Amid the rock spires and red-rock canyons west of Grand Junction near the Utah state line; a young man with a checkered past single-handedly built trails at a salary of $1 a month. John Otto brought the beauty of the canyons to the attention of the local chambers of commerce and eventually the National Park Service. With the stroke of a pen; Pres. William Taft added the Colorado National Monument to the park system in 1911. Ottos eccentricities toward bureaucrats and businessmen caused him to abandon a quarter-century of trail building in the mid-1930s. His legacy was then picked up by hundreds of young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps prior to World War II. Today their combined efforts bring thousands of hikers; bicyclists; and motorists to the same trails Otto first used to introduce people to the canyon lands a century ago and the odd rock monoliths that seem to rise hundreds of feet out of the canyon floor. Scenic vistas of the Little Bookcliffs mountain range and the great Grand Mesa complete the beautiful panorama.
#2707725 in eBooks 2009-11-02 2009-11-02File Name: B0093H9340
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A must for anyone connected to BethelBy Cathy Lynn McfaddenIt is great to see old photographs from my hometown. This is a must for anyone who lives in the Town of Bethel or has family roots in the township. Ms. Sheehan did a great job gathering photos from the 1800s to today. The historical facts provide the reader with some well-known facts as well as lesser known ones. Now we know why some of our roads have unusual names. There is a small section dedicated to the Woodstock festival which put Bethel on the map for todays tourists. A great way to end the celebration of the Town of Bethels 200th birthday is to get a copy of this book.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. My favorite placeBy William J. WhiteIts so nice to read about a place that I will always consider home. I spent the first 17 summers of my life in and around the Whitelake area. and my parents met at my grandparents bungalow colony-Lapidus Bungalows. I loved the old pictures of Whitelake and many other familiar sites referenced in the book. Even my husband who grew up in the midwest and has never been to the Catskills enjoyed seeing the pictures and reading the book. Thanks Rita for this wonderful read. Linda Lapidus0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Great Chronicle of a Beautiful Region in Upstate NYBy Chris ReganThis is a must for history fans. and fans of the Sullivan County Catskills. Amazing images of a bygone era.
