Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone

by George Black

"George Black rediscovers the history and lore of one of the planet's most magnificent landscapes. Read Empire of Shadows, and you'll never think of our first—in many ways our greatest—nationalpark in the same way again."—Hampton Sides, author of Blood and ThunderEmpire of Shadows is the epic story of the conquest of Yellowstone, a landscape uninhabited, inaccessible and shrouded in myth in the aftermath of the Civil War. In a radical reinterpretation of the nineteenth century West, George Black casts Yellowstone's creation as the culmination of three interwoven strands of history - the passion for exploration, the violence of the Indian Wars and the "civilizing" of the frontier - and charts its course through the lives of those who sought to lay bare its Lt. Gustavus Cheyney Doane, a gifted but tormented cavalryman known as "the man who invented Wonderland"; the ambitious former vigilante leader Nathaniel Langford; scientist Ferdinand Hayden, who brought photographer William Henry Jackson and painter Thomas Moran to Yellowstone; and Gen. Phil Sheridan, Civil War hero and architect of the Indian Wars, who finally succeeded in having the new National Park placed under the protection of the US Cavalry. George Black¹s Empire of Shadows is a groundbreaking historical account of the origins of America¹s majestic national landmark.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Nature, American History, Travel, Westerns, Geography

561 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 13, 2012

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd actually give this 3.5 stars if I could. Meticulously researched, perhaps overkill in fact...some of the details, extraneous characters, and side-stories, while fascinating and fun to read, were not germane to the story of Yellowstone and often confused the narrative. Still a great post-Civil War frontier cowboys and Indians story, brutally violent in places but that's the factual history of the occupation of native American lands. Much more of a history (versus natural history) book.

[Carol Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a terrible beginning for a great park, the world's first national park. The first order of business was clearing out the Native Americans and creating the myth that Native Americans were too afraid of Yellowstone's thermal features to go there.

The book starts well before the founding of Yellowstone to look at journeys to the west starting with Lewis and Clark. The author is very conscious of the oppression of Native Americans, but omits the fact that York, an African American who was Lewis's slave played an important part in the expedition, but Lewis didn't free him until much later.

Few of the white characters come across as what we would consider decent people. Perhaps mountain man Jim Bridger is one of the best, though he was willing to guide whites in campaigns against Native Americans that he likely knew were wrong. I didn't see anything bad about the artist Thomas Moran, who accompanied the first major white expedition to Yellowstone and painted its wonders in ways that helped convince Congress to set it aside as a national park.

The founders of Montana were also the founders of Yellowstone. In addition to despising and sometimes massacring Native Americans, the prominent men of early Montana also operated as a lynch mob to kill without trials citizens whom they thought were too unruly. At least they played a major part in preserving Yellowstone to keep it from becoming an unabashed playground littered with exploiters.

I think everyone, certainly everyone who loves the Rockies, should read this book. It's thoroughly researched an well written. The author, George Black, edits OnEarth magazine, a publication of the National Resources Defense Counsel.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently experienced backpacking through Yellowstone, entering the southern border after walking through the Wyoming's Wind River Range. I spent 5 nights camping there walking around Yellowstone Lake, eventually exiting at the original entrance above Mammoth Hot Springs near Gardiner, Montana.
I witnessed first hand the grandeur and uniqueness of that passage, and brought back home just one book- this one. I made it a priority to set aside time each day to read it, with maps on the table, and a list of persons of import that were listed in the appendix.
It was a very satisfying read. The author is an excellent writer- witty, and perceptive, and an original thinker.
This is not a fun read. The intense violence on both sides of the battles between native Americans and their white interlopers was hard to take in.
I was also surprised at the degree of disinterest by authorities in responding to the early reports of the massive waterfalls, lake, and geysers that were communicated to them by early trappers and mountain men.
Yellowstone is a real Park. They let fires burn there, believing that fire is a part of the natural order of the wilderness. I passed through vast areas that were previously burned, especially in the southern reaches of the Park. It takes many decades for tree growth to return there.
I am not much a fan of history, but this book connected me to my experience of living in the back country of Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is our first National Park. I'd encourage anyone to check this book out- get out some maps, and then get ready to plan your own visit.

