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Lieutenant Amiel Whipple was the first to document petrified wood
Lieutenant Amiel Whipple went on an expedition to find a route for the railroad along the 35th Parallel. On his way, he came across petrified wood. -
Congress turns down bill to create national park at Petrified Forest.
Congress don't make Petrified Forest a national park and later the Department of the Interior publishes a report by a paleobotanist Lester F. Ward and he recommended to protect the area. -
Petrified Forest National Monument was created by President Theodore Roosevelt
President Theodore Roosevelt made Petrified Forest a National Park. He said," .…the mineralized remains of Mesozoic forests…are of the greatest scientific interest and value and it appears that the public good would be promoted by reserving these deposits of fossilized wood as a National monument with as much land as may be necessary for the proper protection thereof. -
National Park Service was created by the Organic Act approved by Congress and signed by President Woodrow Wilson.
The Department of the Interior was now responsible for protecting the 40 national parks and the others to come. -
The Civilian Conservation Corps arrived in Petrified Forest and built things.
The Civilian Conservation Corps completed several construction projects over the next few years. They added Rainbow Forest Museum, park residences, bridges, trails, Agate House and Puerco Pueblo partial reconstructions, and Painted Desert Inn. -
More land was added to Petrified Forest.
Over 53,000 acres was added to Petrified Forest National Monument. This increased the number of natural and cultural resources. -
Petrified Forest was established, then disestablished.
Petrified Forest was established by an act of Congress, disestablishing the national monument. The president at the time, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, first approved the legislature in 1958, but President John F. Kennedy saw it completed in 1962. -
A paleontologist inventory began to re-document fossil plants.
A paleontologist inventory began to re-document over half of the 200 fossil plant, invertebrate and vertebrate sites discovered over the last 80 years while discovering 50 new sites. -
A bill signed that authorized expanded boundaries for Petrified Forest National Park.
President George W. Bush signed a bill that let Petrified Forest expand even more. Expanded more than double the size, from 93,533 acres to 218,533 acres. -
Petrified Forest Is celebrated.
Petrified Forest is celebrated for its 100 years of protection and preservation.
