Arno B. Cammerer

Arno B. Cammerer 1883 - 1941 was the third director of the U.S. National Park Service.

Early years and education

Arno B. Cammerer was born in Arapahoe, Nebraska in 1883. He was the son of a Lutheran pastor..National Park Service Biography of Arno B. Cammerer http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/sontag/cammerer.htm] He went to Washington, D.C in 1904 and worked as a civil service bookkeeper. He earned a Bachelor of Law degree at Georgetown Law School in 1911.

Early career

The U.S. National Park Service's first director, Stephen Mather spotted Cammerer’s competence as executive secretary of the Fine Arts Commission, and Cammerer’s appointment as Assistant Director followed in 1919. Arno B. Cammerer replaced Horace M. Albright as assistant director of the National Park Service in 1919. He served as Mather's right-hand man in Washington and acted for him in his frequent absences over the next decade.

After the project to found Great Smoky Mountains National Park proved expensive. Cammerer secured a promise from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to match $5 million in the acquisition of Shenandoah National Park lands.

He advanced to the new rank of associate director on January 12, 1929.

Directorship of the U.S. National Park Service

Arno succeeded Albright as director in August 10, 1933. This was the same day as the transfer of the national capitol parks, historic sites, memorials, and monuments from the War and Agriculture departments..

Under his leadership the NPS did the following:
* Tripled the number of areas served
* Increased vistiations from 2 to 16 million
* Facilities for public use increased notably
* Became involved with recreational area planning and management. History of early NPS directors http://www.nps.gov/history/history/hisnps/NPSHistory/directors.htm]
* Supervised the use of the Civilian Conservation Corps in many projects in both national and state parks.
* Began to survey and record historic sites and buildings outside the existing parks.
* Worked with Congress to pass the Historic Sites Act
* Worked with Congress to pass a law establishing the National Park Foundataion

In 1937, his portrait was painted by artist Herbert A. Collins.Biography of Herbert Alexander Collins, by Alfred W. Collins, February 1975, 4 pages typed, in the possession of Collins' great-great grand-daughter, D. Dahl of Tacoma, WA]

In 1938, he received the Cornelius Amory Pugsley Gold Medal.Cornelius Amory Pugsley Gold Medal winner's biography http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/Pugsley/Cammere.htm] The Pugsley award recognizes outstanding contributions to the promotion and development of public parks in the United States. It is given out by the American Academy of Park and Recreation Administrators along with the National Park Foundation.

Strained relations with Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes impaired his effectiveness and health, and he stepped down in 1940, following after a 1939 heart attack. He became the service's eastern regional director.

Death and legacy

He died of another heart attack on April 30, 1941. [65th Anniversary, National Park Service, August 25, 1981;]

The official NPS biography says that "Cammerer's contributions to the National Park Service were legion."

Mount Cammerer, on the Northeastern fringe of the Great Smoky Mountains is named for Arno as he had played a prominent role in the acquisition of the park.

References

ee Also

*National Park Service
*Stephen Mather - 1st Director of the National Park Service
*Horace M. Albright - 2nd Director
*Newton B. Drury - 4th Director