Page 104 - Cornelius Hedges Story

91 The Cornelius Hedges Story

An interesting and rather detailed discussion of the antecedents
of the National Park idea, and who should be credited with the idea,
has been written by the highly respected Aubrey L. Haines, Park
Historian for Yellowstone National Park. His book The History of
Yellowstone Park implies that there were others with whom the
National Park concept should be shared.315

More recently authors Paul Schullery and Lee Whittlesey
in their preconceived book Myth and History in the Creation of
Yellowstone National Park have tried to turn the history and facts of
the establishment of Yellowstone National Park into a mere myth.
They prefer their story that the establishment of Yellowstone was
the result of complex social, scientific, economic, and aesthetic
forces and with the intent to give more credibility to the National
Park Service with the idea it will give them more legitimacy. Their
historical revisionism tries to appeal to the intellect via techniques
illegitimate to historical discourse to advance a given interpretive
historical view.

Philetus W. Norris was the second superintendent of Yellowstone
National Park. In his Report upon the Yellowstone National Park to
the Secretary of the Interior for the Year 1878, writing of the history
of the park states the follow:

“During the following autumn (1870) the Washburn expedition
was suddenly organized for exploration of the park. It was
comprised of H. D. Washburn, N. P. Langford, T. C. Everts, S. T.
Houser, C. Hedges, W. Trumbull, B. Stickney, W. C. Gillett, and
J. Smith.

General Washburn, in command, was the surveyor- general, at
least T. C. Everts and N. P. Langford ex-officers, and all prominent
and esteemed citizens of Montana Territory, well equipped; and
at Fort Ellis, joined by Lieut. G. C. Doane and seven men. This
is the first party of really successful explorers of any considerable
portion of the park of which we have any public record.”

Even the more recent investigations into the national park
concept as tied to Yellowstone most historians concur that a
significant amount of credit is rightfully given to Cornelius Hedges.