History of the National Park Service (United States)

Since 1872 the National Park System has grown from a single, public reservation called Yellowstone National Park to embrace over 450 natural, historical, recreational, and cultural areas throughout the United States, its territories, and island possessions. These areas include a diverse varieties of areas —National Parks, National Monuments, National Memorials, National Military Parks, National Parkways, National Recreation Areas, National Seashores, National Scenic Riverways, National Scenic Trails, and others. [Lee, Ronald F.; Family Tree of the National Park System, A Chart with Accompanying Text Designed to Illustrate the Growth of the National Park System 1872-1972; 1972; Intro]

Beginnings

National Parks 1864-1891

he traveled the northern Great Plains of the United States here, he became concerned about the destruction of the Indian civilization, wildlife, and wilderness as eastern settlements spread westward. He wrote, “by some great protecting policy of government . . . in a magnificent park. . . . a nation’s park, containing man and beast, in all the wild [ness] and freshness of their nature’s beauty!” [The National Parks: Shaping the System; Harpers Ferry Center; U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., 2004]

Catlin’s vision had no immediate effect. In the east, romantic portrayals of nature by James Fenimore Cooper and Henry David Thoreau and painters Thomas Cole and Frederick Edwin Church began to compete with prevailing view of wilderness as a challenge to overcome. Slowly unspoiled nature and spectacular natural areas of the West became better known, the idea of saving such places became of interest.

In California, several leaders in the stated sought to protect Yosemite Valley. In 1864, Sen. John Conness of California sponsored and act to transfer the valley and nearby Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the state so they might “be used and preserved for the benefit of mankind.” President Abraham Lincoln signed this act of Congress on June 30, 1864. California was granted the valley and the grove on condition that They would “be held for public use, resort, and recreation . . . inalienable for all time.” [ibid, Shaping the System]

The Yellowstone country was first ‘officially’ explored by David E. Folsom, Henry D. Washburn, and Ferdinand Hayden in 1869-71. near the end of the first expedition, discussion around the campfire lead several of the members to suggest that the area be set aside for public use and not allowing it to be sold to private individuals. An early ally in promoting a public reservation was the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. They were seeking major destinations for there route through Montana. [ibid, Shaping the System]

National Monument Line I, 1906-1916

Early emphasis had been on the creation of National Parks, there was another movement seeking to preserve the cliff dwellings, pueblo ruins, and early missions throughout the west and southwest. Often local ranchers would try to protect these ruins from plunder, but pot-hunters vandalized many sites. The effort began in Boston and spread to Washington, New York, Denver, and Santa Fe, during the 1880s and 1890's. Rep. John Fletcher Lacey of Iowa and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts, created the Antiquities Act of 1906. [op cit, Lee; part 1]

The Antiquities Act of 1906 was designed to protect antiquities and objects of scientific interest on the public domain. It authorized the President, "to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest" that existed on public lands in the United States. The Act declared these sites to be National Monuments. It prohibited the excavation or removal of objects on Federal land unless the a permit had been issued by the appropriate department. [ibid, Lee; part 1] Between 1906 and 1933 three Federal agencies, the Departments of Interior, Agriculture and War, initiated and administered separate groups of National Monuments.

President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act on June 8, 1906. As early as 1889 Congress authorized the President to reserve the land on which the well known Casa Grande Ruin was located. In 1904, Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett made a review of all the Indian ruins on Federal lands in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. He recommended many sites for protection. Hewett's. Based on Hewett’s report and many individual request and reports from throughout the west, between 1906 and 1916 the Interior Department recommended and Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson proclaimed twenty National Monuments. [ibid, Lee; part 1]

