"In 1851 a small militia trekking through California's Sierra Nevada Mountains discovered one of the world's most spectacular natural sites; Yosemite Valley is now visited by millions of people each year. A comprehensive and unique scientific and cultural history of this remarkable area of natural beauty, Yosemite explores everything from the valley's geological origins to its nineteenth-century discovery and the creation of the magnificent park that it is today. The valley was known to its native Miwok inhabitants as Ahwahnee, translated as 'place like a gaping mouth'. The name that stuck, however--the English 'Yosemite'--may be a corruption of the Miwok phrase johemite, which some writers translate as 'some of them are killers'. Today the park plays host daily to an array of painters, photographers, hikers, mountain climbers, campers and tourists from across America and around the world, drawn to its unique rock formations, breathtaking vistas and spectacular waterfalls. Yosemite traces the park's formation, exploration, exploitation and preservation, taking in both the natural forces that sculpted the valley itself and the colourful characters that shaped it socially and culturally, as well as many of the works of art it has inspired. Rich in detail as well as intriguing anecdotes, this history of California's 'incomparable valley' is beautifully illustrated with more than 100 striking images, from historical engravings and advertising graphics to works by renowned artists and photographers, including Carleton Watkins, Ansel Adams, Albert Bierstadt, Bruce Davidson and David Hockney." -- Publisher's description