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Washborne-Doane Expedition
A group of rag-tag amateur explorers shared with each other the beauty they had encountered during their expedition. They determined then and there that the beauty of God's creation should be preserved for the future as a public area open to all people to enjoy the outdoors. Using their influence in the political realm, they conveyed their ideas to those in power, and their ideas became the basis of the development of the National Park System. -
Establishment of the Yellowstone Act under the Department of the Interior
With the influence of the Washburn-Doane expedition, and backed by the Northern Pacific Railroad, the Yellowstone bill was introduced to secure the vast land acreage and relish it to the control of the Department of the Interior, the purpose stated to "prevent 'squatters and claimants' from gaining control of the area's most scenic features. Government control would be easier to deal with; thus, it was 'important to do something speedily' through legislation." (pg. 9) -
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2nd National Park established "Mackinac National Park"
Mackinac National Park was established as a National Park seemingly as a means of convenience. Already established as a small Army base, Fort Mackinac was managed by the army. Upon establishment as a National Park, it continued to be managed by the US Army until 1895, when the Army vacated the island. It then became a state park, losing its "national park" designation (pg. 11). The park was a pioneer in resort development with construction of the 1300-bed Grand Hotel in 1887. -
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Expansion of railroads leads to increase in Tourism out West and more National Parks
Northern Pacific Railway expands its lines into Yellowstone Park, and the Great Northern Express provides a direct line to what will become Glacier National Park. Along with transportation, lodging begins to develop along the routes and soon expands into future park areas, such as Crater Lake National Park, Mount Ranier, and Sequoia. It is apparent that management will be needed to organize and oversee road construction, trail placement, lodging for tourists, and management facilities. -
American Antiquities Act passed
Antiquities Act was passed in an effort to preserve "areas of importance in history, prehistory, or science (pg. 13)." These small monuments did not require congressional approval to be established and led to the creation of many more, including Devil's Tower (1906), Chaco Canyon (1907), Muir Woods (1908), Mount Olympus (1908), and Grand Canyon (1908). Only accessibly by permit and for research purposes, a precedence was set for government protection of large land tracts by varying departments. -
A Need for National Park Bureau Recognized
With the increase in popularity and access to the National Parks, the need for a National Park System to manage and protect the parks arose. "Making a Business of Scenery" was published in "The Nation's Business" and compared the scenery of America's infantile national parks to those of Canada's, which had been established for a longer time. A campaign was established and led by J. Horace McFarland, Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr., Stephen Mather, and Horace Albright for the development of a bureau. -
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Developing the Purpose and Plan for the National Park System
The bulk of the policy development happened over a period of 6 years at 3 different conferences. The first took place in 1911 at Yellowstone, with the main topics "concessions and transportation matters related to accommodating tourists". The second was in 1912 at Yosemite followed by the third in 1915 at Berkeley. These were primarily attended by officials from automobile cooperations and railroad delegates "to promote increased public use of the parks" and develop America's "playgrounds". -
National Park Service signed into law by President Wilson through the Organic Act
This act laid out the purpose of the Park Service, and focused on "conservation", a blending of preservation of the beautiful scenery provided by the land, while also recognizing the utilitarian uses of the many natural resources each park had to offer. The blending of these two ideals led to the policy of "for the benefit, advantage, and enjoyment" of the people. The debate over acceptable uses and management of the land and its resources by the public continues over the coming years. -
Park Services headquarters opened in Washington, DC under the Directorship of Stephen Mather
Highly influential in the political arena in the development of the National Park system, Stephen Mathers and Horace Albright work closely together to develop a bureau with two main points in mind: overseeing park development through landscaping and engineering, and building a workforce of park managers to oversee the day-to-day operations of the parks. Mathers was the official director, but had Albright in the position of Interim Director for several years due to illness. (pp.49-53) -
The Lane Letter
Later referred to as the "Magna Carta" Horace Albright wrote what would become the basis for the operations of the National Park Service, "delineating the values and assumptions of the bureau's emerging corporate culture, thereby settling the tenor and direction of park management during the Mather era and far beyond (pg. 57)." Restating the purpose of the parks as "scenic pleasuring grounds", the letter sparked tension between the NPS and the US Forest Service.
