{"product_id":"lees-ferry-from-mormon-crossing-to-national-park-9780874212600","title":"Lee's Ferry: From Mormon Crossing to National Park","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Colorado River and its deeply entrenched canyons create a lengthy barrier to travel in the interior West. Here and there  ancient Indian foot trails descend canyon walls and find access to the river  but one of the few places between California and Nevada where wheeled vehicles can approach it is at the mouth of the Pahreah River  between Glen Canyon and the rivers steep drop toward Grand Canyon. Here  from the mid-19th until well into the 20th century  Lees Ferry was a primary link between Utah and Arizona. Mormons trying to reach potential Indian converts and new lands for colonization to the south first developed the site. John D. Lee and parts of his family  seeking an inconspicuous spot after the Mountain Meadows massacre  first took up residence at what they called Lonely Dell. In subsequent decades  many interesting and important western characters passed through this topographical and historical funnel  from John Wesley Powell to Buffalo Bill. As river exploration and adventure increased  the place became as important to those using the river-surveyors  miners  river runners-as to folks crossing it. In recognition of its importance  Lees Ferry has been partially restored as a historic site in the national park system. P. T. Reilly  himself a legend on the river as boatman and chronicler  wrote the detailed and colorful history this place demanded  focusing on stories of the hodgepodge of people it attracted. He died before he finished reworking his massive narrative into book form  but Robert H. Webb  author of Grand Canyon: A Century of Change  completed that job and selected rare historical photos from the Reilly collection at Northern Arizona University to illustrate it. An epilogue by Richard Quartaroli provides a biographical sketch of P. T. Reilly.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45648175759413,"sku":"ByrdShop_087421260X","price":27.94,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780874212600.jpg?v=1781711720","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/lees-ferry-from-mormon-crossing-to-national-park-9780874212600","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}