Passage to Wonderland

In 1903 the Cody Road opened, leading travelers from Cody, Wyoming to Yellowstone National Park. Cheyenne photographer J.E. Stimson traveled the route during its first week in existence, documenting the road for the state of Wyoming's contribution to the 1904 world's fair. His images of now-famous landmarks like the Buffalo Bill reservoir, the Holy City, Chimney Rock, Pahaska Tepee, Sylvan Pass, and Sylvan Lake are some of the earliest existing photgraphs of the route. In 2008, 105 years later, Michael Amundson traveled the same road, carefully duplicating Stimson's iconic original photographs. In Passage to Wonderland, each pair of images is combined with a detailed explanation of the land and history depicted. Amundson examines the physical changes along "the most scenic 50 miles in America" and explores the cultural and natural history behind them. This careful analysis of the paired images make Passage to Wonderlandmore than a "then and now" photography book--it is a unique exploration of the interconnectedness between the Old West and the New West. It will be a wonderful companion to those touring the Cody Road as well as those armchair tourists who will want to follow the road on Google Earth using the provided GPS coordinates.