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The National Parks Association created
Mather's creation of a support organization called the National Parks Association served to uphold the foundational beliefs of the Organic Act: to protect the parks, enlarge the national park system, and promote public enjoyment without harming the parks' natural formation. The association would help manage the parks' growth while balancing tourism within the parks with preservation of nature. This led to a long-term debate over road development and the use of natural resources in the parks. -
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Stephen Mathers, Director
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Horace Albright, Director
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Fauna No.1 published
This report, which would become known as "Fauna No.1," was published to describe the then-current analysis of the large mammals living within the National Park system and the effects that the parks' popularity was having on them. It was also the first comprehensive statement of natural resource management policies and became the cornerstone of wildlife management within the parks, focusing on maintaining the balance of the natural fauna with the parks' use by the people they were created for. -
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New Deal Era
During this time period, the National Parks received many grants and funding to expand and implement many different areas of service. There was a lot of controversy over the expansion, and many argued that the expansion had too much of an impact on the natural beauty of the parks. The New Deal also provided manpower for expansion projects through the Civil Conservation Corps (CCC). Another area of concern was scientific research, although much of the funds requested for this purpose were denied. -
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Arno Cammerer
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Director Drury
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Newton Drury, Director
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World War II
Expansion of the parks halts due to America joining the war. CCC camps were used as housing for troops and many parks including Yosemite, Isle Royale, and Death Valley were used as planning points for military maneuvers. In addition to being used as housing, the natural resources in each park were heavily relied upon, particularly a Sitka spruce found in Olympic National Park used in airplane construction. In-park timber cutting and cattle grazing were touted as patriotic efforts for the war. -
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Arthur Demaray, Director
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Conrad Wirth, Director
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Tourism focused "Mission 66" begins
Mission 66 was an plan dreamed up by Stephen Mather and Horace Albright to prepare the parks by "landscape architect approach' for an estimated 80 million visitors by 1966. The overhaul focused not only on construction but also on staff increases and improving public park and recreational facilities. The initiative was announced at a Washington banquet sponsored by the American Automobile Association, which had a major interest in developing tourism within the parks. -
Stagner releases "Get the Facts", sparking scientific research within the parks
After years of largely ignoring the need for scientific based research and policies within the parks, a renewed effort was sparked by the release of "Get the Facts". This publication suggested a long range research plan to base resource and wildlife management on scientific data. The goal was to form park policy based on ecological "health" of the park environment reported by university scientists. -
Leupold and National Academy of Science report published
The Leupold Report led to the National Academy of Science investigation into managing scientific research within the parks. The investigation found that the science was lacking and had little to no impact on the management policies. The articles suggested a more targeted approach to understanding the impact of the ecological aspects of each park and led to redefining the infrastructure of management of the parks. It was the beginning of the efforts to redefine the basic purpose of the parks. -
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Director Hartzog
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Natural Resources Committee formed
This committee was formed as a bridge between the research scientists conducting research in the park and the wildlife rangers who worked on the ground daily in the parks. This was revolutionary because the policies being made in the day to day operations were directly impacted by the findings of the research scientists in an effort to manage the land more effectively. -
Expansion of US Park Police Under Hartzog
Following several key events, such as rioting in Yosemite and the death of a 9-year-old boy who fell into a thermal pool in Yellowstone, safety for the people visiting the parks became a concern. Director Hartzog expanded the police service and established a central office in Washington for the oversight and training of the officers. He also created the Denver Service Center, which acted as a central office for the NPS and had many roles, including compliance with the National Environmental Act. -
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Directorship changed 3 times over this period
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Director Dickenson
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Director Mott
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Director Ridenour
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Vail Conference leads to New Agenda
The Vail conference took place in Vail, Colorado in 1991 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the National Parks. Its purpose was to discuss the successes and areas of improvement needed for the parks to remain successful. The main point became clear; a need for the parks management policies to work hand in hand with scientific research to develop plans that would preserve the flora and fauna of the parks for generations to come. Thanks to new environmental awareness, it was widely supported.