NPS History Collection

Another great Tested video has dropped. Check it out!

Restoring Fabric Textures With ... THIS Note: The NPS Museum Conservation Lab's future is uncertain; it had its lease canceled by Doge, then extended by one year only. The Muse...

Another Tested video to share! Check out our colleague Curtis talk with Adam Savage about reproducing Teddy Roosevelt's trunk.

Which Theodore Roosevelt Trunk Is a Replica? Note: The NPS Museum Conservation Lab's future is uncertain; it had its lease canceled by Doge, then extended by one year only. Sometimes museums need to rep...

"Tie a fly for fishing and use it successfully to catch a fish. Make an analysis of the stomach of the fish caught, and make notes on the size, color, and other data concerning the fish."

"Make 8 all-day and 15 half-day hikes with the naturalist. Five of these must involve climbing peaks of over 10,000 feet, one of which must be Longs Peak, which latter must be done under leadership of a licensed guide or a Nature Scout counselor."

"Prepare a nature museum exhibit."

"Make an out-of-doors kitchen consisting of a stone fireplace, spit, and pothangers."

These are just a few of the 18 tasks that boys aged 12-18 needed to complete to earn the Mountaineer degree in the Rocky Mountain National Park Junior Nature Scouts program. (There was also a Girl Naturalist program). Organized by park naturalist H. Raymond Gregg and run from 1937-1942 and in 1945, the boys successively completed programs to earn Pathfinder, Trail Blazer, Hill-Topper, and Mountaineer degrees.

The program taught wilderness skills such as building a fire; cooking outdoors; camping; plant and animal identification and observations; first aid; and orienteering. Naturalist work such as studying insects, park geography, flowers, birds, glaciers, trees, mammals, and first aid (then passing exams!); specimen collection and preservation; museum exhibitions; and public lectures were also part of the rigorous programs.

What an amazing program! We're exhausted just writing about it. What do you think? Could you have made it to Mountaineer?

Photo credits: NPS History Collection

In addition to the A-line dress and pantsuit, the 1974 women's uniform included the "traditional uniform" option. It was prescribed for employees whose primary duties on a day-today basis require direct contact with the park visitors. The regulations noted that, "Employees wearing this uniform should be able to respond and handle any visitor requests for emergency assistance." Although it featured trousers and a dark green ascot, skirts and green four-in-hand neckties were approved options.

In February 1974 another women's uniform design was implemented. A green A-line dress was approved for most women in administrative and public contact duties in offices, at information desks, in visitor centers, on speaking engagements, and for any formal occasions inside or outside the park. A pantsuit option was available for nature trails around visitor centers or during bad weather.

Photo credit: NPS History Collection photo

The 1962 women's uniform regulations specify that the jacket, skirt, and hat were “the airline hostess type.” The uniform was modeled after those worn by American Airlines flight attendants and was manufactured by the Delta Uniforms company (unrelated to Delta Airlines).

Although the 1962 uniform regulations didn’t include trousers, we’ve found several photos in the NPS History Collection that document that some women did, in fact, where them when working outdoors.

Photo credit: NPS History Collection