Monument Valley: The Story Behind the Scenery

by K.C. DenDooven, Bruce Hucko (Photographer), Josef Muench (Photographer)

This is truly the land of the Navajo. Monument Valley was "discovered" by the white man over 55 years ago. Here you will relive the events as our culture found the Navajo's culture. As much as this is a story of the Valley and the Navajo, it is a story of the Harry and Mike Goulding, as well as the photographer Josef Muench. Monument Valley is a land of everlasting wealth. The Navajo, the formations, the very color of the earth--all show you a warmth that enriches and excites the emotions.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, History, Native American

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: "A-" -- beautiful photos, interesting history and people.
Not to mention a great place to visit!

Josef Muench smacked Adolf Hitler with a well-aimed tomato back in 1927; prudently, he moved to the US the following year. He got a job with the Ford Motor Co., kept it until he could afford a new
Model A ($535), and headed West. His big break came when he met Raymond Carlson, the editor who turned "Arizona Highways" from an obscure state highway-promotion magazine into a world-famous showcase for landscape photography. Muench made his first trip to Monument Valley in 1935, and by 1992 had made 355 trips there, while becoming one of the world's leading landscape photographers (his son David may be even better). Josef took the cover photo of this little book in 1937, the year they started selling Kodachrome color film. You'll recognize many of the classic views here, taken over the next 60 years.

Harry Goulding moved to Monument Valley in 1923 to open a
trading post, which is still "the place" to stay when you visit. Times
were tough in the Depression -- no money, no business, no jobs. But
Hollywood was making Westerns, so Harry decided he'd sell the
studios on making movies in Monument Valley. Muench made up
a portfolio of photos for Goulding to bring to Hollywood, still
considered by some to be his best work. By pure persistence, Harry
worked his way up to John Ford, and layed out Muench's pictures.
Ford decided that Monument Valley was *the* location to shoot his
next big picture, "Stagecoach" (1938). He had to import cowboys, but
Indians came with the package. The rest, as they say, was history -- if
you've watched western movies, you've had a preview of
Monument Valley.

Monument Valley, a Navajo Tribal Park, straddles the Utah-Arizona
border in the vast Navajo Reservation. It's still pretty much in the
middle of nowhere. Gets a little busy in the summer, now. but it's
still other-wordly. And don't miss Betatakin ruin at Navajo NM!
This is one of the "Story Behind the Scenery" booklets, of about the
size and heft of an"Arizona Highways" magazine, that are ubiquitous
at national-park visitor centers and souvenir shops. I'd always kinda
looked down my nose at them ("booklike objects for tourists" --
I know, hopeless snobbery), but the recent ones have truly gorgeous
photos, so I'm catching up on them.

[Ana Monteiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I visited some USA National Parks (Grand Canyon, Arches, Yellowstone) and a Navajo Tribal Park (Monument Valley), I immediately felt my photos were insufficient. I cherished them, but they could not convey 20% of my experience. Not just in photographic quality or definition, but in scope. Aerial views, photos without hordes of visitors, great light, and different weather were all lacking. Buying photo books was a way of compensating and bringing home a bit more. Some of them added some interesting information and historical background.
This was one of those books. Now more than a decade older, maybe the print definition is dated, but it’s obviously a skilled view. Good format, quality paper, lightweight and easy to carry, a brilliant memory of a remarkable trip.