Many little boys dream of being a cowboy; of being one with their horse and the land; of having the muscle and guts to challenge the elements, and a few rough necks, and come out ahead. Max Harward, didn't have to dream--he just had to wake up each morning to what he says was an idyllic childhood.

"I still live with the influence of the island," said Harward. "Our family lived on the island all summer long, then during the school year I lived with my older sister in Payson and went to school, and my parents stayed on the farm."

"The Farm" was a sheep ranch on the east side of Antelope Island, the same ranch that is now the Fielding Garr Ranch and Museum. The wide open space and isolation fed Harward's mind and creativity as few environments could have.

"I was nine years old. My dad gave me a horse, a dog and a gun and turned me loose to explore the island," said Harward. "He knew it would be my last chance before I was old enough to start helping with the work.

"He just turned me loose. Mother thought I'd would meet with disaster. She nearly died (with worry)."

Harward said he was the envy of his peers. He was a real cowboy, living on the third largest ranch in the state of Utah from the time he was eight years old until he was 20. He rode his horse all day, worked cattle roundups, went on buffalo hunts and helped with branding.

"I had a soft spot in my heart for the animals when they were being branded," said Harward. "I was 14 years old. Some things were really tough--branding, dehorning, castrating."

He decided to go into veterinary medicine. It was a logical choice: he could ease animal suffering and had "about as much experience as one could hope for with large animals." He obtained a B.S. in biology and was accepted into a veterinary school near Sacramento, but the U.S. military had other ideas.

Harward was drafted. He was already married and had a child. His meager pay of $78 per month wasn't enough to sustain his family back home. He told his wife to use the college money as she needed. It barely got her through the two years he was gone. When he returned, he needed to rethink his future.

"I stayed in Utah, earned a master's degree in botany from the 'U' and taught at Bountiful High School for 30 years," said Harward with a smile. He went on to earn a Ph.D. but continued to teach in public school.

"I thought students needed a well-trained instructor. I was one of the few Ph.D. teachers in Davis District. I had lots of job offers, but stayed in Utah. I loved the kids."

He also taught botany courses at BYU and the University of Utah.

Teaching wasn't all he loved. Harward is passionate about photography and history--more specifically the photos and history of Antelope Island. He's one of the few photographers to capture the entire coastline of the island as well as to archive the donated photographs of the families and individuals who have called the island "home."

Last September, Harward was awarded the Outstanding Service Award from the Utah Historical Society and the Board of State History for his exceptional research, documentation and publications concerning the history of Antelope Island.

The compilation of his work has been published in two books, "Where the Buffalo Roam" and "Structures of Antelope Island." The books are written in a conversational style and are a delightful look at how the island has evolved, the people who shaped it and the agencies that opened it to the public.

Both books are available at the Antelope Island Gift Shop and by e-mailing Harward at botdoc@earth

link.net. The books are also available at the Davis County Library. Harward also plans to release a DVD with expanded photos and commentary sometime this fall.

"Someone offered to pay my way through veterinary school, but he died before he could make good on his offer," smiled Harward. "Life takes some funny turns. Mine has been great."