MINERVA HOYT loved the Mojave Desert. She loved the jackrabbits, the coyotes, the prickly cacti, and especially the weird, spiky Joshua trees. But in the 1920s, most visitors to the desert felt it was a wasteland, a place they could damage or destroy. Minerva was determined to change that. And she had a wild idea—build displays to show people across America the Mojave's beauty. Minerva even later convinced President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the National Park Service that the Mojave was worth saving.

Minerva's perseverance led to the creation of Joshua Tree National Park in California. Thanks to the "Cactus Queen," the park is now enjoyed by millions every year. 

From the dust jacket