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Original Articles

Historical Landscape Change in Yellowstone National Park: Demonstrating the Value of Intensive Field Observation and Repeat Photography

Pages 387-409 | Received 14 Jul 2017, Accepted 14 Jul 2017, Published online: 01 Nov 2019
 

Abstract

Although transportation and outdoor recreation are well‐recognized aspects of national parks, few studies have explored these aspects from the perspective of human geography as a means of analyzing historical landscape change. This paper offers an innovative synthesis of methods for studying cultural landscape change over time through a case study of the historical geography of transportation, tourism, and outdoor recreation along the Howard Eaton Trail () in Yellowstone National Park. We conducted research through a field course that combined repeat photography, archival research, Geographic Information Systems (), and traditional field methods. Results indicate that a combination of repeat photography and other methods can create an effective means of evaluating cultural landscape change; even short field courses provide opportunities for students and faculty to conduct collaborative research that provides powerful, multidimensional, situated‐learning experiences; and repeat photography creates datasets that may benefit future research and teaching.

The authors wish to thank their respective universities and departments for supporting this field course. Partial funding for this research project was made possible by the following: an Idaho Humanities Council Major grant (IHC #2013018), the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute at Missouri State University, the Association of American Geographers’ Anne White Award, and a Missouri State University Summer Faculty Fellowship. The authors would also like to thank the National Park Service for waiving entrance fees and permitting access to archival, museum, and library materials through the NPS Heritage and Research Center (YELL‐2014‐SCI‐6012). Finally, this project would not have been possible without the insight and expertise provided by Leslie Quinn, Lee Whittlesey, Kortney Huffman, and all the students who participated in the field course.

The authors wish to thank their respective universities and departments for supporting this field course. Partial funding for this research project was made possible by the following: an Idaho Humanities Council Major grant (IHC #2013018), the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute at Missouri State University, the Association of American Geographers’ Anne White Award, and a Missouri State University Summer Faculty Fellowship. The authors would also like to thank the National Park Service for waiving entrance fees and permitting access to archival, museum, and library materials through the NPS Heritage and Research Center (YELL‐2014‐SCI‐6012). Finally, this project would not have been possible without the insight and expertise provided by Leslie Quinn, Lee Whittlesey, Kortney Huffman, and all the students who participated in the field course.

Notes

The authors wish to thank their respective universities and departments for supporting this field course. Partial funding for this research project was made possible by the following: an Idaho Humanities Council Major grant (IHC #2013018), the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute at Missouri State University, the Association of American Geographers’ Anne White Award, and a Missouri State University Summer Faculty Fellowship. The authors would also like to thank the National Park Service for waiving entrance fees and permitting access to archival, museum, and library materials through the NPS Heritage and Research Center (YELL‐2014‐SCI‐6012). Finally, this project would not have been possible without the insight and expertise provided by Leslie Quinn, Lee Whittlesey, Kortney Huffman, and all the students who participated in the field course.

Additional information

Funding

Idaho Humanities Council Major
Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute at Missouri State University
Association of American Geographers’ Anne White Award
Missouri State University Summer Faculty Fellowship
NPS Heritage and Research Center

Notes on contributors

Judith L. Meyer

Dr. Meyer is a professor of geography at Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri 65897; [[email protected]].

Yolonda Youngs

Dr. Youngs is an assistant professor of geography and global studies at Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho 83209; [[email protected]].

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