Sanctuary: The Story of Three Arch Rocks

A retelling of the inspirational story of two naturalists who, in 1903, visited Three Rocks island in Oregon, photographing the threatened wildlife there and convincing Theodore Roosevelt to name it a wildlife sanctuary, reproduces many of their actual prints.

Grade 3-5-An examination of the exploits of two turn-of-the-century nature photographers, William Finley and Herman Bohlman. After traveling to the Oregon coast in 1901, the men were appalled to find hunters slaughtering for sport the very birds and seals they wished to feature in their photographs. Against formidable odds, the men succeeded in camping on the rough, inhospitable islands of Three Arch Rocks for two weeks and photographing the wildlife. Their goal was to show President Theodore Roosevelt the importance of establishing the islands as a game preserve and ending the cruel hunters' games. Eventually, this happened. The book is peppered with spicy little snatches from one of the men's diaries as well as a few of their photographs. This slim volume also boasts action-packed, full-color illustrations of their daring deeds as well as abundant information on individual animals. Closing out the book is a useful, annotated list of wildlife organizations and a brief, interesting glossary. The narrow focus of this book may prevent smaller libraries from adding it to their collections. Yet, those patrons that give it a try will delight in its unique qualities.
Amy Adler, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, OH
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 2-4. Fraser recounts the story of William Finley and Herman Bohlman, two early-twentieth-century naturalists who helped save the wildlife of Three Arch Rocks, a group of small islands off the Oregon coast. In 1901 the pair noticed that sportsmen visited this craggy archipelago for weekend target practice, wreaking havoc on the population of seals, sea lions, and cormorants. Determined to stop the carnage, they arranged their own trip to photograph the animals. Despite rough seas, arduous climbs, and the need to sleep and eat on narrow rock ledges, the two completed their task. They then lobbied President Theodore Roosevelt until Three Arch Rocks was declared a national wildlife refuge. Numerous full-color acrylic paintings and labeled diagrams supplement the text and add visual appeal. Reproductions of four original photographs from the expedition have also been included. A very readable account that will be of interest to browsers as well as classes studying endangered species. Glossary; list of organizations that protect natural resources. Kay Weisman