First published in 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was hailed as the catalyst for starting an American environmental movement.  Today, many continue to regard the renowned work in much the same way.  But, Montrie argues, this is a faulty interpretation of the past, one that rests on a limited understanding of what counts as environmentalism and who counts as an environmentalist.”  What do we find if we reexamine the historical record with this in mind?  Where did environmentalism actually come from?  And, what implications does a new origin story have for preservation, conservation, and environmental activism in the present?