An Exaltation of Parks: John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s Crusade to Save America's Wonderlands
Uncovering the partnership that saved America’s natural treasures

America’s national parks are facing unprecedented challenges. With visitation pressures mounting and the National Park Service struggling to keep up, author and former park ranger Steve Kemp looks toward one exceptionally effective historical example of conservation philanthropy and park building—the collaboration between John D. Rockefeller Jr. and NPS legends Stephen Mather, Horace Albright, and Arno Cammerer.

An Exaltation of Parks reveals the inspiring story of this collaboration, showing how the partnership transformed some of America's most cherished national parks, including Acadia, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. It recounts Rockefeller’s lifelong dedication to conservation, digging into his own pockets and toiling as a volunteer to achieve his goals for converting private land into public use. Bringing to life the history and significance of America’s most magnificent landscapes, this volume is both a tribute to past conservation victories and a call to action for the future, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance to preserve these national treasures for generations to come.
1146565180
An Exaltation of Parks: John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s Crusade to Save America's Wonderlands
Uncovering the partnership that saved America’s natural treasures

America’s national parks are facing unprecedented challenges. With visitation pressures mounting and the National Park Service struggling to keep up, author and former park ranger Steve Kemp looks toward one exceptionally effective historical example of conservation philanthropy and park building—the collaboration between John D. Rockefeller Jr. and NPS legends Stephen Mather, Horace Albright, and Arno Cammerer.

An Exaltation of Parks reveals the inspiring story of this collaboration, showing how the partnership transformed some of America's most cherished national parks, including Acadia, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. It recounts Rockefeller’s lifelong dedication to conservation, digging into his own pockets and toiling as a volunteer to achieve his goals for converting private land into public use. Bringing to life the history and significance of America’s most magnificent landscapes, this volume is both a tribute to past conservation victories and a call to action for the future, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance to preserve these national treasures for generations to come.
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An Exaltation of Parks: John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s Crusade to Save America's Wonderlands

An Exaltation of Parks: John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s Crusade to Save America's Wonderlands

by Steve Kemp
An Exaltation of Parks: John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s Crusade to Save America's Wonderlands

An Exaltation of Parks: John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s Crusade to Save America's Wonderlands

by Steve Kemp

Hardcover

$70.00 
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Overview

Uncovering the partnership that saved America’s natural treasures

America’s national parks are facing unprecedented challenges. With visitation pressures mounting and the National Park Service struggling to keep up, author and former park ranger Steve Kemp looks toward one exceptionally effective historical example of conservation philanthropy and park building—the collaboration between John D. Rockefeller Jr. and NPS legends Stephen Mather, Horace Albright, and Arno Cammerer.

An Exaltation of Parks reveals the inspiring story of this collaboration, showing how the partnership transformed some of America's most cherished national parks, including Acadia, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. It recounts Rockefeller’s lifelong dedication to conservation, digging into his own pockets and toiling as a volunteer to achieve his goals for converting private land into public use. Bringing to life the history and significance of America’s most magnificent landscapes, this volume is both a tribute to past conservation victories and a call to action for the future, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance to preserve these national treasures for generations to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781647692230
Publisher: University of Utah Press
Publication date: 08/29/2025
Pages: 336
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Steve Kemp is a former seasonal ranger in Yellowstone and Denali and served as publications director for the Great Smoky Mountains Association. He has written for National Parks, Outside, Outdoor Life, and Smokies Life Journal, and is the author of Trees of the Smokies, and Great Smoky Mountains Simply Beautiful.
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