Myth and History in the Creation of Yellowstone National Park (Hardcover)

by Paul Schullery (Author), Lee Whittlesey (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"The book should appeal to serious students of Western history and the conservation movement as well as those more philosophically inclined."-Mark Hertig, Nebraska History (Mark Hertig Nebraska History )

"This book is valuable because it offers a complex vision of the origins of the national park ideal rather than a simple campfire story, and it is accessible to general readers. It is also an interesting tale of the use, and possible misuse, of history."-Kathy S. Mason, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society (Kathy S. Mason Register of the Kentucky Historical Society )

"This book is a productive and provocative exploration of the connections among national institutions, evolving ideologies, and the symbolic power of stories. It has much to offer to those interested in the social, cultural, and scientific issues that constitute environmental studies today." -Robert E. Walls, Journal of American Folklore (Journal of American Folklore )

Product Description

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.

(05/04/2007)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 125 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803243057
• ISBN-13: 978-0803243057
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #200,043 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A work of impressive scholarship, December 8, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

The collaborative effort of Paul Schullery (Professor of History, Montana State University) and Lee Whittlesey (Park Historian, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park), Myth And History In The Creation Of Yellowstone National Park presents the complex and fascinating history behind the creation of the Yellowstone National Park. This unprecedented establishment came to be during the American Gilded Age, a time when corporate greed ran rampant and political altruism seemed almost extinct. Myths about the inception of Yellowstone National Park have persevered and found an enduring public acceptance, but the true story of the individuals behind the park's creation is actually one of flawed human beings with their own competing motives, and not necessarily pure-hearted conservational philosophies. Myth And History In The Creation Of Yellowstone National Park is a work of impressive scholarship and very highly recommended for university and community library American History collections.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very fine work of scholarship, January 11, 2005

By	Aah Natural - See all my reviews

Schullery and Whittlesey have performed a great service for all lovers of Yellowstone Park and its history. This is excellent scholarship. It is not, however, the "first full account" of this story. Chris Magoc's Yellowstone: The Creation and Selling of an American Landscape, 1870-1903 (University of New Mexico Press and MOntana Historical Society, 1999), is equally fine and indeed goes further and deeper in its analysis of the cultural and historical significance of this chapter of the park's history.