Story of The Great White Sands (National Monument) Tom Charles 1955 New Mexico

Description

Story of The
Great White Sands
(Great White Sands National Monument, New Mexico)
by Tom Charles
1955 Edition
Illustrated with photos.
Measures 7 1/2" x 5 1/4"
I ship promptly.
Background from the National Park Service:
Although the dunefield has been here between 7,000-10,000 years, the dunes
haven't always been protected as a national monument. It took thirty-five years
and numerous attempts to protect this national treasure. In the early 20th century,
multiple commercial interests attempted to mine these gypsum dunes; however,
none of these attempts were successful due to the low market value of unprocessed
gypsum sand. In the 1920's, locals began to understand the uniqueness of the
dunes and viewed the dunefield as profitable in another way.
The White Sands dunefield fit the description of what the National Park Service
sought in prospective sites: "economic worthlessness and monumentalism." The
area had already sparked scientific interest with the first published research occurring
in scientific journals in 1870. However, the formation of White Sands National Monument
took time and support from many people. The most famous supporter and local "father"
of White Sands was
Tom Charles
, an Alamogordo resident and businessman.
Mr. Charles was not the first to suggest including White Sands in the National Park system;
however he enthusiastically supported the idea and wrote to National Park Service officials
and congressmen. Mr. Charles got his wish in the last days of President Herbert Hoover's
administration when Hoover declared White Sands a national monument under the
Antiquities Act of 1906. Presidential Proclamation No 2025 (47 Stat. 2551) established the
monument and set aside 142,987 acres for its "additional features of scenic, scientific, and
educational interest."