John Yeon Landscape: Design, Conservation, Activism : Design Conservation Activism

John Yeon (1910-1994) devoted his life to designing and preserving the spectacular terrain of the Pacific Northwest. John Yeon Landscape explores his roles as planner, landscape architect, and conservation activist. The son of a lumber baron who raised the money for and oversaw the construction of one of America's first scenic highways, the Columbia River Gorge Highway, Yeon tackled conservation causes with the eye of a landscape designer. He single-handedly protected two of the most prominent features of the Oregon Coast: Neahkahnie Mountain and Chapman Point. Stemming from an intimate understanding of both landscape and the timber business, Yeon's writing and advocacy played an important role in the establishment of Olympic National Park. And in the Columbia River Gorge, he led a national committee dedicated to its conservation as well as buying 78 acres of land there, transforming it into the Shire. This private, picturesque landscape showcased the beauty of the gorge and even served as the birthplace of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Act.