An early 20th century case study of evolving grassroots notions of preservation and the role of women in the American conservation movement
The “heart of New Hampshire,” the 6,000-acre Franconia Notch nestled deep in the majestic White Mountains, has been a well-loved summer resort and tourist destination since the nineteenth century. When in 1923 a devastating fire destroyed the famous grand hotel the Profile House and the hotel owners decided against rebuilding, lumber companies eagerly moved in to evaluate the timber in the region. A vigorous campaign to save the pristine Franconia Notch wilderness rapidly galvanized around the efforts of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the Granite State’s premier force dedicated to conservation. Support poured in from local, state, regional, and national sources as the Franconia Notch campaign gathered steam in a bid to acquire and preserve the Notch.The New Hampshire Federation of Women’s Clubs was a particularly spirited participant—and a key to the campaign’s success. In 1928 the effort culminated in the creation of Franconia Notch Forest Reservation and War Memorial, today’s magnificent Franconia Notch State Park.
Franconia Notch and the Women Who Saved It is the story of this remarkable grassroots movement. In crisp prose, author Kimberly A. Jarvis applies meticulous scholarly skills to previously untapped archival material and weaves her findings into the dynamic conversations now being carried on among environmental historians and scholars of New England regional culture. Scholars and readers who love history and nature will enjoy Jarvis’s fresh take on a story they thought they knew well.
“The history of this era of timber barons and conservationists, of politicians and tourists, of grand hotels and stagecoaches, is described in delightful detail... The book... is both a history of the development of the White Mountains and primer on forest management.”—Milford (NH) Cabinet
“Author Kimberly A. Jarvis applies meticulous scholarly skills to new archival material from the New Hampshire Federation of Women's Clubs and weaves her findings into the dynamic conservations now being carried on among environmental historians and scholars of New England regional culture. Her unique focus on the impulses that inspired early-twentieth-century women's clubs to become involved with this particular regional conservation campaign-and with conservation efforts and nature study generally-is a significant contribution to White Mountain literature and women's studies. Scholars, students, and readers who love nature and history will find much to admire and absorb in Franconia Notch and the Women Who Saved It.”—Heart of New Hampshire
“A wild, rugged, forested Franconia Notch is an important symbol for New Hampshire, but it was almost stripped of much of its natural beauty early in the Twentieth Century. In this engaging and thoroughly researched book, Kim Jarvis tells us how and why people from all walks of life worked together to preserve one of the most scenic spots in the eastern United States.”—Kurk Dorsey, Associate Professor of History, University of New Hampshire
"We often think of the conservation movement as centered on the spectacular landscapes of the West. This book illustrates that New England was not just a hothouse for wilderness ideas, but for wilderness activism as well. A fascinating description of the movement to save Franconia Notch and its most popular denizen, 'The Old Man of the Mountain.'"—Michael Lewis, Salisbury University
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KIMBERLY A. JARVIS is Assistant Professor of History at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. She specializes in the study of women and the conservation movement in the United States and is the author of journal articles and conference papers. This is her first book.
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