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Scenic Effects on Lake Helena. 



Its Early History. 



Yellowstone Park was discovered and explored to some extent by John Colter, 

 a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, who came back to Montana to trap 

 in 1808. The Indians called it the "place of evil spirits" because of the strange 

 noises there and were much afraid of it. Colter told other traders and trappers 

 about the place and the queer rumbling noises under ground; and for many years 

 one section of it was called Colter's Hell. 



Jim Bridger, famous scout and trapper was next to visit the place. His stories 

 of the geysers and other queer things would not be believed. It is said that early 

 explorers and trappers, when returning to the east and relating their queer tales 

 of the region, were hooted and laughed at. Some of these early explorers imagined 

 they smelled brimstone. Early lecturers were hissed and sometimes even stoned in 

 the streets as impostors. 



Finally in 1842 the attention of the public was called to the region by an 

 explorer who published an article describing the geysers. Probably the real dis- 

 covery of the park came in 1870 when Montanans lead by General Washburn toured 

 the region and made public their findings. Because of this trip, a movement began 

 which resulted, in 1872, in the establishment of the region as a national park, with 

 an area of 2,142,720 acres, taken from Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. 



Many Colored Canyon. 



The personality of the park is threefold. The glowing canyon, the hot-water 

 manifestations, and the scenic wilderness and its wealth of wild-animal life are worth, 

 not only a visit and examination, but the whole summer. 



