Storm King as Sense of Place

The part of the field trip that affected me the most was seeing storm king mountain from the river taxi. I had done research on the site for our final presentation and although I had read quite a bit about its role in the environmental movement, felt that my appreciation was not fully validated until I had seen the mountain first hand. The mountain really was a site to behold and a dominant image of the river tour. I realized when passing just how unsightly a power plant would be wedged in the face of the mountain.

I also realized that the mountain was rich with character. It was easily distinguishable from other landmarks of the area, a trait that reminded me much of the landmarks near my own home: features that are vital in developing a sense of place. In this case I am defining sense of place as the clearly visible physical features of an area which distinguish it from any other place. Although a plant would by no means decrease visibility of the mountain, it would have greatly changed the kind of place that this landmark defined. Storm king mountain would no longer signify the untamed natural beauty of the river, but instead would mark the beginning of a new, industrial age where nature is sacrificed for human gain. I am glad that this site has been preserved because I can now attempt to empathize with what the mountain means for the surrounding residents. I know that there are many features of my own home that, in my mind, define it as a specific place. If one of these features were to be drastically changed, my idea of home would be changed and what was once so familiar would become foreign and far less comfortable.