Herma Geneva Albertson Baggley (1896-1981)

The whole surface of the earth is made beautiful by the vegetation that clothes it.

Starting as a seasonal “pillow puncher” at Old Faithful Lodge to earn room and board, Herma Albertson Baggley arrived at her dream location, Yellowstone National Park, in 1929. Growing up in Iowa and Idaho shaped her pioneering spirit, avid passion for plant life and drive to instill it in others. In 1931, she became the first permanent female park ranger for the National Park Service. Her knowledge of Yellowstone, its plants, and her interpretive skills surpassed those of her male colleagues; it was common to have hundreds attend her talks. Baggley not only taught park visitors, she also was a high school science teacher and a full-time instructor in the Botany Department at the University of Idaho, where she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Though Baggley moved on from Yellowstone to raise a family, she left a legacy of information such as identifying the first rubber boa snake and park trail development. Her continued interests in the National Park Service never diminished; two decades after leaving Yellowstone, she became a founding member and the first leader of the National Park Women’s Organization. Her work with this organization improved facilities throughout the National Park Service, including employee and their family’s housing. Baggley’s most significant contribution to conservation was authoring and illustrating the Plants of Yellowstone National Park (1936), a foundational guide still in print today. Her influential and groundbreaking work continues to be an inspiration to people pursuing careers in natural resource conservation.

This plaque was created by SUTL Cohort 37.

Image: Herma Albertson Baggley courtesy of NPS, Yellowstone National Park.