[Ruth Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first three words of this book are "Nathaniel Pitt Langford . . ." -- who is a distant ancestor of mine. I was aware that he was one of the first white people to see the area now known as Yellowstone National Park. This book is a well-written, very engaging account of that exploration, and I learned a LOT. Accounts of the both deliberate and accidental massacres of tribal peoples are very upsetting but essential to know. The author provides fascinating quotes from many personal journals written at that time and in that place, including several from Langford. Black also fills in the political and economic contexts for the exploration and exploitation of the West. A photo section puts faces to the names of major players (including three pictures of Langford).

[Ruchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up from Gardiner after Spending 5 days visiting the YNP. It is a great descriptor of the socio-economic a and the political environment during the creation of Yellowstone National Park. Highlighting how lobbying and self interest guides almost any venture and how Yellowstone aligned with the discovery of the western frontier, eradication of the original habitants of the land by waves of explorers and waves of injust wars. There are a lot of details, people, plot lines but they help to develop context and understand perspectives- I hoped for more Native American voices as well in the story since in essence it is a reconstruction of events. This is effectively the first book I read specific to American history post the civil war era and since I’m new to the genre, I appreciated it as a starting point due to the detailed research and myriad protagonists across the 70-80 years of odd timeline the book progresses through- helping understand the complexity of the times and a way of life lost.

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second read (2025)
Excellent.

First read (2015)
Black's history is thorough yet surprisingly interesting and relevant throughout. The author touched briefly on topics including the Northern Pacific Railroad, the Mormons, the freemasons, Jim Bridger, Truman Everts's 37-day ordeal, and a host of other such topics - but only briefly. These are now all topics on my 'find out more' list.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great pre-read before my actual visit to this best of all of our national parks. Author does a very thorough job of examining all the historical political and geographic challenges in preserving this still very wild place. There was a good deal about the Indian wars and shameful treatment during establishment of the region as well as details on all the many expeditions into this true wonderland prior to the park's creation.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished this beast of a book. I do love learning about Yellowstone, but this book is a bit tedious (took me a month to read). After the first half of the book- which recounts Indian battles and skirmishes and has lots of violence, the story of the Washburn and Hayden expeditions were the most interesting. I did learn a lot that helped me to understand and appreciate the history of Yellowstone more.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting. This was primarily about the settling of the West, the explorers seeking glory and riches, and the dreadful treatment of the Indians. The area around Yellowstone was just a blip in the story until more than halfway through the book, mainly because the region existed mostly in unbelievable rumors and it was darn difficult to get to. Many explorers came within a few miles of it and managed to miss it. (And their individual tales of survival against brutal conditions made for the best reading). A scientific exploration of what is now the park didn't even happen until the 1870's. Naturally, it was quickly set to be despoiled by entrepreneurs, so it was a good thing there were a few men of vision who realized from the moment they laid eyes on it that it needed to be protected. They fought for it to become the first national park, and we are all the richer for it.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An epic story, but one that is like a river. It meanders and there are tributaries and oxbows throughout. This is more a story of the region around Yellowstone (namely Montana) and how it came to be settled and taken from the Native Americans, plus the stories of all the players who explored Yellowstone early on.

Meticulously researched, the stories were rarely boring. History can sometimes be dry, but this narrative kept pace the whole way. It's a long read, but an enjoyable one. I have a new perspective on the northern plains and Rockies.

[Paul Hyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read especially as we visited Yellowstone this summer for the first time. We visited Virginia City and a lot of Western Montana so this helped fill in the blank on a lot of the history of that part of the country. The fact that this park is so beautiful and still looks pristine makes you appreciate the early visitors and how they saw the same thing. So glad the park was kept for the future which now includes us.

Book really captures the feel of the true old Wild West

[Winn Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fascinating look at the Indian wars and a journey to wonderlust in Yellowstone, though I will say all the characters were a bit tough to keep straight.

[Matt Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on Yellowstone and Montana history.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice Yellowstone-travel read, although lacking in overall narrative cohesion. It felt like the nonfiction equivalent of short stories: there were few connecting threads, and the book wandered without making deep impressions.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book if you are interested in yellowstone as well as that historical time period. very long, thoroughly researched. in some ways it reads more like an academic history book than a “story of yellowstone”. it is factual and precise. don’t expect a storybook but rather a detailed historical account of not only yellowstone but also of the culture, time period, mechanics, and of individuals who are on the fringe of the story of yellowstone.

