Aven Nelson: Father of the Rocky Mountain Herbarium

June 24, 1899

On this day, a Yellowstone Park Sentry discovered six people camped beside the Madison River inside Yellowstone National Park.

The group consisted of Professor and botanist Aven Nelson and his family, as well as two students. The group was documenting the flora of Yellowstone.

Throughout the summer of 1899, they collected, pressed, and dried 30,000 specimens.

The sentry cited the group with multiple infractions - not understanding the botanical work and the materials necessary to collect and archive specimens.

The event was recorded in the diary of Mrs. Aven Nelson:

"He was appalled to see so many papers on the ground and demanded that they be picked up at once…

There ensued much talk about rules and regulations, in the course of which he discovered that we carried two rifles.

After sealing both, he insisted that the signature of Captain Brown would be a prerequisite [to getting them back]." 

After this unfortunate encounter, the campers picked up the felt papers drying in the sun and drove 46 miles to Mammoth. It took them two days to get there.

Learning from their Madison River citation, the group immediately obtained a permit.

Aven Nelson's work launched the Rocky Mountain Herbarium at the University of Wyoming.