Lunchtime Expedition: 110 Years of the National Park Service
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Noon–1:00 p.m.
Coe Auditorium
Join award-winning author and journalist John Clayton for a fascinating exploration of how the National Park Service has shaped the natural and cultural landscape of Greater Yellowstone over the past 110 years.
In August 1916, the newly established National Park Service assumed management of Yellowstone National Park, launching a new chapter in the history of America’s first national park. During this engaging Lunchtime Expedition, Clayton examines the agency’s lasting influence on the region’s habitats, wildlife populations, predator-prey relationships, and public understanding of Yellowstone’s remarkable natural wonders. Drawing from his acclaimed cultural history Wonderlandscape: Yellowstone National Park and the Evolution of an American Cultural Icon, recently reissued in paperback with a new afterword, Clayton explores the powerful intersection of nature, history, and culture in the Yellowstone ecosystem.
John Clayton is the author of several acclaimed books, including Wonderlandscape, winner of the 2017 High Plains Book Award; Natural Rivals: John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, and the Creation of America’s Public Lands; Stories from Montana’s Enduring Frontier; and The Cowboy Girl: The Life of Caroline Lockhart. The 2026 recipient of the Pattie Layser Greater Yellowstone Journalism and Creative Writing Fellowship, Clayton brings decades of experience chronicling the people, places, and stories that have shaped the American West.
Discover how more than a century of stewardship has influenced the landscapes, wildlife, and public imagination of Greater Yellowstone in this thought-provoking look at one of America’s most iconic places.