On September 24, 1906 President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Devils Tower as the first National Monument. Devils Tower is a Wyoming landmark, a 600-foot-high tower of rock, visible for nearly 100 miles. It has been a guidepost and a religious site. In December of that year, three more National Monuments were created. El Morro, New Mexico is a wayside in the rugged desert lands used by Indians settlers and travelers for centuries as a watering hole and a place to leave their marks. The site includes prehistoric petroglyphs and hundreds of inscriptions from 17th century Spanish explorers and 19th century American emigrants and settlers. Montezuma Castle, Arizona, is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings. Petrified Forest, Arizona, is world renowned for its petrified wood, Indian ruins and petroglyphs. Three of these original National Monuments later became the core of National Parks. Mukuntuweap became Zion, Sieur de Monts grew into Acadia, and Petrified Forest which was expanded by Congress to become a National Park of the same name. Three of the smaller areas were later abolished, those being Lewis and Clark Caverns, Shoshone Cavern, and Papago Saguaro. [ibid, Lee; part 1]

Mineral Springs Line, 1832-1916

is a health resort and spa rather than a scenic area. In 1902 the Federal Government purchased 32 mineral springs near Sulphur, Oklahoma, from the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians. The Sulphur Springs Reservation was placed under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior who shortly acquired some additional land. In 1906 Congress created Platt National Park which included the Sulphur Springs Reservation. [ibid, Lee; Part 1]

Establishment and Growth of the National Park System, 1916 - 1933

Forty-four years after the establishment of Yellowstone, when President Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service on August 25, 1916. For years J. Horace McFarland, President of the American Civic Association; Secretaries of the Interior Walter Fisher and Franklin K. Lane; Presidents William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson; Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.; Representatives William Kent and John E. Raker of California; Senator Reed Smoot of Utah; Stephen T. Mather and Horace M. Albright had been seeking the creation of separate agency to manage the National Parks and Monuments. [ibid, Lee; Part 2]

Reorganization of 1933

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National Capital Parks Line, 1790-1933

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National Memorials Line, 1776-1933

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National Military Parks Line, 1781-1933

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National Monument Line II, 1910-1933; WAR DEPARTMENT

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National Monument Line III, 1907-1933; DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

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National Park System Areas by Category Following the Reorganization of 1933

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Growth of the National Park System; 1933-1966

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Natural Areas, 1933 - 1966

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Historical Areas, 1933 - 1966

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Recreation Areas, 1933 - 1966

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The Second 50 Years; 1966-2016

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ee also

*Forest Reserve Act of 1891

References

Additional Reading

*ALBRIGHT, Horace M. (as told to Robert Cahn). The Birth of the National Park Service. Salt Lake City: Howe Brothers, 1985.
*Albright, Horace M, and Marian Albright Schenck. Creating the National Park Service: The Missing Years. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1999.
*EVERHARDT, William C. The National Park Service. New York: Praeger, 1972.
*Hartzog, George B. Jr; "Battling for the National Parks"; Moyer Bell Limited; Mt. Kisco, New York; 1988
*Ise, John. Our National Park Policy: A Critical History. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1961.
*Lee, Ronald F.; "Family Tree of the National Park System"; Eastern National Parks, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1972
*Mackintosh, Barry. The National Parks: Shaping the System. Washington: National Park Service, 1991.
*"The National Parks: Shaping The System"; National Park Service, Washington D.C. 1991.
*Rettie, Dwight F.; "Our National Park System"; University of Illinois Press; Urbana, Illinois; 1995
*Ridenour, James M. The National Parks Compromised: Pork Barrel Politics and America's Treasures. Merrillville, IN: ICS Books, 1994.
*WIRTH, Conrad L. Parks, Politics, and the People. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980.Shankland, Robert. Steve Mather of the National Parks. New York: Knopf, 1970.

External Sources

* [http://www.nps.gov/ NPS official site]
* [http://www.nps.gov/legacy/criteria.html Criteria for inclusion in the National Park System]
* [http://www.nps.gov/legacy/nomenclature.html Designation of National Park System Units] ("national monument" vs "national park", etc.)
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/history/hisnps/NPSHistory/timeline.htm National Park System Timeline]