Doug Leen

Doug Leen, also known as "Ranger Doug," is the owner of Ranger Doug's Enterprises, a company that specializes in reproducing and creating National Park posters in the style of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from the 1930s and 1940s.12

Background and Career

Doug Leen has had a diverse career path:

• He graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences in 1970.1
• After graduation, he served as a climbing ranger at Grand Teton National Park for seven years.1
• He later returned to the University of Washington and earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree in 1979.1
• Leen practiced dentistry for 20 years in Seattle's Pike Place Market and spent 15 years as a public health dentist in rural Alaskan villages.1
• In 2005, he worked as a staff dentist for the U.S. Antarctic Mission.1

Ranger Doug's Enterprises

Leen founded Ranger Doug's Enterprises in 1993.12 The company's focus is on:

• Reproducing and restoring WPA National Park posters from the 1930s and 1940s.2
• Creating new poster designs for National Parks and Monuments in the style of the original WPA posters.2
• Producing other park-related merchandise such as postcards, note cards, and window stickers.2

Achievements and Recognition

Doug Leen has become known as the "Ranger of the Lost Art" for his work in preserving and promoting WPA National Park poster art.4 His efforts include:

• Spending over 30 years researching and discovering original WPA National Park posters.1
• Restoring and reproducing these posters, making them available to the public.2
• Expanding the collection to include contemporary designs for parks that didn't have original WPA posters.3
• Writing a book titled "Rediscovering the WPA Poster Art of our National Parks," which was released in 2023.1

Doug Leen's work has played a significant role in preserving and reviving an important part of American art history and National Park heritage.