Nature: From Howling Wilderness to Vacation Destination

Nature: From Howling Wilderness to Vacation Destination, a lecture by Charles Mitchell, professor at Elmira College, will be presented at the Susquehanna River Archaeological Center (SRAC)  at 345 Broad Street in Waverly, NY on Tuesday 3rd, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm.

Drawing on landscape painting, photography, traveler's accounts, and other sources, this presentation explores the evolution of American attitudes towards nature. Beginning with perceptions of the American landscape as a howling wilderness, a wasteland to be tamed and transformed, the lecture traces the social, cultural and economic forces that led to the perception of wild nature as something of value to be experienced and preserved. Key topics and figures along the way include the sublime, romanticism, Henry David Thoreau, Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School, John Muir, Ansel Adams, and the Lorax.

Admission donations of $6 for adults and $4 for SRAC Members are requested with students always attending SRAC for free! Free admission to the SRAC museum is included in the admission donation for the event. Nature: From Howling Wilderness to Vacation Destination