The Effingham Public Library will present the six-part series The National Parks: America's Best Idea on six successive Friday afternoons at 12:30 pm beginning on February 3 and continuing until March 9.
This series is a 2009 documentary made for television by director/producer Ken Burns and producer/writer Dayton Duncan. The film tells the story of the United States National Park system by tracing its history. It won an Emmy Award for outstanding non-fiction series.
Peter Coyote narrates all episodes, with first-person voices supplied by Adam Arkin, Philip Bosco, Kevin Conway, Andy Garcia, Tom Hanks, John Lithgow, Josh Lucas, Carolyn McCormick, Campbell Scott, George Takei, Eli Wallach, and Sam Waterston.
Friday, February 3: "The Scripture of Nature" (1851–1890) shows the beauty of Yosemite Valley and the geyser wonderland of Yellowstone. Additionally, it offers a lengthy discussion of how Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks were created and shows how John Muir became their eloquent defender.
Friday, February 10 : "The Last Refuge" (1890–1915) Theodore Roosevelt uses the presidential powers of the Antiquities Act to add Nation Monument, including Devils Tower, Mesa Verde, Muir Woods, Crater Lake and the Grand Canyon. Hetch Hetchy Valley is lost through damming. Roosevelt's speech at the dedication of Yellowstone's Roosevelt Arch states the ultimate purpose of the National Parks: For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.
Friday, February 17: "The Empire of Grandeur" (1915–1919) covers the creation of the National Park Service and the influence of its early leaders Stephen Mather and Horace M. Albright, and wealthy industrialists who Mather persuaded to help him champion the park system.
Friday, February 24: "Going Home" (1920–1933) focuses on the time when America embraced the automobile, setting off an explosion in the number of park visits. Also, the Rockefellers quietly buy up land in the Teton Mountain Range.
Friday, March 2 : "Great Nature" (1933–1945) emphasizes the societal impacts of the park concept, including new environmental and naturalistic perspectives, employment opportunities and application of the park idea to additional geographical locations.
Friday, March 9: "The Morning of Creation" (1946–1980) offers details about the ecological damage caused by 62 million visitors each year and the controversial decision to protect wolves in Alaska which had been hunted to extinction in all other parks.
Following the film series, the Library will host the program, America's National Parks on $50.00 a day on Friday, March 16 at 12:30pm. Dave and Gail Overberg will discuss and present a slide show on their extensive travels to our National Parks and how to see them on a budget. A question and answer period will follow the program. Dave and Gail will have their photo albums available for perusal.
The library is located at 30 Town House Road. All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 539-1537, or email marilyn @effingham.lib.nh.us
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