Name: Scotty's Castle
Brand: Robert P. Palazzo
SKU: 9781467116756
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Scotty's Castle

9781467116756

$24.99

Scotty's Castle is a study in contrasts, much like its setting in Death Valley. While the castle is known worldwide and has been visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists, many myths persist. It is not a castle, nor was it owned by Walter E. Scott, known as "Death Valley Scotty." But the Spanish-style hacienda, also known as Death Valley Ranch, has always been linked to Scott. This book explores the fascinating history of Death Valley Scotty, Albert and Bessie Johnson (the true owners and builders of the castle), and the castle itself from construction to private living quarters to a tourist facility owned and operated by the National Park Service.

Yosemite National Park and Vicinity

9780738531427

$23.99

The astonishing scenery of Yosemite National Park is known throughout the world, primarily for the soaring granite outcroppings and graceful waterfalls around Yosemite Valley. But this park is much larger than just the valley. Relatively few visitors get to experience Yosemite's vast expanses, whether south to Wawona and Fish Camp or east to White Wolf and Tuolumne Meadows. Indeed, it was John Muir's efforts to protect the meadows and hills around the valley that ultimately led to the establishment of Yosemite National Park in 1890. The state park, which had been established in 1863 and consisted of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, was added to the federal park in 1913.

Sequoia National Park

9780738559407

$23.99

Sequoia National Park is the nation's second-oldest national park, a spectacular, awe-inspiring place preserving the world's largest trees and the highest peak in the continental United States. The park's human history glows as richly as its natural splendor--among the stories are a utopian collective targeting social change with lumber profits, a newspaperman's tireless editorializing to preserve giant Sequoias, a Spanish-American War veteran ushering in an era of preservationism, and the army's only African American commanding officer whose tenure as park superintendent still inspires. The Civilian Conservation Corps toiled here, turning the hardships of the Great Depression into lasting contributions for the common good. And, most importantly, generations of visitors have discovered here sights and experiences on a scale that challenges human comprehension and stirs the sense of wonder.

Death Valley

9780738558240

$24.99

Death Valley, its harsh and rugged landscape established a national monument in 1933 and named a national park in 1994, has long held a fascination for visitors, even before it became tourist friendly. Shortly after the first visit of nonnative inhabitants, a party of forty-niners looking for a shortcut to the goldfields of California crossed this land with tragic results, inadvertently giving the valley its moniker. Despite the immense suffering in their midst, prospectors began exploring the area looking for mineral wealth. Boomtowns formed, prospered, and died all within a few years, most disappearing completely into the desert. Adding to Death Valley's mystique was the shameless self-promotion of Death Valley Scotty, which lasted for a period spanning more than 50 years.

Joshua Tree National Park

9781467132817

$24.99

Human use of Joshua Tree National Park may extend as far back in time as 10,000 years. From the early Pinto Culture to modern tribes, native peoples have lived and hunted here for centuries. Indian trails helped guide Spanish, Mexican, and American explorers who gradually revealed the desert's secrets, leading to an influx of cattlemen, miners, and homesteaders between 1860 and 1930. As rugged as the desert itself, the area's pioneer history featured cattle rustlers, claim jumpers, and occasional gunfights. Grit, determination, and a fierce independence marked the lives of these early settlers, and the mines, ranches, and cabins they left behind hold many unforgettable stories. During the 1920s, Minerva Hamilton Hoyt found a unique beauty in the desert's sweeping vistas, and she worked tirelessly for the Joshua Tree area's preservation within the National Park System. Success came in 1936 when Pres. Franklin Roosevelt created Joshua Tree National Monument. With the Desert Protection Act, Joshua Tree was designated a national park in 1994.

