Classic Western Quarrel: A History of the Road Controversy at Colorado NationalMonument

摘要

The conflict was the result of a variety of factors: (1) local residents'involvement in the park's creation and management led to a proprietary attitude toward the park that conflicted with the Park Service once that agency was established; (2) shifts in Park Service administration and inconsistent Park Service policies allowed local residents to develop unrealistic expectations of the park's role and how they could use the area; (3) mutual community and Park Service interests in road building through the park led to a inevitable conflict over road use; (4) the local attitude toward land use and resistance to the federal government in general contrasted with National Park Service ideology. This study attempts to accomplish several things. In a local extent, it provides a history of Colorado National Monument and the community's the involvement in that park's development. In the context of the National Park Service, this study reveals the extent to which local needs influenced park administration and ultimately, the park itself.