profits, a newspaperman's tireless editorializing to preserve giant Sequoias, a Spanish-American War veteran ushering in an era of preservationism, and the army's only African American commanding officer whose tenure as park superintendent still inspires. The Civilian Conservation Corps toiled here, turning the hardships of the Great Depression into lasting contributions for the common good. And, most importantly, generations of visitors have discovered here sights and experiences on a scale that challenges human comprehension and stirs the sense of wonder.
Scotty's Castle
9781467116756
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Scotty's Castle is a study in contrasts, much like its setting in Death Valley. While the castle is known worldwide and has been visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists, many myths persist. It is not a castle, nor was it owned by Walter E. Scott, known as Death Valley Scotty. But the Spanish-style hacienda, also known as Death Valley Ranch, has always been linked to Scott. This book explores the fascinating history of Death Valley Scotty, Albert and Bessie Johnson (the true owners and builders of the castle), and the castle itself from construction to private living quarters to a tourist facility owned and operated by the National Park Service.
Crater Lake National Park
9781467130943
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For more than half a million years, volcano Mount Mazama towered over southern Oregon. From time to time, it erupted, spreading pumice, ash, and cinders for miles around. Then, approximately 7,700 years ago, Mount Mazama erupted with such force that the volcano could no longer support itself and it collapsed, leaving a large caldera. Eventually, the volcanic action subsided and all was calm. Over the next centuries, water and snow accumulated in the caldera. In 1902, Crater Lake became a national park.
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
9781467132947
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Located in one of the most isolated places on the earth, thousands of miles from the nearest landmass, the area surrounding the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was created by violent earthquakes and fiery volcanic eruptions. Shrouded in ancient myth and legend, the park's history dates back to a time before the Hawaiians first arrived. It was a time when gods and goddesses roamed throughout these islands; the most famous, the fierce goddess of the volcanoes, Pele, is believed to live here still. It took a decade of lobbying efforts to finally preserve this unique area as Volcanoes National Park. Since 1916, not only has this area been a national park for all to experience, but also the scientific advances due to the ability to constantly monitor the volcanic activity here has had a huge impact on the science of volcanology, understanding earthquakes, and creating an early warning system for tsunamis.
Kings Canyon National Park
9780738559964
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By 1900, tiny General Grant National Park, founded to protect a magnificent sequoia grove and one of the world's largest trees, had become virtually encircled by commercial logging enterprises. This island of preservation became the port of call for a new generation of mountain explorers heading towards the vast alpine wilderness to the east. This new generation of wilderness visionaries--including legendary preservationist and founder of the Sierra Club John Muir and the artist Bolton Brown--forged an alliance that fought to protect this breathtaking landscape. After decades of effort, Congress designated the vast Kings Canyon National Park in 1940, encompassing the sequoias of General Grant as well as some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in North America.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
9780738595139
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The Eel River in Northern California is the third largest river in the state. Along its banks stand the largest remaining redwood groves in the world. They are preserved within Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Created in 1921 with the purchase of Bolling Grove near Myers Flat by the Save the Redwoods League, the park currently preserves 53,000 acres of forestland. Within the park are structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and a monolithic four-fireplace structure designed by Julia Morgan. The park also encompasses many small towns. The settlement of these towns is included in this pictorial history of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Additionally, steps taken to preserve the redwoods are documented. Finally, floods along the river that have shaped the environment and influenced the growth of the park are also featured.
Joshua Tree National Park
9781467132817
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Human use of Joshua Tree National Park may extend as far back in time as 10,000 years. From the early Pinto Culture to modern tribes, native peoples have lived and hunted here for centuries. Indian trails helped guide Spanish, Mexican, and American explorers who gradually revealed the desert's secrets, leading to an influx of cattlemen, miners, and homesteaders between 1860 and 1930. As rugged as the desert itself, the area's pioneer history featured cattle rustlers, claim jumpers, and occasional gunfights. Grit, determination, and a fierce independence marked the lives of these early settlers, and the mines, ranches, and cabins they left behind hold many unforgettable stories. During the 1920s, Minerva Hamilton Hoyt found a unique beauty in the desert's sweeping vistas, and she worked tirelessly for the Joshua Tree area's preservation within the National Park System. Success came in 1936 when Pres. Franklin Roosevelt created Joshua Tree National Monument. With the Desert Protection Act, Joshua Tree was designated a national park in 1994.
Twentynine Palms
9780738531496
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Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt recognized the beauty of this desert region of Southern California in 1936 when he created Joshua Tree National Monument, now a national park. But for 9,000 years, Native Americans had lived amid its monolithic rocks and strangely grotesque Joshua trees. Serrano and Chemehuevi Indians found a home at its Oasis of Mara, whose fan palms eventually gave Twentynine Palms its name. Cattleman Bill McHaney arrived in 1879, learned of gold ore deposits from the native people, and inaugurated an influx of prospectors seeking fortunes. In the 1920s, Dr. James B. Luckie of Pasadena discovered that the clean air and dry climate helped veterans with respiratory illnesses, and they homesteaded parcels of 160 acres. Artists, writers, actors, and composers later discovered Twentynine Palms, and a renaissance in the arts now includes studios, galleries, and world-class murals that adorn this gateway to Joshua Tree National Park.