Emerald Bay and Desolation Wilderness

9781467128186

$24.99

Emerald Bay sparkles as a diamond within the jeweled landscape known as Lake Tahoe. Designated a California State Park in 1953 and a National Natural Landmark in 1968, Emerald Bay is one of the most photographed landscapes in the Sierra, featuring California's first underwater park, dramatic Eagle Falls, and Lake Tahoe's only boat-in camp. Vikingsholm, nestled within the southwestern edge of the bay, is a 38-room mansion that is a dramatic example of historic Scandinavian architecture. A small stone teahouse steeped in fanciful lore is perched atop Emerald Bay's Fannette Island. The Desolation Wilderness, established in 1969, is one of the most popular wilderness-designated areas in the United States. The geographic area of the wilderness is just less than 100 square miles, includes 130 lakes scattered throughout the alpine topography, and contains countless waterfalls and streams intersecting the hiking trails and granite landscapes.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park

9780738595139

$24.99

The Eel River in Northern California is the third largest river in the state. Along its banks stand the largest remaining redwood groves in the world. They are preserved within Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Created in 1921 with the purchase of Bolling Grove near Myers Flat by the Save the Redwoods League, the park currently preserves 53,000 acres of forestland. Within the park are structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and a monolithic four-fireplace structure designed by Julia Morgan. The park also encompasses many small towns. The settlement of these towns is included in this pictorial history of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Additionally, steps taken to preserve the redwoods are documented. Finally, floods along the river that have shaped the environment and influenced the growth of the park are also featured.

Kings Canyon National Park

9780738559964

$24.99

By 1900, tiny General Grant National Park, founded to protect a magnificent sequoia grove and one of the world's largest trees, had become virtually encircled by commercial logging enterprises. This island of preservation became the port of call for a new generation of mountain explorers heading towards the vast alpine wilderness to the east. This new generation of wilderness visionaries--including legendary preservationist and founder of the Sierra Club John Muir and the artist Bolton Brown--forged an alliance that fought to protect this breathtaking landscape. After decades of effort, Congress designated the vast Kings Canyon National Park in 1940, encompassing the sequoias of General Grant as well as some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in North America.

Twentynine Palms

9780738531496

$24.99

Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt recognized the beauty of this desert region of Southern California in 1936 when he created Joshua Tree National Monument, now a national park. But for 9,000 years, Native Americans had lived amid its monolithic rocks and strangely grotesque Joshua trees. Serrano and Chemehuevi Indians found a home at its Oasis of Mara, whose fan palms eventually gave Twentynine Palms its name. Cattleman Bill McHaney arrived in 1879, learned of gold ore deposits from the native people, and inaugurated an influx of prospectors seeking fortunes. In the 1920s, Dr. James B. Luckie of Pasadena discovered that the clean air and dry climate helped veterans with respiratory illnesses, and they homesteaded parcels of 160 acres. Artists, writers, actors, and composers later discovered Twentynine Palms, and a renaissance in the arts now includes studios, galleries, and world-class murals that adorn this gateway to Joshua Tree National Park.

Jack London State Historic Park

9781467132626

$24.99

Famed novelist Jack London became America's highest-paid author in 1905, writing about adventures in the Klondike and the Russo-Japanese War and about sailing his self-designed boat halfway around the world. Yet perhaps one of London's finest legacies is his 1,400-acre ranch on the slopes of Sonoma Mountain in California. Sometimes called "Beauty Ranch" or the "Ranch of Good Intentions," the land, buildings, and house museums exemplify both early-20th-century life and London's passionate pioneering efforts in agriculture and architecture. Descendants of Eliza Shepard (London's stepsister and ranch manager) operated the ranch for decades. In 1959, Irving Shepard deeded 39 acres to California to create Jack London State Historic Park. Eventually, 1,400 acres were acquired. Today, more than 80,000 visitors annually enjoy the park, hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, and attending events and touring London's home, gravesite, and farm buildings.

William S. Hart Park

9781467107440

$23.99

Nickelodeon cowboy star William S. Hart thrilled millions of fans in over 70 shoot-'em-ups in the early days of silent cinema. After completing his film career in 1925, Hart retired to Horseshoe Ranch in Newhall, California, where he lived until his death in 1946. Hart willed the property to the County of Los Angeles, requesting that it become a park and museum, stating: "When I was making pictures, the people gave me their nickels, dimes, and quarters. When I am gone, I want them to have my home." William S. Hart Park stands as a fitting testament to Hart's life and generosity. On its 265 acres, visitors can tour his 22-room retirement mansion and ranch house, picnic on the park's spacious tree-shaded lawns, wander miles of trails, feed animals at the barnyard, and admire the herd of American bison, descendants of those gifted to the park by Walt Disney. The park is also home to Heritage Junction, which houses many of Santa Clarita's most historic buildings and serves as headquarters for the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society.

