National Park, City Playground: Mount Rainier in the Twentieth Century

by Theodore Catton

Book Overview

The majestic beauty of Mount Rainier, which dominates the Seattle and Tacoma skyscapes, has in many ways defined the Pacific Northwest. At the same time, those two major cities have strongly influenced the development of Rainier as a national park. From the late 1890s, when the Pacific Forest Reserve became Mount Rainier National Park, the evolving relationship between the mountain and its surrounding residents has told a history of the region...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0295986433
• ISBN13: 9780295986432
• Release Date: November 2006
• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Length: 262 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.7" x 8.9"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A first-rate, accessible history of Mount Rainier National Park

Every national park should have a history as good as this one. It's short (200 pages), with a clear focus (the role of Seattle and Tacoma recreationists in the development of park policy). Catton writes well, and tells the history with rich detail while staying focused on the main lines of the story. Catton grounds the story more broadly, with comparisons to a few other parks and an awareness of the lines of national park policy. But his focus remains solidly on Rainier, a park he has known well since his childhood. The book includes color plates in the middle, including some funny posed photos of nymphs by Asahel Curtis. The production values are also very good. If you want to know the history of Mount Rainier National Park, this is the book you want.