Death of a Great American

Stewart Udall died today.  His legacy, as the N.Y. Times recounts, surrounds us:

As interior secretary in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, he presided over the acquisition of 3.85 million acres of new holdings, including 4 national parks — Canyonlands in Utah, Redwood in California, North Cascades in Washington State and Guadalupe Mountains in Texas — 6 national monuments, 9 national recreation areas, 20 historic sites, 50 wildlife refuges and 8 national seashores. He also had an interest in preserving historic sites, and helped saved Carnegie Hall from destruction.

Udall was also responsible for the Wilderness Act and much other valuable legislation — which, unlike today, was nearly all bipartisan.

Our condolences go out to his family.