Cover Page

Preface

Introduction

In Search of an Identity

Photofile

Bibliography

Notes

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

National Park Service Uniforms In Search of an Identity 1872-1920	Number 2
In Search of an Identity (continued)

Stephen Tyng Mather, c. 1915. First director of the National Park Service, 1916-1929 NPSHPC - William E. Dassonville photo - HFC/92-36

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating the National Park Service as an Interior Department bureau. Stephen T. Mather became its director upon its organization the following year.

Until this time the superintendents of the various parks, with a few exceptions, had been allowed to set their own ranger uniform standards. Normally, as long as they followed a vague set of guidelines, rangers were allowed to wear whatever uniform they wished. Most seemed to be wearing either the Daniels or the Eisner coats. But in Yellowstone, for instance, rangers did not wear uniforms. [62] They more than likely wore a combination of civilian and military clothing.

Yosemite rangers had been wearing military clothing, but on July 1, 1916, under Section 125 of the National Defense Act, it became illegal for anyone other than military personnel to wear the uniform of the U.S. Army. This required them to order their uniforms through the normal departmental channels. That October Supervisor Washington B. "Dusty" Lewis wrote, "Practically nothing in the way of Army uniform clothing has been purchased recently by the ranger force of this park, a uniform of a color similar to that of the forestry green having been adopted." [63] Because of the proximity of the park to San Francisco, one would think that they were using the Daniels uniform and that it would have been olive drab. It is not known whether the rangers had begun purchasing their uniforms from the Hastings Clothing Company at this time, but more than likely the new forest green clothing came from that establishment. As with so many of the uniforms being used by the parks, nothing is known as to style.

Washington B. "Dusty" Lewis, 1921. Superintendent, Yosemite National Park, 1917-1928, with wife Bernice and son Carl. Lewis was one of the people instrumental in standardizing the uniform of the National Park Service. NPSHPC - HFC/92-21

The supervisors and rangers from the various parks were becoming eager for a regulation uniform to be adopted. While in Washington at a national parks conference in early 1917, they made sketches for a proposed new regulation uniform for the Service. Supervisors Lewis (Yosemite) and Dewitt L. Raeburn (Mount Rainier) then held an informal discussion with the quartermaster general's office concerning the possibility of having the Army make up uniforms for the National Park Service. There seemed to be no problem with this, provided the transactions were handled officially between the departments. Lewis later forwarded material samples and sketches of a coat design that "conflicts in no way with army uniforms," requesting the Service to make the necessary arrangements. He figured the rangers could save "50% or more" on the cost of their uniforms. [64]

Acting Superintendent of Parks Joseph J. Cotter pursued the matter with the quartermaster general. He stated that the Service's needs would be small: "we will not have over seventy-five employees in the field at anytime in the near future." But the quartermaster general declined to become involved, noting that "under present conditions this Department is taxed to its utmost capacity in meeting the requirements of the Army." He did furnish the names of the uniform companies supplying the Army. [65]

L. Claude Way, Stanley Field, Rocky Mountain National Park, 1916. Way was superintendent at park, 1917-1921. He is wearing a U.S. Army uniform with civilian buttons. Left to Right: Alfred Dearborn; Way; acting superintendent Charles R. Trowbridge. NPSHPC - ROMO/1610

With the Army declining to assist in uniform procurement, the National Park Service fell back on the old method of supply, with the parks purchasing uniforms from Sigmund Eisner through the department or on their own from local suppliers. In a May letter to Chief Ranger L. Claude Way, Rocky Mountain National Park, Acting Director Horace M. Albright reviewed the department's uniform purchasing history and stated: "Blue print No. 2 shows the style of coat which the contractor has been furnishing, except that no top outside pockets are included. The other drawing is one that was gotten up by several of the supervisors when in Washington." The former drawing is the one made by Eisner in 1912. The latter was located in correspondence relating to the changing the uniform design in 1928. [66] This copy of the 1917 uniform drawing was altered probably in 1920 when the N.P.S. was eliminated from the collar.

Drawing of 1917 National Park Service uniform illustrating worked N.P.S. on collar. NA/RG 79

In a letter to Eisner dated May 7, 1917, Albright wrote: "You have heretofore furnished uniforms to rangers in the National Park Service [and] with the exception of minor pocket modifications, modeled the coats in conformity with a drawing submitted at one time, designated 'Fig. 2.' The enclosed drawing represents a style of coat which is considered more distinctive and better adapted to the needs of the National Park Service than the one now being used." This "new design" coat had a convertible collar, four outside patch pockets with the top pockets having pleats, and a half belt in back. This style of coat was adopted by the 1920 regulations. The existing blueprint shows that the department simply crossed out the stitched N.P.S. requirement on the print before sending it out to the suppliers. The material was still to be olive drab wool. [67]

There are a coat and breeches in the Yellowstone collection that match the above description, except that they are forestry green wool. These were almost certainly made in 1919, because that was the only year that the official ranger uniform was forest green with N.P.S. stitched on the collar.

Eisner priced this new uniform, consisting of coat, breeches, shirt, leather puttees, and "alpine" hat, at $28.75. There were options, such as trousers instead of breeches, buttons on the breeches instead of laces, etc., that would raise or lower the basic cost somewhat. [68]

At this same time parks were apparently ordering uniforms from other suppliers, because requests were coming in for more NPS buttons than would have been lost through attrition. [69] These buttons were being furnished by Eisner but manufactured by the Waterbury Button Company in Waterbury, Connecticut, with Eisner's back stamp.

Continue

Last Modified: Wed, Dec 20 2000 11:30:00 pm PDT
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/workman2/vol2c15.htm