National Parks
Timeline
History Overview
The National Parks Idea
The concept of national parks, areas protected for their natural beauty, biodiversity, and cultural significance, has transcended national boundaries and become a global endeavor. Here’s an introduction to the history of national parks worldwide.
Early Influences: The idea of preserving natural areas dates back centuries, with early examples including royal hunting reserves and sacred sites protected by indigenous communities. In the 19th century, the emergence of romanticism and growing concerns over industrialization’s impact on the environment influenced the creation of protected areas.
Yellowstone and the Beginnings: Often considered the world’s first national park, Yellowstone National Park in the United States was established in 1872. Its creation served as a model for other nations seeking to protect their natural wonders.
Expansion and International Collaboration: Following Yellowstone’s lead, countries around the world began establishing their own national parks and protected areas. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), founded in 1948, played a crucial role in facilitating international cooperation on conservation efforts.
Key Figures and Movements: Visionaries like John Muir in the United States, who advocated for the protection of wilderness areas, and figures like George Catlin, who proposed the idea of national parks in Europe, contributed to the global movement for conservation.
Establishment of the National Park System: Many countries have developed national park systems to manage and protect their natural and cultural heritage. These systems vary in size, scope, and management practices but share the common goal of preserving important ecosystems and landmarks.
Landmark Legislation and Policies: Various countries have enacted legislation and policies to establish and manage national parks. Examples include the Yellowstone Act of 1872 in the United States, which created Yellowstone National Park, and the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1975 in Australia, which established the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Challenges and Conservation Efforts: National parks worldwide face common challenges such as habitat loss, poaching, climate change, and unsustainable tourism. Conservation efforts often involve a combination of scientific research, community engagement, and international cooperation.
Global Networks and Initiatives: Organizations like the IUCN and the World Heritage Convention work to identify and protect important natural and cultural sites worldwide. The designation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves highlights areas of global significance for conservation.
Today, national parks and protected areas exist on every continent, representing a collective effort to safeguard the planet’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations. Despite the challenges they face, these areas continue to inspire awe and appreciation for the wonders of our world.
USA National Parks Services
The National Park Service (NPS) stands as a testament to America’s commitment to preserving its natural and cultural treasures for generations to come. Its roots trace back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when concerns over the rapid development and exploitation of the nation’s wilderness areas began to surface.
Early Conservation Movement: In the late 1800s, visionaries like John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt advocated for the protection of America’s wilderness. Their efforts led to the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, widely regarded as the world’s first national park.
Birth of the NPS: On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act into law, creating the NPS as a federal agency under the Department of the Interior. Its primary mission was to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife” within designated areas for the enjoyment of future generations.
Leadership and Expansion: Stephen T. Mather, a businessman and conservationist, became the first director of the NPS. Under his leadership, the agency focused on developing infrastructure, establishing visitor services, and expanding the national park system. By 1933, during the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs further expanded the park system by creating national monuments, recreational areas, and historic sites.
Challenges and Achievements: Over the years, the NPS faced challenges such as budget constraints, resource management conflicts, and balancing conservation with recreational use. Despite these challenges, the agency achieved significant milestones, including the establishment of iconic parks like Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion, as well as the preservation of historic sites like Gettysburg and Independence Hall.
Legislation and Policies: The NPS operates under various laws and policies aimed at protecting natural and cultural resources. Key legislation includes the Antiquities Act of 1906 (allowing the president to designate national monuments), the Wilderness Act of 1964 (protecting designated wilderness areas), and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (requiring environmental impact assessments for federal projects).
Modern Challenges and Conservation Efforts: In the 21st century, the NPS continues to grapple with challenges such as climate change, habitat loss, and increasing visitor numbers. Efforts to address these challenges include sustainable tourism initiatives, wildlife conservation programs, and partnerships with local communities and indigenous groups.
Today, the National Park Service manages over 400 sites across the United States, including national parks, monuments, historic sites, and recreation areas, preserving America’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations to enjoy and cherish.
Timeline
March 1, 1872
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone was created by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant.
Yellowstone National Park is widely regarded as the first national park in the world.
