{{Short description|American conservationist}} thumb|right|150px '''Charles Alexander Sheldon''' (17 October 1867 &ndash; 21 September 1928) was an American conservationist and the "Father of Denali National Park".<ref>The National Parks: America's Best Idea, by Ken Burns. 2009 Sept. 29. PBS TV</ref> He had a special interest in the bighorn sheep and spent time hunting with the Seri Indians<ref>The Wilderness of Desert Bighorns & Seri Indians, 1979, The Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, Phoenix</ref> in Sonora, Mexico, who knew him as ''Maricaana Caamla'' ("American hunter").<ref>Mary B. Moser & Stephen A. Marlett, 2010, Comcaac quih Yaza quih Hant Ihiip hac: Diccionario Seri-Español-Inglés, Hermosillo & Mexico City, Universidad de Sonora & Plaza y Valdés Editores, p. 442</ref> Another favorite haunt was the lakes and rivers which later became Kejimkujik National Park in Nova Scotia where Sheldon built a cabin at Beaverskin Lake.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.novascotiablogs.com/2011/09/exploring-family-foundations-at-kejimkujik.html |title=Jim Cyr, "Exploring Family Foundations At Kejimkujik" |access-date=2013-10-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105054321/http://www.novascotiablogs.com/2011/09/exploring-family-foundations-at-kejimkujik.html |archive-date=2012-11-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In December 1905, Sheldon was elected member of the Boone and Crockett Club, a wildlife conservation organization founded by Theodore Roosevelt and George Bird Grinnell in 1887.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boone and Crockett Club Archives|url=http://cdm103401.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16013coll13/id/73/rec/51|access-date=2014-03-20|archive-date=2015-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520163907/http://cdm103401.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16013coll13/id/73/rec/51|url-status=dead}}</ref> He died on September 21, 1928, in Nova Scotia while on his annual stay at his cabin where he spent much of his final years.<ref>*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100624072850/http://charlessheldon.org/bio.htm "Charles Sheldon: The Father of Denali National Park", ''Charlessheldon.org'']</ref> The Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern Nevada is named in Sheldon's honor, as is Mount Sheldon in Denali National Park.

==Bibliography== *''The Wilderness of the North Pacific Coast Islands'' *''The Wilderness of the Upper Yukon'' *''The Wilderness of Denali''

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://worldhistory.us/american-history/charles-sheldon-one-mans-quest-to-create-the-alaskan-park.php Charles Sheldon: One Man’s Quest to Create the Alaskan Park] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100624072850/http://charlessheldon.org/bio.htm Biography] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090929060650/http://www.denali.national-park.com/info.htm Denali National Park Information Guide]

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Sheldon, Charles Alexander}} Category:1867 births Category:1928 deaths Category:American conservationists Category:Place of birth missing Category:Place of death missing Category:American expatriates in Mexico

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