The Father of Glacier National Park: Discoveries and Explorations in His Own Words

by George Bird Grinnell, John Taliaferro (Foreword)

The story of this glorious Montana landmark, told through the journals and letters of the man who fought to conserve it—maps and photos included.   With his small group of explorers, George Bird Grinnell discovered and named forty geological features east of the Continental Divide and west of the Blackfeet Reservation. He also happened to be a prolific writer and record-keeper who diligently made time in camp for meticulous journal entries. As a result, he wrote a series of articles about his trips from 1885 to 1898 for publication in Forest and Stream.   In 1891, he began advocating to protect the area as a national park—and led that charge for nearly two decades until successful. His discoveries, publications, and leadership led to the creation of Glacier National Park. In this book, his cousin Hugh Grinnell compiles first-person narratives from unpublished journal entries, personal correspondence, and dozens of articles to tell the early story of Glacier.

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2020

About the author

George Bird Grinnell was an American anthropologist, historian, naturalist, and writer. Grinnell was born in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in 1870 and a Ph.D. in 1880. Originally specializing in zoology, he became a prominent early conservationist and student of Native American life. Grinnell has been recognized for his influence on public opinion and work on legislation to preserve the American bison. Mount Grinnell is named after Grinnell.

Reviews

[Ashley Boldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and educational book about Grinnell. I already had a love for Glacier National Park. Reading about it’s discovery through the “Father of Glacier National Parks” journal is astounding. I truly enjoyed every page.

[Pam Ostdahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about this man and his explorations.

[Lindsay P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about his adventures in the crown of the continent prior to Glacier becoming a national park! A lot of the accounts were similar and some graphic descriptions of slaying wildlife for food.

[Don Paske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. A little laborious, however.