March 3, 1875
Mackinac National Park
(1875-1895)
Mackinac National Park was established making it the second national park in the United States after Yellowstone.
Unlike many other national parks, Mackinac National Park was transferred from federal to state control in 1895, becoming Mackinac Island State Park, making it the first national park to be transferred to state jurisdiction.
September 25, 1890
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia was reclassified as a national park by President Benjamin Harrison.
Sequoia National Park was initially protected as a national forest in 1908.
October 1, 1890
Yosemite National Park
An act of Congress, signed by President Benjamin Harrison, created Yosemite National Park.
In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, which was the first time the U.S. government, or any government worldwide, set aside land specifically for preservation and public use.
March 2, 1899
Mount Rainier National Park
President William McKinley signed the legislation establishing Mount Rainier National Park.
May 22, 1902
Crater Lake National Park
President Theodore Roosevelt signed the bill that designated Crater Lake as a national park.
January 9, 1903
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave National Park was established as a national park by President Theodore Roosevelt.
April 27, 1904
Sullys Hill National Park
(1904-1931)
Sullys Hill National Park was established in 1904 by President Theodore Roosevelt through an Executive Order.
In 1931, the management of Sullys Hill National Park was transferred from the federal government to the Fish and Wildlife Service, and it was re-designated as Sullys Hill National Game Preserve.
June 29, 1906
Platt National Park
(1906-1976)
The park was established by an act of Congress.
The park's boundaries were expanded over the years, and in 1976, it was combined with the Arbuckle Recreation Area to form the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
June 29, 1906
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park was established by President Theodore Roosevelt.
It was the first national park established to preserve the works of humans, specifically the prehistoric cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans.
May 11, 1910
Glacier National Park
President Taft signed the bill establishing Glacier as a national park.
The park was initially established as a forest preserve in 1897.
January 26, 1915
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountains National Park was established by an act of Congress, signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson.
July 17, 1916
Abraham Lincoln National Park
(1916-1939)
In 1916, the site was transferred to the federal government as a national park, and it was later designated as a National Historic Site in 1939.
August 1, 1916
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
President Woodrow Wilson signed the law bringing Hawaii Volcanoes National Park into existence.
Initially designated as Hawaii National Park, it was later renamed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
August 9, 1916
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic was established as a national park in a law signed by President Wilson.
In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed a proclamation protecting Cinder Cone and Lassen Peak as National Monuments.
August 25, 1916
National Parks Services Founded
President Woodrow Wilson signed the "Organic Act" creating the National Park Service, a federal bureau in the Department of the Interior responsible for maintaining national parks and monuments that were then managed by the department.
February 26, 1917
Denali National Park
First protected by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917, under the name Mount McKinley National Park.
When President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), in 1980, McKinley National Park was incorporated into a larger protected area named Denali National Park and Preserve.
In 2015, the mountain was officially renamed Denali.
February 26, 1919
Acadia National Park
Lafayette National Park was penned into existence by President Woodrow Wilson. The park was re-name Acadia National Park in 1929.
In 1916, Acadia National Park was first protected as Sieur de Monts National Monument.
February 26, 1919
Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon was signed into law as a National Park by President Woodrow Wilson.
In 1908, Theodore Roosevelt first protected this land as a national monument.
November 19, 1919
Zion National Park
Congress passed a bill establishing Zion National Park which was signed by President Woodrow Wilson.
In 1909, President William Howard Taft designated this land as the Mukuntuweap National Monument.
March 4, 1921
Hot Springs National Park
In 1921, President Woodrow Wilson named Hot Springs an official national park.
In 1832, an act of Congress first protected this area as Hot Springs Reservation.
March 3, 1925
Fort McHenry National Park
(1925-1939)
The park was founded to preserve and commemorate the historical significance of Fort McHenry, particularly its role in the War of 1812.
In 1939, Fort McHenry National Park was officially designated as a national monument and historic shrine, ensuring its continued preservation and accessibility to the public.
February 25, 1928
Bryce Canyon National Park
President Warren G. Harding proclaimed Bryce Canyon a national park.
