For the first time in history discover the story of breathtaking Bryce Canyon’s namesake—the indomitable homesteader Ebenezer Bryce.
“It’s a helluva place to lose a cow.” —Ebenezer Bryce
The towering hoodoos of Bryce Canyon have long inspired and awed those lucky enough to catch a glimpse. Now for the first time comes the story of the park’s namesake, the rugged pioneer Ebenezer Bryce. Complete with original family photos, gorgeous shots of Bryce Canyon National Park, and never-before-heard stories of early American homesteaders, this charming history reveals how an extraordinary canyon received its present-day name.
Through family lore and historical research, Herb Bryce, a direct descendant of Ebenezer’s, shares the captivating story of how the Bryce family name came to adorn one of America’s most beautiful parks. Follow Ebenezer from his humble beginnings in Scotland to his journey across the United States and eventual settlement with his wife and children in a desert of exceptional beauty—a destination that is now visited by more than 2 million people a year.
Read an Excerpt
Not everyone gets a national park named after them, and because of that and the Bryce family’s decades of effort, I’ve been able to piece together my great great-grandfather’s story. Like the stories of so many people now living in the United States, it’s a story of hard work, hardship, and hardheadedness.
The way we look at the past is constantly changing, and I’ve done my best to keep up with the times. This, and all my work, is an imperfect part of that change, and I hope that it is received with lenience and a recognition of my good intentions. I have tried to provide the greater context that, historically, has been erased or disavowed, and to give credit where credit is and always has been due though has often been withheld. I respectfully acknowledge the many people who inhabited this land and called it home before my family and other white settlers claimed it.