Stephen H. Willard - Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, CA - From an 8x10 Glass Plate

THE DEATH VALLEY CONSERVANCY

Welcome, to all who love Death Valley!

These are the temporary web pages for the new non-profit organization focused on Death Valley National Park and surrounding communities that was established on February 11th, 2008 - a date which coincides with the 75th Anniversary of Death Valley first being declared a "National Monument" in 1933 by President Herbert Hoover.

View our 30-second spot (below) which aired  on PBS - KCET, Los Angeles and Vegas PBS is Las Vegas during the 12-hour Ken Burns documentary series, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" with "thanks" to Mike Kirsch of The Buddy Group and Sam Dlugach for donating their talents to making it happen and to Gold Creek Films for making their beautiful aerial footage of Death Valley available to us to use!

 

Albright & Mather - Photo Courtesy of the NPS

Horace M. Albright, Stephen T. Mather & the "NPS 1" Flivver, Photo Courtesy of the NPS

DEATH VALLEY, BORAX & THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE:  While the grandeur of parks like Yosemite inspired activists like John Muir to urge Washington for their protection,  Death Valley holds a very unique place in the history of conservation.  It was former Borax executive and creator of the famous 20-Mule Team Borax trademark, Stephen T. Mather, and local Bishop, CA native, Horace M. Albright, who actually created the National Park Service in 1916 and served as its first and second directors, respectively!

Mather, dismayed by the conditions he saw in the parks, wrote a protesting letter to Secretary of the Interior, Lane, who invited him to Washington to correct the problems. When he arrived, Mather was assigned the young lawyer, Albright, to assist him and the two worked tirelessly to conceptualize and create the National Park Service. Mather often used his own personal funds to support and advance the cause! After he left the service in 1933, Albright went on to work for U.S. Borax.

Mission Statement

The nonprofit Death Valley Conservancy established the "Death Valley Fund" to provide support and private funding for projects that preserve, protect or enhance Death Valley National Park by improving the Death Valley area's natural, cultural and historic resources as well as the visitor experience.

Click here to learn how to make a donation.