Before Yellowstone with Doug MacDonald

The Extreme History Project: The Dirt on the Past

Join us for this timely conversation with Doug MacDonald on his book, Before Yellowstone: Native American Archaeology in the Park. As Yellowstone National Park celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022, we discuss the deep history of people living in this region. The archaeological research done by Doug and his team of students from the University of Montana shows that the wild landscape has a long history of human presence. In fact, Indigenous people have hunted bison and bighorn sheep, fished for cutthroat trout, and gathered bitterroot and camas bulbs here for at least 11,000 years, and twenty-six tribes claim cultural association with Yellowstone today. We talk with Doug about the significance of archaeological areas such as Obsidian Cliff, where hunters obtained volcanic rock to make tools, and Yellowstone Lake, a traditional place for gathering edible plants. We also discuss the complicated history of Yellowstone and the controversial preservation of the wilderness idea. We debunk the myth that Yellowstone National Park was a wilderness untouched by humans. Join us for this important discussion! To Learn More: Before Yellowstone: Native American Archaeology in the Park by Doug MacDonald The Lost History of Yellowstone: Debunking the myth that the great national park was a wilderness untouched by humans