[William McKitrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I visited Grand Teton and Yellowstone in October 2019 and was awestruck at the beauty and grandeur of this area.

This book provides a thorough background on the exploration of the park and the many natural wonders within. I’ve read a few other books that tie into the people, places and conflicts that occurred during the 1800’s, so much of the story ties into what I have read.

I’m hoping to return to Yellowstone with a much fuller knowledge of the history. It’s so beautiful there!

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me roughly 5 years, 50 other books and an overdue visit to Yellowstone before I was able to finish this beast. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I powered through, but at times I felt like I was taking a Montana History course with all of the great detail. To be fair, that is the only way it could have been done.

[Whitney Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A meticulously researched book about a fascinating period of American History most don't learn about enough in school. Like so many aspects of American History, Yellowstone National Park has a terribly dark backstory, and unfortunately, Native Americans once again were treated as less than human in brutal ways in order to develop the National Park we have today.

Black tells of the founding of Yellowstone and starts at the very beginning: with Lewis and Clark, touches on various frontiersman, including Jim Bridger, and most fascinating to me, artist Thomas Moran, whose paintings of majestic Yellowstone helped convince Congress to make it a National Park.

The violence that had to happen to get the Yellowstone we know today was difficult to read about, but I did love learning about some of the badass women in various tribes. But the massacres of Native Americans were gut-wrenching and maddening.

I think this would be a valuable read for any U.S. History class, and the subject matter is definitely something more Americans should be aware of.

[Yofish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 3.5

This purports to be the history of Yellowstone National Park. I guess it is, but.... It glossed over a lot of details that I wanted to know. And yet, it's a pretty long book.

There was a lot (a *LOT*) of background on Indian wars, and on various gold rushes in Montana. That's sort of relevant, I guess, but that's what I wanted to be glossed over.

He spends a lot of time speculating/defending-against-accusations about whether some of the early attempts to publicize the wonders were in the service of the Northern Pacific Railroad, but didn't actually show how that was being done (or could be seen as the motivation); he just says it.

It starts with Lews and Clark (and he almost jokes a few times about how close they came to actually seeing Yellowstone---if only they had turned left instead of right, and so on). But it mostly ends in the 1870's. I'm a little curious about how tourists got there, how they camped and so on. He has some on the first five (or so) groups of tourists, but what happened after that?

There's a lot on various Indian massacres and whatnot. I got a little lost on which tribe was which at some points.

And somehow, we get this 400-plus page book about going up and down this trail and that river... and not a single map.

All that said, I did like the book and learned a lot. I just wish it had been a slightly different book.

[Todd Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at the history surrounding the formation of Yellowstone as a national park. Black did a fine job of telling the narrative (though he was not always even-handed with the religious figures and issues he encountered - but these were relatively rare). American expansion across the continent, to and through Indian nations, is a dark and complex business. But it does make for an engaging tale. This was where the West was wildest. The names encountered is a veritable "Who's who?" of towering Western figures (Bridger, Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph, Custer, etc.). My biggest criticism: There were no maps in the book - not even one. How you can publish a book like this that chronicles expeditions without numerous maps is beyond me. What editor let that slip by (is he now looking for a new job)? They included a small, unattached map, in my copy (clearly recognizing the mistake). Perhaps in later editions this has been corrected.

[Raully · Rating 4 out of 5]

Origin myths are very powerful in politics and nations. When we want to know who we are - as a collective and as an individual - we tell stories of how we came to be. Lately I see this in the so-called Tea Party and it's extolment of a rebellion against tyranny. Perhaps this is why I never feel at home with such a movement. For my political origin myth lies in Montana, my homelands, a land where proud but defeated Nez Perce, greedy Easterners, military officers fresh from the Civil War and conservationists all can lay claim to its origins. This book does as good a job as any in relating the origins of my homeland as any other. (Don't let the title fool you; this book is about so much more than the founding of Yellowstone.). And as such it is foundational to understanding the national identity of us Westerners, which seem to be continually underrepresented in our national media.

