"Episode 2: The Last Refuge (1890-1915)
The second episode reminds us that although these sites were set aside by the federal government, they still require protection. In Yosemite and Yellowstone, the military steps in to protect the parks from vandals, illegal grazing, and poachers who hunt bison, birds, and other wildlife. We learn about the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite and General Philip Sheridan, who planned to visit Yellowstone briefly, and stayed for 30 years. Teddy Roosevelt emerges on the scene—John Muir forms the Sierra Club, and George Bird Grinnell starts the Audubon Society, and the importance of citizen action and advocacy becomes more clear. The Wetherill brothers discover the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, and soon a Scandinavian anthropologist expresses interest in taking samples back to Sweden—a move that sparks his arrest followed by the surprising discovery that he has broken no law. John F. Lacy changes that by leading the effort to pass the Antiquities Act, giving the president the power to create national monuments. Roosevelt invokes the Antiquities Act to create Petrified Forest, Mesa Verde, and the Grand Canyon, among the five national parks, 51 bird sanctuaries, 18 national monuments, and 100 million acres of national forests he leaves as his legacy. "
The second episode reminds us that although these sites were set aside by the federal government, they still require protection. In Yosemite and Yellowstone, the military steps in to protect the parks from vandals, illegal grazing, and poachers who hunt bison, birds, and other wildlife. We learn about the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite and General Philip Sheridan, who planned to visit Yellowstone briefly, and stayed for 30 years. Teddy Roosevelt emerges on the scene—John Muir forms the Sierra Club, and George Bird Grinnell starts the Audubon Society, and the importance of citizen action and advocacy becomes more clear. The Wetherill brothers discover the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, and soon a Scandinavian anthropologist expresses interest in taking samples back to Sweden—a move that sparks his arrest followed by the surprising discovery that he has broken no law. John F. Lacy changes that by leading the effort to pass the Antiquities Act, giving the president the power to create national monuments. Roosevelt invokes the Antiquities Act to create Petrified Forest, Mesa Verde, and the Grand Canyon, among the five national parks, 51 bird sanctuaries, 18 national monuments, and 100 million acres of national forests he leaves as his legacy. "
The weather turned hot again, AC and car sunshades were needed when I went shopping today.
1 comment:
Penny, these shows are getting sooo good! I hope to be there at each and every place in the future. The tale about the guy taking all the artifacts from Mesa Verde was amazing ... at that time there were no laws on the books to prevent it! Looking forward to tonight's show!
Post a Comment