thesisThe lands of the Great Basin are often considered to be bleak, empty places without history or stories. When I was fifteen, my grandfather led me on a short journey around the center of the Pahvant Valley, a relatively small portion of the Great Basin. Using this trip as a frame, I illustrate the complexity of the place, exploring the biologic, geologic, as well as human history of the area. Simultaneously, I work to show the importance of memory in the creation of attachment and appreciation of people to a specific place