Historic Tales of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

9781467142953

$24.99

Visiting the redwoods in nineteenth-century California meant coming to Big Trees Grove, now part of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. This forest of giants in the Santa Cruz Mountains attained fame through the 1846 exploits of explorer John Charles Frémont, whose namesake tree still stands. Saved from the logger's axe by Joseph Warren Welch in 1867, these were the first coastal redwoods preserved for public recreation. As a world-renowned resort for sixty years, Big Trees Grove hosted thousands of visitors--from picnickers to presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt. Join author Deborah Osterberg as she recounts the stories of those first visitors and the awe-inspiring landscape they preserved for future generations.

Historic Tales of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Cleveland National Forest

9780738558042

$24.99

On July 1, 1908, Pres. Theodore Roosevelt created the U.S. Forest Service's Cleveland National Forest. Named for pro-forest Pres. Grover Cleveland--and currently including over 460,000 acres in the mountainous backcountry of San Diego, Orange, and southwestern Riverside Counties--the Cleveland is one of the largest and oldest land-management agencies in the three-county region. During the last century, the dedicated men and women of the Cleveland have worked to establish the administrative systems, build necessary facilities and infrastructure, manage use and users, conserve resources, and protect the forest from the endemic and sometimes large and deadly wildfires, such as the infamous and destructive 2003 Cedar Fire and the October 2007 Southern California firestorms. Today the Cleveland National Forest continues to be a major tourist and outdoor recreation destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, as well as for millions of Southern California residents.

Yosemite's Historic Hotels and Camps

9780738599977

$24.99

Yosemite National Park is a place of extraordinary natural beauty with renowned waterfalls, spectacular granite rock formations, and serene meadows. Although indigenous peoples already inhabited Yosemite, settlers of European descent found their way there beginning in 1851. To serve the steady growth of tourists and visitors, lodging and accommodations have always been central to the park's history. The popularity of postcards starting in the early 1900s and lasting several decades coincided with the growth of the park's hotels and camps, transportation, and entertainment. This book of vintage postcards illustrates and chronicles those places and events. It provides visitors with an understanding and appreciation for the unique and diverse places made available to tourists throughout Yosemite's history.

Cabrillo Beach Coastal Park

9780738571898

$24.99

Located on the edge of one of the largest and busiest ports in the world, the Cabrillo Beach Coastal Park is comprised of several seashore habitats found in Southern California. All are within easy walking distance of each other near the main channel of the Port of Los Angeles. They include a windswept beach and a protected harbor beach separated by one of the largest breakwaters in the world, as well as tide pools, a fishing pier, a man-made mudflat, and coastal cliffs that provide living spaces for coastal marine organisms. The combination of natural and man-made habitats here bordering the San Pedro neighborhood of the huge metropolis of Los Angeles makes this an unusual environment, representative of an urban ocean.

San Francisco's Parks

9781467160155

$23.99

San Francisco was incorporated in 1850, when there was just one communal outdoor space: Portsmouth Square. The square was the literal nucleus of planning for the city, as development maps were measured from its center point. Over time, the city developed into the current metropolis with a population of around 815,000. In a reflection of that growth, 230 parks are now governed and maintained by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. The variety of spaces administered by the department includes parks, playgrounds, miniparks, open spaces, and community gardens—within these, many different activities and programs are on offer. In 2017, San Francisco was cited as the nation’s first city where every resident lives within a 10-minute walk to a park; this was calculated by the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit that facilitates the creation of parks and analyzes parks for the nation’s 100 largest cities.

San Diego's Balboa Park

9780738547541

$24.99

Balboa Park began in 1868 when San Diego's civic leaders dedicated 1,400 prime acres to create an urban oasis. Originally the land, crisscrossed with canyons and dominated by native scrub, was called
simply "City Park." In later years, Balboa Park hosted two successful world expositions: the 1915-1916 Panama-California Exposition and the 1935-1936 California Pacific International Exposition. The unique evolution of the park included occupation by the U.S. Navy, a zoo, a Native American village, and even a nudist colony. Balboa Park also suffered periods of neglect and demolition before citizens groups united to save and restore the beloved Spanish Colonial Revival buildings.

