Dinosaur Highway: A History of Dinosaur Valley State Park (review)

420Southxvestern Historical QuarterlyJanuary ing of the monument movement. Nearly half of them were erected between 1900 and 1915. In part she attributes this delay to the economy of the South, which forced Texans and other southerners to work first at rebuilding dieir lives. On the other hand, she recognizes that the majority of the monuments were built at a time of severe economic and social upheaval. Agrarian society was experiencing depression and political turmoil. At the same time, the modernizing trends of urbanization and industrialization challenged the old economic, social, and racial order. The monuments were a response, reasserting traditional values and assuring citizens of continued white supremacy and die solidarity of die white race in the face of the disruptive forces. Sacred Memories is not die definitive work on the Civil War monument movement in Texas and clearly was not so intended. The insights offered by the author in the short introduction, however, are diought provoking and hopefully should encourage even closer examination of this important cultural movement in Texas. University ofArkansas at Little RockCarl H. Moneyhon Dinosaur Highway: A History ofDinosaur Valley State Park. By Laurie E.Jasinski (Fort Worth: TCU Press, 200g. Pp. 224. Illustrations, maps, appendix, notes, bibliography , index. ISBN 9780875653754, $ig.gs paper.) In her earlier book, Hill Country Backroads: Showing tL· Way in Comal County (Texas Christian University Press, 2001), audior LaurieJasinski crafted a compelling story ofearly tourism efforts in the Texas Hill Country using her grandfather's pioneering work as a central theme from which to introduce a broader perspective . In her recent book, Dinosaur Highway,Jasinski again makes a contribution to Texas recreation history, although this one has a much different feel and flow. It is an institutional history of Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose in Somervell County, and so like most institutional histories it has die requisite sections on development (including land acquisition), mission and vision, administration, and resources. But, the story of Dinosaur Valley is much more complex than that of the average park in many respects, and to the author's credit she tries to bring in at least some examination of the broader themes at play. In a sense, the park's history reaches back millions of years, when sauropods and theropods roamed the Paluxy River valley, leaving behind their footprints and a lot of unresolved questions in the process. That leads to the human part of the equation, and there the author has to sort out the perspectives of myriad characters , including geologists, paleontologists, civic leaders, park officials, landowners, politicians, opportunists, creationists, and even a few boodeggers. Given the deep stratigraphy of the contributing elements, much as the dinosaur footprints themselves , it is not an easy story to interpret in a relatively brief overview. For those seeking the big picture of a small but important public resource, though, Dinosaur Highway serves the purpose. The author does a goodjob of setting the cultural context through the history of the Lanham Mill community and an exploration of the early struggles between competing factions advocating for preservation and economic exploitation. She also touches on background con- 2010Book Reviews421 cerns of public accessibility, natural degradation of the resources, and adequate and dynamic interpretation. One aspect ofthe book diat will be particularly appreciated by public historians is the inclusion of information on the contributions of park staff members over the years. Their selfless work for the common good too often goes unnoticed, but as the author observes and clearly understands, dedicated staff members are often the best means of ensuring a positive visitor experience , regardless of the budget or current park management philosophy. Dinosaur Highway is a worthy companion for those visiting Dinosaur Valley State Park for the first time or for those returning to seek new perspectives on the ancient past. My recommendation would be to find your perfect spot in the park, be it campsite, scenic overlook, backcountry trail, or river's edge, and spend some quality time connecting with the unique state park and its equally unique history. PflugervilleDan K. Utley TL· Power oftL· Texas Governor: Connally to Bush. By Brian McCaIl, foreword by William P. Hobbyjr. (Austin: University ofTexas Press, 2009. Pp. 172. Illustrations, notes, bibliography...