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The story behind the photo: On our first day in Yellowstone
in 1998, we drove up to Bozeman and bought our new Pentax camera.
This was the first shot of Yellowstone that we took with our new camera.
This is the famous North Entrance of Yellowstone, and this arch is the
famous Roosevelt Arch, which separates Yellowstone from Gardiner, Montana.
On the top, the enscription reads "For the benefit and enjoyment of the
people," which is taken directly from the Act of Dedication creating Yellowstone
National Park on March 1, 1872. This act was signed by President
Grant. Interestingly, many people have the mistaken belief that Teddy
Roosevelt was the President who founded this Park and the National Park
Service. Neither of those myths is true (Yellowstone was a Park nearly
30 years before Roosevelt even became President). Nevertheless, Roosevelt
was an advocate of our wildnerness areas. This arch was designed
by the first great Yellowstone historian and roadbuilder, Hiram Martin
Chittenden, who himself has a significant role in the history he was the
first to tell. To me, this structure seemed like a very appropriate
structure inviting us from the world of civilization to the wonders that
lay within. It's like going into Narnia through a gate. Beyond
the gates into the beautiful mountain wonderland, below these stormy clouds,
miracles happen, lives change, eyes are opened, and God's dynamic art is
revealed. Without much fanfare, this quiet gate beckons us to enter.
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