In 1924, Congress passed a bill to establish Utah National Park.
In 1923, Bryce Canyon became a national monument.
February 26, 1929
Grand Teton National Park
President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill creating a park that included the Teton Range.
May 14, 1930
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
In 1930, Congress, under the Hoover administration, approved the area to become Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge declared Carlsbad Caverns a national monument.
June 15, 1934
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park was formally established when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the legislation into law.
The park was dedicated by President Roosevelt and officially opened to the public in 1940.
In 1926, the park was officially authorized by Congress, with the passage of the legislation known as the Weeks Act. This act allowed for the federal acquisition of land to create national forests and parks.
December 26, 1935
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park was officially established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Land acquisition for the park began in the late 1920s and continued into the early 1930s.
June 29, 1938
Olympic National Park
This land was changed to national park status by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The park was initially designated as a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909.
March 4, 1940
Kings Canyon National Park
Congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt created a new national park to include Kings Canyon. The newly established Kings Canyon National Park encompassed what was General Grant National Park.
President Herbert Hoover designated Kings Canyon a national monument in 1940, but it wasn't until later in the same year that it gained national park status.
April 3, 1940
Isle Royale National Park
The park was officially designated as a national park by the United States Congress, under the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
July 1, 1941
Mammoth Cave National Park
Multiple bills were introduced over several years, with one finally being passed and signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge.
June 12, 1944
Big Bend National Park
The park was officially established by an act of Congress, under the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a proclamation creating Texas Canyons National Monument, which later became part of Big Bend National Park.
December 6, 1947
Everglades National Park
This park was established by President Harry S. Truman.
August 2, 1956
Virgin Islands National Park
Virgin Islands National Park was established by an act of Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
July 1, 1961
Haleakala National Park
President Woodrow Wilson signed an Act of Congress, creating Haleakala National Park.
Efforts to establish the park began in the early 20th century with the formation of the Maui National Park Association in 1928.
December 9, 1962
Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park was redesignated by an act of Congress. President Dwight D. Eisenhower first approved the legislation in 1958, but President John F. Kennedy saw it completed in 1962.
The area was first designated a national monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt.
September 12, 1964
Canyonlands National Park
The park was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
October 2, 1968
Redwoods National Park
Congress approved a federal park and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the act into law.
In the 1920s and 1930s, California established Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. Later, these state parks were combined with federally-owned land to form Redwood National Park.
October 2, 1968
North Cascades National Park
The North Cascades National Park was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
January 8, 1971
Voyageurs National Park
The legislation authorizing the establishment of Voyageurs National Park was signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon.
November 12, 1971
Arches National Park
President Richard M. Nixon signed the law that changed Arches to a National Park.
Established as a national monument in 1929 by President Herbert Hoover.
December 18, 1971
Capitol Reef National Park
An Act to Establish the Capitol Reef National Park became a law when it was signed by President Richard Nixon.
Established as a national monument in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
September 30, 1972
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
President Richard M. Nixon submitted to Congress the Wilderness Proposal for Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Before becoming a national park, the area was designated as a national monument in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
November 10, 1978
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The area was given national park status when President Carter signed a law that changed the memorial park to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
In 1947, President Truman signed the bill that protected Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park.
November 10, 1978
Badlands National Park
The monument was redesignated as a national park during the administration of President Carter.
Established as a national monument in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
March 5, 1980
Channel Islands National Park
The public law establishing Channel Islands National Park was signed by President Jimmy Carter.
In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a proclamation that warranted the preservation of the Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands, making them known as the Channel Islands National Monument
June 28, 1980
Biscayne National Park
The bay and its keys were promoted to National Park status by an act of Congress and the signature of President Jimmy Carter.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law to establish Biscayne National Monument in 1968.
December 2, 1980
Katmai National Park
President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) into law. ANILCA redesignated the monument as Katmai National Park.
Katmai National Monument was established in 1918 by President Woodrow Wilson.
December 2, 1980
Glacier Bay National Park
President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) into law. ANILCA redesignated the monument as Glacier Bay National Park.
In 1925, Glacier Bay was designated as a national monument by President Calvin Coolidge to protect its unique natural features and promote scientific research.
