Note to the Reader

The following is a true story of the life and experiences of a park interpreter (naturalist, ranger) in Devil's Den State Park, living in a log cabin in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas during the years 1988-1994). One employee continues to work at the park, but the rest have moved on to other positions or retirement. Some have passed away. The day quickly approaches when few or none will remember the stories, the experiences, or histories of life in the Upper Lee Creek Valley unless perchance someone writes them down. The historic record of the park is lost more quickly than it is made.

The audience for this book is first and foremost the park visitor who surveys the awe-inspiring landscape and ponders, "What's the story here?" How did this come to be? Other audiences include local historians, naturalists, and college students preparing to enter the profession. A larger readership might include the men and women who protect the nation's treasured places. May they be encouraged regardless of where they serve, that theirs is a noble calling.