American Monuments

Have you ever wondered about the untold stories regarding our national monuments? Behind every story hides the one which we never hear. These are those stories.

How did these icons emerge, and who made sure that they were preserved for us all to enjoy? Much credit goes to the National Parks of the United States of America. The National Parks Association has been a key player in preserving, especially natural monuments, for Americans and for people from around the world to see. You will be surprised at what ordinary citizens can do to protect our common architectural heritage. You will walk in the steps of Abraham Lincoln and Ansel Adams, both of them men who saw the future potential of protected natural areas.

Eric Sorila is a published photographer and journalist. He travelled throughout the United States, capturing on large format film, these twenty-five monuments. With a keen eye for detail and the persistence to arrive at the monument sites at early dawn and late evening’s light, Eric has presented to us our icons in their best light. These photos epitomize what it means to preserve and protect the monuments that make every American proud.

My love of history made it a challenging but rewarding task to research the less-known stories of the monuments. My goal was to give you, the reader, a peak into the fascinating facts surrounding each photo. There is much more to tell about each monument. In this book I cover the highlights. Eric and I worked together with the purpose of presenting the stories in a summative form. Here are the wonderful and often wild places, the historic statues and the grand buildings for you to enjoy.