Podcast
American History Tellers
This preliminary report, presented in 1865, argued that untouched landscapes were essential for the soul and that the government had an obligation to protect these natural wonders for public enjoyment. It also provided practical guidance for building infrastructure while preserving the scenery's dignity.
The document was titled Yosemite and Mariposa Grove, a preliminary report.
— Episode: Encore: National Parks | The Business of...
Episode: Encore: National Parks | The Business of Nature |...
This preliminary report, presented in 1865, argued that untouched landscapes were essential for the soul and that the government had an obligation to protect these natural wonders for public enjoyment. It also provided practical guidance for building infrastructure while preserving the scenery's dignity.
The document was titled Yosemite and Mariposa Grove, a preliminary report.
Olmsted argued that untouched landscapes were capable of providing people of any age with refreshing rest and reinvigoration. He stressed that natural wonders such as these were good, perhaps essential for the soul.
Olmsted's report is still considered one of the most powerful and important documents on the need for conservation ever written.