Mesa Verde National Park

Originally published in 1988, MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK: SHADOWS OF THE CENTURIES is an engaging and artfully illustrated history of an enigmatic assemblage of canyons and mesas tucked into the southwestern corner of Colorado. Duane A Smith recounts the dramatic 1888 'discovery' of the cliff dwellings and other Anasazi ruins and the ensuing twenty-year campaign to preserve them. Smith also details the resulting creation of a national park in 1906 and assesses the impact of more recent developments -- railroads and highways, air pollution, and the growing significance of tourism -- on the park's financial and ecological vitality. This revised and completely redesigned edition includes more than 50 illustrations and will be enjoyed by readers interested in environmental, Western, and Colorado history.