Women of Change

When you think of Death Valley, what do you think of?

For some, it is home-- a place of life and family. For others, the valley conjures images of sweeping desert vistas and imposing geological features. Others still may think of the rugged male miners and prospectors braving the region in search of mineral wealth.

Death Valley is all of these things and more. As with many other National Parks, the narratives of Death Valley tended to exclude the history of women in the region. This means we have only ever learned half of the story.

With a generous grant from the Fund for People in Parks and in partnership with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, Death Valley National Park has been recovering and preserving stories of women connected to the park's past, present, and future to share with the public.

Women have spent generations living, working, and exploring this region. This page begins to explore some of the remarkable women who shaped Death Valley to encourage continued study and celebration of the often overlooked or neglected stories in our parks.