author
Orville O. Hiestand
A Midwestern travel writer remembered for celebrating the landscapes and historic places of the United States, he helped make the case for exploring America close to home. His best-known work invites readers to see the country with fresh curiosity and pride.
1 Audiobook
See America First
by Orville O. Hiestand, Charles J. Herr
About the author
Orville O. Hiestand was an American writer from Ohio, identified in public records as Orville Otterbein Hiestand (1888–1956). He is associated today mainly with the travel book See America First, a work that encouraged readers to appreciate the scenery, history, and character of the United States.
See America First was published in the early 20th century and is credited to Hiestand with contributions from Charles J. Herr; library records also connect the book with later editions. The writing reflects a popular idea of its time: that Americans did not need to go abroad to find memorable landscapes and meaningful journeys.
Not much detailed biographical information is easy to confirm online, which gives Hiestand a somewhat elusive place in literary history. Still, his surviving work offers a clear picture of his interests—travel, national heritage, and the pleasure of paying closer attention to the places around us.