Lake Mead National Recreation Area: A History of America’s First National Playground (America's National Parks)

This book examines the creation, characteristics, and tribulations of the first United States National Recreation Area. It also addresses the National Park Service’s historic role in managing reservoir-based recreation in a uniquely arid region. First named the Boulder Dam Recreation Area, this parkland was created in 1936 by a memorandum of agreement between the National Park Service and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Over the course of its existence, the area has served as a model for a subsequent system of National Recreation Areas. The area’s extreme popularity has, in combination with changing public attitudes regarding preservation and safety, presented the National Park Service with tremendous challenges in recent decades. Jonathan Foster’s examination of these challenges and the responses to them reveal an increasingly anxious relationship between the government, the public, and special interest groups in the American West. Created In 1936, The Lake Mead National Recreation Area Was The United States' First National Recreation Area. As Such, It Has Played A Significant Role In Defining Americans' Expectations Regarding Outdoor Recreation, Establishing The Role Of Government In Managing Recreational Activities, And Illuminating The Monumental Challenges Faced By The National Park Service In Managing Reservoir-based Recreation In An Arid Region.--provided By Publisher. Introduction: Pacesetter In The Desert -- Transformations: The Middle Colorado River Area To 1900 -- Reclamation And Recreation: The Creation Of The First National Recreation Area -- Defining A National Recreation Area, 1936 To 1966 -- Balancing Act: Recreation And Modern Challenges At The Lmnra, 1967 To 2000 -- Navigating The Twenty-first Century -- Conclusion: Maintaining The Pace? Jonathan Foster. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.