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Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) established.
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The first state parks were established, as were a number of state forest preserves and historic parks.
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Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) was established.
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The first deisgnated national park was founded. ( Yellowstone)
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1880-1990 Was of critical importance to the development of urban recreation and park programs. More than 80 cities initiated park systems.
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University Settlement founded, a voluntary agency that offered significant leisure programs.
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Hull House founded. The staffs sought to help poor people, particularly immigrants, adjust to modern urban life by providing services concerned with education, family life, and community improvement.
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Sierra Club was founded. Encouraging national interest in outdoors and ultimately the establishment of the National Park Service.
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US Forest Service and National Park Service established. Helped place many of the scattered forests, parks, and other sites under more clearly defined policies for acquisition, development and use.
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President's Conference held. As a response, schools strengthened their programs of physical fitness, and many public recreation departments expanded their leisure activities to include fitness classes, conditioning, jogging, and sports.
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Public recreation and park developments began to provide mobile recreation units offering cultural, social, and other special services.
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Economic Opportunity Act, and Housing Urban Development Act provided assistance for locally directed recreational programs to be conducted by disadvantaged citizens in depressed urban neighborhoods.
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Increased emphasis on developing social and recreational programs for aging persons. (Therapeutic Recreation)
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Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized the first international Special Olympic Games.
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1980's - Many recreation, park, and leisure-service agencies resorted to privatization.