Also: Thanks for the Christmas gift, John.

[Stevejs298 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories are interesting. But it is nothing short of astounding that this book contains no maps - zero! Pretty simple idea that would've helped to provide meaningful context.

[Pellaea Rotundifolia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turns out "conservationism" in 1870 is a lot different than the "conservationism" in 1970 i'm used to reading about. Reading this backdrop to the more recent conservationism stories I'm used to (about St. Helens, the North Cascades, the Olympics, etc) adds useful depth and context to those many movements that aim to guard an "untouched" nature.

3*? 3.5? 4? I dunno.

I could never quite decide if I felt the genocidal horrors of the settlers were portrayed with sufficient gravitas or if the matter of fact approach to them effectively painted a portrait of the banality of evil. "The Epic Story" is a really weird subtitle for this thing, like it is a cool adventure and not an incessant parade of racist violence. "A land uninhabited" is a bizarre epithet to describe a region that is the subject of the book which consists of decades of bitterly violent, racist, colonialist land disputes with... the several groups of people using that land already! like idk maybe a geothermal crust is not a great tipi floor but clearly the very much inhabited condition of that region is the driving force of every one of the conflicts described in this book. "a land uninhabited" WHERE?

I took off a star because for all the effective description of these colonial massacres and crimes, the indigenous people felt presented mostly one with the rest of the native fauna rather than carrying their own voice in this narrative. Maybe that is a necessary failure of one sided recordkeeping. Lots of mentions of what the settlers thought the indigenous peoples were like, often with "true/false" notes appended to these assessments, but not usually including much detail on the actual truth in the frequent case that the settlers thought racist bullshit.

I think I need to chase this with some more Indigenous-focused histories.


The audiobook is well read but i didn't know that there was a second guy out there with Trump's accent. fascinating

[Elizabeth Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This recounts the events from 1805, when the first "white men" discovered some of Yellowstone's wonders, to the late 1870s, a few years after President Ulysses S. Grant designated the land as America's first national park. Much of the narrative focused on the troubles between various people groups in the region (trappers and traders, official explorers, Army soldiers, Indians, and Mormon pioneers), and a whole section dealt with the settling of small towns in Montana, just north of the current northern park entrances. While some of the details of those events felt a little tedious and perhaps irrelevant, it was generally helpful to see how they shaped and led to the park's formation. It also followed the journeys of several official exploratory parties, with names recognizable by any Yellowstone visitor (Hayden, Washburn, Moran, Everts), and explained the stories of how some major landmarks got their names (Old Faithful, West Thumb, Dragon's Mouth Spring). I expected it to delve more into the actual planning of Yellowstone's boundaries and roadways (why a figure-8 road? why place the entrances where they are?), and perhaps go beyond the first few years to explain the Army's management of the park; as long as it was, it felt like some relevant information was overlooked. But overall it was an interesting book, written in an enjoyable style, and I'm glad I took the time to read it!

[Marvol Barnard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great history of Montana and the West, including the discovery by whites of Yellowstone. I purchased it thinking it was going to be a comprehensive history of the park, and it really wasn't, which was a little disappointing (that book must still be out there for me somewhere).

It's a very sad and detailed history of the pushing out of the Indians, the dreadful slaughters of tribes, and the demolition of their way of life. I enjoyed the chapters that dealt with the entry into what would become Yellowstone National Park and the various discoveries that were made. Knowing that area fairly well, I enjoyed imagining those explorers seeing it all for the first time.

Well written and well researched, anyone interested in this period of time in the opening of the West will enjoy the book, and particularly those, like me, who learned about some of this in school but didn't pay attention. Those looking for a history of the park will be disappointed, as I was, but it's still worth learning about the surrounding area's history and an interesting but violent chapter in US History. It was surprising to me to find so many Civil War leaders involved in the Indian wars. Beyond Custer, I hadn't realized how much of Western history was guided by heavy-handed war veterans of that era.

I left it and came back to it several times--it was a bit of a slog, but overall, it was a good read.

