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WITHIN THE LAST CENTURY, beginning with the establishment of Yellowstone National Park, a new type of land use has evolved in the United States of America that is the essence of democracy. Embodied in the National Park System, it is based upon the concept that, for the benefit of all Americans, Federal protection should be given to examples of the various types of superlative scenery of this country, to its unique geological and biological exhibits, and to those areas that tell the story of human culture and achievements and of events that directed or influenced its development from earliest known human habitation.

The philosophy of national parks now is inextricably woven into the fabric of our national life. In its idealism, laced with practicality, it takes its place with the motivating factors that resulted in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—documents that are memorialized in historic shrines in the National Park System.

A NATIONAL PARK IS BORN

The story began in 1870 on the western frontier of the United States. During most of the first three-quarters of the 19th century the geysers and hot springs of the Yellowstone region had been visited by Indians and occasionally by a few intrepid white hunters, trappers, and prospectors. Stories of strange wonders filtered out, to be met with derision. Finally a group of prominent citizens of the Territory of Montana intrigued by these rumors, organized an expedition and in the summer of 1870 spent a month exploring the area, to settle once and for all the basis of the seemingly fantastic tales. Although beset by everthreatening dangers and great hardship, they covered all the features best known to visitors today.

History records with gratitude the action of the members of this expedition. After discussing the possibilities of private exploitation, as they were entitled to file on the land, they made a decision which in reality made the national park their gift to the people of the Nation. At the suggestion of Judge Cornelius Hedges that the land not be divided and claimed privately, but that it be set apart as a great national park, they gave up their rights of settlement and pushed the park idea. As a result of their efforts, in 1872 the Congress of the United States enacted legislation setting up Yellowstone National Park as a "public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."

Thus a national park—the world's first— was born.

Eighteen years later Yosemite, Sequoia, and General Grant (the latter now a part of Kings Canyon) National Parks, in California's High Sierra, were set apart for public use. Even before this, in 1864, the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees were granted to the State of California with the proviso that they "be held for public use, resort, and recreation"—it is considered the country's first State park. In 1906, returned to the Federal Government, they were added to Yosemite National Park.

In 1899, Washington's Mount Rainier a quiescent volcano that, sheathed in glaciers, still belches steam through the snow on its summit—was given national park status.

Thus in the last 30 years of the last century a strong foundation was laid for the present National Park System. It was not then a coordinated system. The parks at best were administered sketchily on a part-time basis by employees engaged in what was known as the "miscellaneous work" of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior.

Grouped with the national parks for administrative purposes were the Hot Springs Reservation, reserved in 1832 because of its mineral waters, believed by Indians and whites alike to have healing powers; and the Casa Grande Ruin, reserved in 1892, under 1889 Congressional authority, to give protection to some centuries-old Indian structures. The Hot Springs Reservation was a new departure in social service, but there was no thought of national park establishment involved. Not until 1921, after trails and other recreational developments in the woodland portion of the area had proved its possibilities for other than healing purposes, did Congress give it national park status. Neither can the protection of Casa Grande Ruin, important as it was, be considered the prototype of historic site preservation under national park philosophy. It became a national monument in 1918.

HUMAN HISTORY COMES INTO ITS OWN

Two significant developments in the expansion of the young National Park System came in 1906. One was the establishment of Mesa Verde National Park, to give protection to its notable prehistoric cliff dwellings. The other was the passage of the "Antiquities Act," signed by President Theodore Roosevelt who was keenly interested in conserving the Nation's cultural heritage. This act gave to the President of the United States authority to preserve as national monuments, by public proclamation, historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest already in public ownership. In passing the Antiquities Act, Congress took cognizance of the need for legal machinery through which Federal protection could be quickly given to irreplaceable and readily damageable prehistoric and historic sites and to areas of rare scientific interest that might be threatened with encroachment or obliteration through settlement or commercial utilization. For nearly 30 years administration of the national monuments was divided between three executive departments. Those of military significance were under the War Department. Others, surrounded by national forests, were administered by the Department of Agriculture. Most, however, were allocated to the Department of the Interior for administration with the wilderness national parks.

Other areas of historic importance, military in character and mostly in the East, already had been set aside by Congress for preservation under War Department jurisdiction. Of that, more later.

Last Modified: Sat, Oct 5 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
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