National Park In The United States Of America

The U.S. National Park System includes 63 designated National Parks, as well as hundreds of other parks, monuments, and historical sites, covering more than 85 million acres. The history of the National Parks begins with the designation of Yellowstone in 1872 and includes a long, complex story of exploration, Indigenous removal, conservation efforts, and recreation.
History of the National Park System
1872: The first park. President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, establishing Yellowstone as the first national park in the United States and the world.
1890: Yosemite and Sequoia. After naturalist John Muir and others highlighted the devastating effects of grazing and logging, Congress creates Yosemite and Sequoia national parks.
1906: The Antiquities Act. President Theodore Roosevelt signs the Antiquities Act, which grants presidents the authority to designate national monuments to preserve historic or prehistoric sites.
1916: The National Park Service. President Woodrow Wilson signs the Organic Act, creating the National Park Service (NPS) to coordinate and manage the growing number of national parks.
1919: Grand Canyon. President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill establishing the Grand Canyon as a national park.
1929: Acadia. What was once Sieur de Monts National Monument (1916) and then Lafayette National Park (1919) is officially named Acadia National Park.
1934: Great Smoky Mountains. Congress authorizes the establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, though it isn't formally dedicated until 1940.
1947: The Everglades. Following decades of conservation efforts and warnings from writers like Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Everglades National Park is dedicated by President Harry S. Truman.




Overview of parks and their histories
Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
Indigenous people: Humans have lived and hunted in the area for over 11,000 years. The NPS recognizes 27 tribes with historic and modern ties to the park.
Early exploration: European-American trappers began exploring the area in the early 1800s. Early reports of the region's geysers and colorful hot springs were dismissed as tall tales until formal expeditions took place after the Civil War.
Establishment: The park was established in 1872 to protect its unique geothermal features and wildlife.
Yosemite National Park (California)
Native Americans: The Sierra Miwok and other Native American groups inhabited the Yosemite area for thousands of years. The California Gold Rush led to conflict and the eventual forced removal of Indigenous people from the valley.
Protection efforts: In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, protecting Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove. However, these areas remained under state control. Later, naturalist John Muir successfully advocated for the surrounding area to become a national park in 1890, and the entire area was finally unified under federal control in 1906.
Grand Canyon Nati