Lights. Camera. Action! It's not surprising that almost as soon as motion picture technology became popular national parks were regular subjects and backdrops for cinematic productions. Many early professional photographers experimented with motion picture cameras and amateur filmmakers quickly followed suit. Indeed, around 1924, Stephen T. Mather, the first director of the National Park Service (NPS), purchased his own Bell and Howell 16mm Cine camera and Filmo Cine Projector.
The NPS History Collection includes 16mm films that document many aspects of national park history. Recently, some of them have been digitized to share with the public. More will be digitized as funding becomes available so check back regularly. In the meantime, sit back with some popcorn and enjoy!
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Stephen T. Mather Film Collection: Crown Prince of Sweden Visit, 1926
Silent black-and-white film of the Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden visiting Yellowstone National Park on July 2, 1926. The party visited a bison round up. Stephen T. Mather and Horace M. Albright can both be seen. Still images taken in Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, and Mesa Verde national parks are included and described by intertitles. The film created by Frank M. Warren of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1927. This film is no longer in copyright. Digitized from the original film in the NPS History Collection.
- Duration:
- 8 minutes, 1 second
Last updated: June 16, 2025