December 2, 1980
Gates of the Arctic National Park
President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) into law. ANILCA established Gates of the Arctic National Park.
December 2, 1980
Kenai Fjords National Park
President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) into law. ANILCA established Kenai Fjords National Park.
December 2, 1980
Kobuk Valley National Park
President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) into law. ANILCA established Kobuk Valley National Park.
December 2, 1980
Lake Clark National Park
President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) into law. ANILCA established Lake Clark National Park.
December 2, 1980
Wrangell St.Elias National Park
President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) into law. ANILCA established Wrangell St.Elias National Park.
October 27, 1986
Great Basin National Park
The monument and its surroundings were designated a national park by President Reagan.
President Warren G. Harding created the Lehman Caves National Monument by presidential proclamation on January 24, 1922.
October 31, 1988
National Park of American Samoa
The National Park of American Samoa was established by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.
October 26, 1992
Dry Tortugas National Park
The monument was changed to national park status in a bill by an act of Congress, signed by President George Bush in 1992.
Fort Jefferson National Monument was designated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935.
October 14, 1994
Saguaro National Park
Congress elevated the area of Saguaro National Monument to the current designation as a National Park under the Clinton administration.
In 1933, Herbert Hoover signed a Proclamation establishing the Saguaro National Monument.
October 31, 1994
Death Valley National Park
President Bill Clinton signed the California Desert Protection Act, which created Death Valley National Park.
President Herbert Hoover signed the proclamation establishing Death Valley National Monument in 1933.
October 31, 1994
Joshua Tree National Park
Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, which changed Joshua Tree from a national monument to a national park.
Joshua Tree National Park was established as a national monument in 1936 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
October 21, 1999
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
President Bill Clinton signed the act establishing the monument as a national park.
The area was first protected as a national monument in 1933 by President Herbert Hoover.
October 11, 2000
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
President Bill Clinton redesignated the land as a national park.
In 1974, President Gerald Ford signed the bill establishing the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area,
November 10, 2003
Congaree National Park
Congress, under the George W. Bush administration, changed the park's name and designation and established Congaree National Park.
In 1976, President Gerald Ford signed legislation to designate the Congaree Swamp National Monument.
September 24, 2004
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Through an Act of Congress, under the George W. Bush administration, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was designated as a national park.
The park was established as a national monument in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover.
January 10, 2013
Pinnacles National Park
President Barack Obama signed legislation changing Pinnacles from a national monument to a national park.
First established as Pinnacles National Monument in 1908, by President Theodore Roosevelt.
February 23, 2018
Gateway Arch National Park
President Donald Trump signed the law officially renaming the site Gateway Arch National Park.
The park was formerly Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, established in 1935 by executive order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
February 15, 2019
Indiana Dunes National Park
The bill was signed by President Donald Trump to create Indiana Dunes National Park.
December 20, 2019
White Sands National Park
President Donald J. Trump signed the law that redesignated White Sands National Monument as White Sands National Park.
White Sands National Monument was established in 1933 by a presidential proclamation of Herbert Hoover.
December 27, 2020
New River Gorge National Park
The New River Gorge was redesignated as a national park and preserve by President Donald Trump.
In 1978, a portion of the New River was designated as a National River by President Jimmy Carter.
Please note that the timeline provided is a general overview. The establishment dates of national parks and the progression of conservation efforts may vary by context. Factors such as cultural, political, and environmental circumstances can influence the timing of these events. Therefore, it is essential to consider the broader historical and cultural context when examining the history of national parks.
“The National Park Service is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of America’s most precious natural and cultural resources.”
– National Park Service Director’s Office
“The national parks are an American idea. It is one thing we have that has not been imported.”
– President Lyndon B. Johnson
“The National Park Service is dedicated to conserving unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.”
– National Park Service Organic Act
“The national park idea has been nurtured by each succeeding generation of Americans. Today, across our land, the National Park System represents America at its best. Each park contributes to a deeper understanding of the history of the United States and our way of life; of the natural processes which have given form to our land, and to the enrichment of the environment in which we live.”
– George Hartzog