Denali National Park and Preserve
9781467131704
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Denali means The High One in Athabascan. Standing at 20,237 feet, Denali is the tallest mountain in North America and has roughly 14,000 feet of vertical relief from base camp to summit—more even than Mount Everest. While native populations had lived within the boundaries of today's Denali National Park and Preserve for over 7,000 years, white settlers only arrived en masse starting in the 1890s. When they did arrive, it was to chase after Denali's abundant game supply and placer gold in the Kantishna mining area. Only a handful of renegades made attempts on the peak at the turn of the century. Setting off with two thermoses of hot chocolate and six donuts—and a 14-foot spruce pole to set on the summit—the Sourdough Expedition reached the mountain's north peak in 1910. Today, Denali draws over a thousand climbers each year, and the park provides a safe haven for wildlife and a beautiful natural playground for other backpackers and explorers.
Tacoma's Point Defiance Park
9780738595917
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For more than a century, the citizens of Tacoma have valued Point Defiance Park as a forested refuge and an urban oasis. The community treasures its history and ecology as the crown jewel of the city's public spaces. Ancient forest continues to cover the majority of the park's 700-plus acres. Attractions of the past—a saltwater swimming pool, riding stables, and an amusement park—delighted earlier generations, though they are now long gone. The first boathouses, early zoological collections, and gardens near the park's entrance date back to the 1890s and now greet visitors in modern form. Today's park amenities are designed to foster appreciation for the rich historic and environmental heritage of Tacoma's Great Pride and serve an estimated two million visitors annually. Historic images from both private and public collections highlight this memorable walk in the park through a beloved civic preserve.
Saguaro National Park
9780738595016
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The Organic Act of 1916 created the National Park Service to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. Each national park or monument offers a glimpse into the natural beauty and history of the United States. These parks have a variety of natural resources covering large areas and are protected by the American Antiquities Act of 1906. Saguaro National Park is home to its namesake giant saguaro cacti, barrel cacti, cholla cacti, and prickly pears, as well as quail, spotted owls, javelinas, and a host of other flora and fauna. Saguaro National Monument was created by outgoing president Herbert Hoover in 1933. On October 14, 1994, Pres. William Jefferson Clinton signed legislation enlarging Saguaro's boundaries and making Saguaro National Park America's 52nd national park.
Angel Island
9780738547190
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Angel Island, in the Town of Tiburon, is a mile-square jewel set in San Francisco Bay that attracts thousands of visitors each year. Few of those who hike, bike, camp, or enjoy the spectacular vistas in this California State Park realize its diverse history. From the Spanish ships that anchored at Ayala Cove in 1775 to the 1960s cold war–era missile silos, Angel Island has endured to become one of the most popular parks in the state. Although many building were demolished, there are still countless reminders of the island's multifaceted evolution, including a quarantine station, army base, and immigration station.
Mount Hood National Forest
9781467131209
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The Mount Hood National Forest is the closest national forest to Portland and encompasses the northern end of Oregon's Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River Gorge. Established in 1908 as the Oregon National Forest and renamed the Mount Hood National Forest in 1924, it now consists of more than a million acres. The forest is home to Oregon's tallest mountain, as well as eight designated wilderness areas covering more than 300,000 acres. The forest is also the site of the historic Timberline Lodge and old Barlow Road, the final leg of the Oregon Trail. Thousands of visitors come to the forest every year for camping, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, skiing, mountain biking, and other recreational pursuits.
Jack London State Historic Park
9781467132626
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Famed novelist Jack London became America's highest-paid author in 1905, writing about adventures in the Klondike and the Russo-Japanese War and about sailing his self-designed boat halfway around the world. Yet perhaps one of London's finest legacies is his 1,400-acre ranch on the slopes of Sonoma Mountain in California. Sometimes called Beauty Ranch or the Ranch of Good Intentions, the land, buildings, and house museums exemplify both early-20th-century life and London's passionate pioneering efforts in agriculture and architecture. Descendants of Eliza Shepard (London's stepsister and ranch manager) operated the ranch for decades. In 1959, Irving Shepard deeded 39 acres to California to create Jack London State Historic Park. Eventually, 1,400 acres were acquired. Today, more than 80,000 visitors annually enjoy the park, hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, and attending events and touring London's home, gravesite, and farm buildings.
Yosemite National Park in Vintage Postcards
9780738508849
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A mere utterance of the word "Yosemite" conjures up images of Half Dome, El Capitan, giant sequoias, and the unmatched beauty this northern California park has to offer. However, the area known today as Yosemite has not always been a place of tranquility. Once the home of Ahwahnee tribe, these Native Americans were forced to surrender their home to armed miners rushing for gold and a California government clutching the philosophy of Manifest Destiny.
