| The national parks of the United States maintain a position of reverence in the national mind. From the expansive natural parks in Alaska to the smaller, historical parks of the East coast, the National Park Service is tasked with providing both enjoyment and preservation for the American people.Solidified as an agency by the addition of national monuments, battlefields, and other historic sites in 1933,the National Park Service experienced a surge in visitation. Aided by an unstable European continent, accessible automobile travel, and a need for inexpensive vacations due to the Great Depression, the national parks became the ideal destination. Through a qualitative analysis oflanguage used to describe national parks in magazine articles written between 1929 and 1940, I examine the relationship between national parks and American national identity. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach with the qualitative analysis software Atlas.ti, I contribute to the broader study of environmental identity. Key Words: National ParksGreat Smoky Mountains National ParkAmerican National IdentityEnvironmental IdentityAtlas.tiQualitative Analysis |