The Badlands is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. The scenery is breath taking, the history is rich and the geology is filled with ancient artifacts of prehistoric animals and mammals. Until recently I had never really known about the Badlands of South Dakota and when our family went on vacation we spent a day in the National Park reveling in the beauty of God’s creation. I only wish I had this nice and informative book to take along with me.
Images of America: Badlands National Park is a book that everyone should have if you have ever been or plan on going to The Badlands of South Dakota. This book is filled with wonderful images and history of this beautiful land. The book is broken up into eight chapters consisting of “Fossil Hunters”, “Native Peoples”, “The Open Range and Homesteader”, “Settlements”, “The Park Road”, “Badlands National Monument”, “Flora and Fauna” and “Scenic Wonders”. This informative book would be a great asset to take along with you as you explore this park. This book documents life in the 1890’s to the setting aside of thousands of acres of land for a national monument in 1939 to 1978, the year Badlands became a national park.
The only disappointment is that this book is in black and white (also taking into consideration that most pictures were taken before color photography) and it would have been nice to see the final chapter “Scenic Wonders” include some color. However this is a very minor disappointment and it does not deter my high opinion of this book. As I stated before; whether you have been to or you are planning on taking a trip (which I would highly recommend) to The Badlands this book is a must for you.
Reviewed by Jeff Holton