MacArthur Park

9781467133456

$24.99

Known as Westlake Park for its first 60 years, MacArthur Park is considered one of Los Angeles's original parks. Throughout its history, it has endured countless challenges as the neighborhood and city that surround it grew to become the current metropolis. Born out of progressive vision and drought, MacArthur Park, due to its elegant design and cultural programming, has been referred as a "civic jewel" and the West Coast version of Central Park. Like many urban parks, it has also been burdened with a negative image due to its many decades of neglect, crime, and municipal disinvestment. Today, MacArthur Park has survived as a critical green and cultural space for one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the country. More importantly, MacArthur Park has served as an authentic democratic space for local stakeholders and visitors to gather, play, and protest.

Golden Gate Park:

9780738528533

$24.99

An oasis of peace and nature in a crowded city, San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is one of the largest and most diverse parks in the world. Spanning over 1,000 acres, the park is home to gardens, lakes, museums, athletic fields, even a paddock for bison. It is wildly popular with locals and tourists alike, and through the years visitors have always enjoyed sending postcards from this amazing place. Through this collection of early postcards from 1894 through 1940, readers will experience classic views of Golden Gate Park, including some that no longer exist. Encompassing the park's famed monuments, statues, windmills, lakes, streams, and beautiful attractions like the bandshell and the Japanese Tea Garden, these images detail a fascinating place that stays with everyone who visits.

True Tales of California Coastside State Parks

9781467153034

$23.99

The beautiful landscapes of central California's Coastside state parks were once home to forgotten pioneers and unique industries. The tumultuous personal life of Robert Mills didn't hinder his commitment to his dairy business in Half Moon Bay, now the Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park. And the Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, named after a shipwreck, remains a beacon of architectural beauty more than a century later. From hideaways for freedom fighters rebelling against the Spanish to the site of several booming lumber operations, Coastside parks have long been an integral part of California's history. Join author JoAnn Semones as she explores the trailblazers and innovators behind these stunning parks.

True Tales of California Coastside State Parks

California State Park Rangers

9780738559933

$23.99

The first park ranger in the world was appointed in California in 1866. Galen Clark was chosen as "Guardian of Yosemite," at what was then Yosemite State Park, and the concept of rangers to protect and administer America's great nature parks was born. The tradition continued in 1872 with the establishment of the first national park at Yellowstone. From the earliest days, park rangers have been romanticized; they are explorers, outdoorsmen, tree lovers, animal protectors, police officers, nature guides, and park administrators. The park ranger has become an American icon, whose revered image has maintained itself to this very day.

San Diego's Sunset Cliffs Park

9781467142960

$21.99

Sunset Cliffs Park meanders along a mile and a half of San Diego's coastline, beckoning tourists and locals alike. These stunning cliffs inspired Albert Spalding, sportsman and visionary, to create a park in 1915 for all to enjoy. In the century since, many have left their mark, including the powerful Pacific Ocean. John Mills, an enterprising land baron, restored the original park, only to have it fall into neglect during the Depression and World War II. It became a popular spot for pioneering surfers and divers in the postwar boom, and the park's colorful landscape attracted artists and children. Join author Kathy Blavatt as she relates the many transformations of this beloved park and looks to its future.

Cover image for San Diego's Sunset Cliffs Park, isbn: 9781467142960

La Purisíma Concepción:

9781626199842

$21.99

In two centuries, La Purísima Concepción went from a fledgling frontier mission to a renowned California State Historic Park. Once home to many Spanish soldiers, settlers and hundreds of Chumash Indians, La Purísima held the seat of the California Mission government under Father Mariano Payeras. It withstood catastrophic events, including widespread disease in early years and a great Southern California earthquake in 1812. Emerging from ruins for the last time in 1934, after restoration by the Civilian Conservation Corps, structures appear today as they did in the early nineteenth century. The uniquely restored California Mission complex operates as a state park in a pastoral setting. Author and archivist Michael R. Hardwick chronicles the story of La Purísima and the resilient people and culture that made a lasting influence.