[Nikki Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for history buffs interested in America’s western development and Wonderland’s context to it. From Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery to the military occupation of the world’s first national park, this volume fills in all the gaps. Meticulously researched content from private journals and published works, both military and civilian, give front row seats to the brutal reality that was life on the western frontier. The author gives a thorough account of the interactions between the native Indian tribes of the area and the Euro-Americans seeking to explore and settle the West. His non-fiction prose reads smoothly, making an interesting narrative.

The part that most got my attention was the detailed account of the famed Washburn Expedition to the soon to be Yellowstone National Park. Having visited the park multiple times, I studied the provided maps and traced the group’s steps in my mind, enthralled to imagine what they saw and experienced in Wonderland’s early years. I was especially interested to learn how Truman Everts became separated from the group amidst several obstacles. Definitely worth a read for any Yellowstone fan.

Five stars for the thoroughly researched historical content.

[Martin N]

Loved the book and read it before and after visiting the park. It delves into the intricate and often tumultuous history of Yellowstone National Park. The book is a detailed tapestry of the exploration, exploitation, and eventual preservation of this natural wonder. Black masterfully weaves together the stories of various historical figures—such as explorers, Native American tribes, entrepreneurs, and conservationists—highlighting their contributions to Yellowstone's evolving narrative. Each chapter is rich with historical detail, painting a vivid picture of how the park was shaped by both human ambition and nature's grandeur. The connections between these stories underscore the complex interplay of cultural, political, and environmental forces that culminated in the establishment and conservation of the park. From early expeditions and the myths of the Wild West to the modern struggles of preservation, Black's narrative captures the essence of Yellowstone's epic journey. The book is a compelling reminder of the importance of protecting our natural heritage and the enduring impact of history on the present. Overall, it's a meticulous and engaging account that offers deep insights into the multifaceted history of one of America's most iconic landmarks.

[Geoff Habiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-researched and very entertaining book to read. The tale of the early explorers of the Yellowstone region came to life in Black's recounting of the events. I learned a lot about the park prior to its designation as the nation's first national park, and about the men who helped to shape its destiny. It was interesting to read about these explorer's experiences in places that I have visited, and picturing how much has changed, and how much the park has been 'tamed' in many ways. I would have liked to have had more information about the park's early days, and the role of the army in acting as its first rangers - that part of the park's early history was not fully explored in this book. However, Black's attention to detail and telling of the efforts by the early explorers to not only get people to believe their 'tall tales' of a land of boiling rivers and exploding geysers, but to also recognize that this land should be set aside for the benefit of all people and not exploited, was thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend this title to anybody interested in the early history of Yellowstone.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wilderness of Yellowstone has a history to match. While the "discovery of Yellowstone" story has all the same flaws as the "Columbus discovered the New World" narrative, from the perspective of the United States of America and its agents the history of Yellowstone involves a story of decades and a cast of thousands.

The "discovery" and exploration of Yellowstone by Americans does not follow a neat linear storyline, and so Black breaks up his history by focusing on different perspectives on the future park - explorers, settlers, entrepreneurs, soldiers, tourists, scientists, etc. This decision makes the narrative a little tough to follow, but Black ultimately brings the story back to the land itself. Unfortunately for the reader, while you may think of the setting aside of the land as a protected park is a good thing, Yellowstone's protected status coincides with the collapse of the last of the Native American nations in the Northwest . . . so this epic, fascinating history ends with a strong ambivalent sense of failure mixed with triumph.

Black is a hell of a writer, and "Empire of Shadows" is one of the great adventures in American history. Highly recommended.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really comprehensive work of history. I can't imagine what it took to piece this together. It is not one of those history books that reads like fiction. It is fairly dense at times, and challenging to follow the characters and narratives. That being said, it provides a really eye-opening account of the development of the West. Yellowstone is always the backstory, but not always the focus. It's hard to read this, in many places. To hear about the mass genocide of the native tribes of these lands, and the words from the great leaders and explorers of the time, gives a great sadness. Every time I read history I get more irritated by the slogan "Make America Great Again." I believe that the evolution of our country is like MLK's description of the arc of the moral universe--long but bending toward justice. We are always moving forward in slow steps, and yet have so far to go. I still struggle with how to think about our history full of such highs and such lows. How do I look back? What do I carry forward? What is my responsibility?