Cleveland National Forest
9780738558042
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On July 1, 1908, Pres. Theodore Roosevelt created the U.S. Forest Service's Cleveland National Forest. Named for pro-forest Pres. Grover Cleveland--and currently including over 460,000 acres in the mountainous backcountry of San Diego, Orange, and southwestern Riverside Counties--the Cleveland is one of the largest and oldest land-management agencies in the three-county region. During the last century, the dedicated men and women of the Cleveland have worked to establish the administrative systems, build necessary facilities and infrastructure, manage use and users, conserve resources, and protect the forest from the endemic and sometimes large and deadly wildfires, such as the infamous and destructive 2003 Cedar Fire and the October 2007 Southern California firestorms. Today the Cleveland National Forest continues to be a major tourist and outdoor recreation destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, as well as for millions of Southern California residents.
Exploring Camano Island
9781626193642
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The beaches, forests and wildlife of Washington's Camano Island offer a treasure-trove of natural beauty and endless recreational possibilities. English Boom Historical Park was once a bustling center for logging and is now a peaceful spot with its uplands, salt marsh, shoreline and tidelands. Davis Slough is named after Reuben Davis, who lived on Camano Island before 1880 and was the oldest settler in the area. The island has historically been used by Native Americans, loggers, farmers and fishermen alike but today is enjoyed by Camano Islanders, who have worked hard to protect and preserve the island's cherished nature sites. Discover Camano Island with author Val Schroeder as she takes readers on a trek around the location's best-preserved features while uncovering the unique history behind them.
La Purisíma Concepción
9781626199842
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In two centuries, La Purísima Concepción went from a fledgling frontier mission to a renowned California State Historic Park. Once home to many Spanish soldiers, settlers and hundreds of Chumash Indians, La Purísima held the seat of the California Mission government under Father Mariano Payeras. It withstood catastrophic events, including widespread disease in early years and a great Southern California earthquake in 1812. Emerging from ruins for the last time in 1934, after restoration by the Civilian Conservation Corps, structures appear today as they did in the early nineteenth century. The uniquely restored California Mission complex operates as a state park in a pastoral setting. Author and archivist Michael R. Hardwick chronicles the story of La Purísima and the resilient people and culture that made a lasting influence.
Legendary Locals of Yosemite National Park and Mariposa County
9781467101646
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In 1846, Thomas Larkin, American council general to the Mexican government in California, purchased a Mexican land grant, Las Mariposas, for Col. John C. Fremont. The grant consisted of 10 square leagues of grazing land located near the Merced River and west of the Sierra. In 1848, when California became the possession of the United States, the treaty called for the recognition of preexisting grants. Gold was discovered in the foothills of the Sierra that same year. Fremont floated his questionable Mexican grant into the gold discovery region. With the formation of the State of California in 1850, one of the original counties was named Mariposa, Spanish for butterflies. Located within the county was the Fremont grant and much of the yet undiscovered Yosemite region of the Sierra. Encounters with Native Americans near the mining camps lead to the formation of the Mariposa Battalion, and a search for the natives led to the American discovery of Yosemite Valley. Thus, it was custodians and photographers such as Charles Leander Weed, Carlton E Watkins, J.J. Riley, George Fiske, Ansel Adams, and many others that interpreted and introduced Yosemite to the world.
Schafer State Park
9780738596426
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Schafer State Park, a US National Historic Site, not only represents a unique example of 1930s craftsmanship from the Works Progress Administration and other emergency programs but is also a window into the settlement of the Satsop River Valley. In the last quarter of the 19th century, this included the vast logging and lumber operations undertaken at the park and in the surrounding forest, as well as the bounty available from the river stretching far back into the history of Native Americans in the Northwest. It also memorializes an early example of philanthropy by private citizens and corporations in Washington State, an effort that has continued over the years and has been crucial to the expansion of the state park system. The authors are pleased to provide this book as the Washington State Parks System celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Mount Rainier National Park
9780738596464
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Mount Rainier rises 14,410 feet above sea level and can be seen on any given day by over three million people and from over 100 miles away. It is America's fifth national park, established in 1899. The mountain is an active but currently dormant volcano. With 25 named glaciers, 50 smaller unnamed glaciers, and numerous perennial snowfields, Mount Rainier boasts the largest glacier system in the continental United States. In addition to the glacier zone, the park has alpine and subalpine forest and subtropical rain forest. Each zone has its own unique ecology of plants and animals. The vistas of and from the mountain are some of the most spectacular in all of the park system.
Tacoma's Parks
9780738548968
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When civic benefactor Clinton P. Ferry donated a graceful, elliptically shaped plot of land in 1883 for the first park in Tacoma, he hoped his adopted hometown would do him proud and become a veritable city of parks. The young community did not disappoint. Landmarks such as Wright Park, Lincoln Park, and Point Defiance Park graced the landscape by 1900, a testament to Tacoma's appreciation for beauty, conservation, and recreation, which continues to this day. In 1907, residents voted to establish the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma, Washington's first independent parks municipality, to act as steward of these civic treasures. A century later, Metro Parks Tacoma embraces some 57 parks covering 2,700 acres, as well as swimming pools, sports complexes, community centers, and recreational programs for all ages.
