A Legacy of Preservation by Robin Lee Hatcher

The last time I visited with Petticoats & Pistols, I shared about “The British Are Coming” series and my latest release in that series, To Marry an English Lord. When I planned to return in December, I thought the next book in the series would be out. However, the writing of another biblical novel for Guideposts and a contemporary Christmas romance pushed back my schedule a bit. While that next book, To Capture a Mountain Man, won’t release until February, I am pleased to say it is written and on its way through the editorial and publishing process.

Isaiah, the hero of To Capture a Mountain Man, is a game scout in Yellowstone National Park in 1895, and he and my British heroine, Lady Amanda, meet after she is shot at by poachers in the park. Thus, I thought I would share a little information about the first national park in the world.

Yellowstone National Park’s story is one of awe-inspiring natural beauty, scientific discovery, and a pioneering spirit of conservation that shaped the future of protected lands globally.

Long before Yellowstone was known to explorers or tourists, it was home to Native American tribes who lived in and around the area for thousands of years. Tribes such as the Shoshone, Crow, and Nez Perce recognized the land’s unique geothermal features and its abundance of wildlife. They considered it a sacred space, rich in resources and spiritual significance.

The first written accounts of Yellowstone’s wonders came from mountain men and trappers in the early 1800s. Tales of “boiling mud,” “fire and brimstone,” and geysers were initially dismissed as exaggerated. It wasn’t until organized expeditions in the mid-19th century that the true scope of Yellowstone’s geothermal phenomena and scenic beauty was documented.

On March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law, designating Yellowstone as the world’s first national park. This groundbreaking legislation aimed to preserve its unique features “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” It marked the beginning of a global movement to protect natural spaces from exploitation.

In its early years, Yellowstone faced significant challenges. Poaching, illegal mining, and logging threatened its fragile ecosystems. Lacking a formal management structure, the park struggled to enforce its protection policies. In 1886, the U.S. Army stepped in to manage Yellowstone, building infrastructure and curbing illegal activities. The military’s stewardship laid the groundwork for the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916, which took over management and continues to oversee Yellowstone today.

The park is a haven for wildlife, home to bison, elk, grizzly bears, wolves, and numerous bird species. Efforts to reintroduce wolves in the 1990s successfully restored balance to the ecosystem, a testament to the park’s ongoing commitment to conservation. Note: At the time of To Capture a Mountain Man, the buffalo had been reduced from the tens of millions to less than 1,000. There is something grand about seeing the herds of American Bison in the park today. But don’t get out of your car. They are a wild animal!!


Yellowstone National Park is more than a protected area; it is a symbol of the human capacity to recognize and safeguard the extraordinary. Its history reminds us of our responsibility to cherish and preserve the natural world.

 

 

 


If you want to be ready for To Capture a Mountain Man, here are the links to the first books in the series:

To Enchant a Lady’s Heart 
To Marry an English Lord 

Since it’s December, I’m giving away an autographed copy of my new release, a contemporary Christmas romance,

Wishing for Mistletoe.

AMAZON

To be entered into the drawing, just tell me

what Christmas books are in your TBR this year?

Yellowstone Calls in the Cavalry

By Regina Scott

             Regina Scott   http://www.reginascott.com

My father was a big John Wayne fan, so I grew up watching Westerns that featured the iconic actor. In them, the US Cavalry always rides to the rescue, no matter the odds. When I was researching for my second book in the American Wonders Collection, Nothing Short of Wondrous, I was delighted to learn that the Cavalry really did ride to the rescue of our first national park, Yellowstone.

When Yellowstone was first created, there was no National Park Service. No one had any idea how to manage the millions of acres that encompass the park and range from snow-capped mountains to steaming hot pools.

Congress appointed a superintendent, but some of the first tried to manage things from Washington, D.C.! Others that followed moved out to the park, at least when it wasn’t covered by snow, but even they struggled to protect the natural wonders and the species who called Yellowstone home.

By 1886, Yellowstone was in real danger. Commercial interests were lobbying to build railroads into the park, erect businesses, even log and mine. The number of visitors was swelling, and many had no idea how to behave.

   Albert Bierstadt Painting of Old Faithful

They carved their names into the geological formations, chipped off chunks to take home as souvenirs, and even plugged up the geysers to see how high the debris would shoot.

Postcard #157 – The Buffalo Herd;
Frank J Haynes

Worse, poachers traveled brazenly through the park, picking off game. The buffalo herd, the last truly wild herd in the country, dwindled to less than 30.

Captain Moses Harris

Something had to be done. Congress used a clause in an earlier law to send the Army to manage the park. Captain Moses Harris and Troop M of the 1st Cavalry rode into Yellowstone on August 20, 1886, to take control.

     Troop M of the 1st Cavalry in Yellowstone

Their first task? To fight the wildfires that were raging throughout the park, at least some set by poachers intent on driving the game onto unprotected lands for slaughter. There was no fire wagon, no hoses, and no money to allocate for them. But they fought the fires nonetheless. They also stationed detachments at all the major tourist attractions to safeguard the park.

The men expected their work in the park to be temporary, until Congress could determine a better way to manage Yellowstone, but the Cavalry remained in charge for 32 years. Their zeal to protect the land and its animals lay the foundation for the conservation mindset still prevalent in the National Park Service today.

What else would you expect from those trained to ride to the rescue?

Have you ever been to Yellowstone? Which attraction was your favorite? If you haven’t been, which have you heard about you’re longing to see? Comment below for a chance to win an autographed print copy of Nothing Short of Wondrous, a set of vintage-style postcards, and huckleberry lip balm straight from Montana.

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Regina Scott is the award-winning author of more than fifty works of warm, witty historical romance. She and her husband live in the Puget Sound area of Washington State on the way to Mt. Rainier. Her fascination with history has led her to dress as a Regency dandy, drive a carriage four-in-hand, learn to fence, and sail on a tall ship, all in the name of research. You can learn more about her at http://www.reginascott.com or connect with her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/authorreginascott) or Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/reginascottpins).