The History of Joshua Tree National Park

Book excerpt: Joshua Tree National Park is a vast protected area in Southern California where two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado come together. It is characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes with a fascinating variety of plants and animals that make their homes there. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast wilderness. The books in-depth timeline covers the American Indian era, early explorers, cattlemen, miners, homesteaders, the formation of a new national monument, WWII history within the monument, growing pains, modernization, redesignation to a national park, park partners, and the environmental era. Also included are some noteworthy and factually amusing stories, other interesting facts, about the park, things to do, and more.