When Evergreen resident John Work Garrett made his first trip to Yellowstone National Park in 1894 as the student ornithologist participating in one of the late-19th century Princeton Geological Expeditions, he would have been one of the earliest white tourists to enter the nation’s first national park. For the future diplomat, the trip was only the start in a lifetime of love for the American outdoors. He made sure to remember the trip through preserving his journals and photographs taken on the trip which offer a rare, personal glimpse into the outdoor recreational experience of late 19th century Americans.
Through looking at Garrett’s photographs and souvenirs, “Leave No Trace: John Work Garrett’s Trip to the American West” will travel with Garrett to gain a better understanding of the historic and present-day relationship that Americans have to the outdoors.