The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks by Drabelle, Dennis
The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks by Drabelle, Dennis

The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks

Featured in the Wall Street Journal's 2021 Holiday Gift Books Guide2021 Marfield Prize Finalist Wallace Stegner called...
$29.94 USD
$29.94 USD
Please hurry! Only 1163 left in stock
Author: Dennis Drabelle
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Subtotal: $29.94
The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks by Drabelle, Dennis

The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks

$29.94
The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks by Drabelle, Dennis

The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks

$29.94
Author: Dennis Drabelle
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Description

Featured in the Wall Street Journal's 2021 Holiday Gift Books Guide
2021 Marfield Prize Finalist

Wallace Stegner called national parks "the best idea we ever had." But where did the idea originate? Before Yellowstone, with nothing to put up against Europe's cultural pearls--its cathedrals, castles, and museums--Americans came to realize that their plenitude of natural wonders might compensate for the dearth of manmade attractions. That insight guided the great landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted as he organized his thoughts on how to manage the wilderness park centered on Yosemite Valley, at first a state-owned precursor to the national park model of Yellowstone. Haunting his thoughts were the cluttered and carnival-like banks of Niagara Falls, which served as an oft-cited example of what should not happen to a spectacular natural phenomenon.

Olmsted saw city parks as vital to the pursuit of happiness and wanted them to be established for all to enjoy. When he wrote down his philosophy for managing Yosemite, a new and different kind of park, he had no idea that he was creating a visionary blueprint for national parks to come. Dennis Drabelle provides a history of the national park concept, adding to our understanding of American environmental thought and linking Olmsted with three of the country's national treasures. The Power of Scenery tells the fascinating story of how the national park movement arose, evolved, and has spread around the world.



Author: Dennis Drabelle
Publisher: Bison Books
Published: 05/01/2026
Pages: 274
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.82lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.62d
ISBN: 9781496246394

About the Author

Dennis Drabelle is a writer and former attorney. During the 1970s he was counsel to the assistant secretary of the interior for fish and wildlife and parks. His books include Mile High Fever: Silver Mines, Boom Towns, and High Living on the Comstock Lode and The Great American Railroad War: How Ambrose Bierce and Frank Norris Took on the Notorious Central Pacific Railroad.


Shipping & Return

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Review