Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

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370

From the depths of the Grand Canyon to the peaks of denali,

every American can share in the country’s scenic and historic

places through the national park system. the first national park,

Yellowstone, was established by an act of Congress in 1872. today,

there are more than 370 national park areas in the United states.

the spectacular landscapes of the best-known parks—Yellowstone,

the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and the Great smoky mountains—

attract tourists from all over the world.

the park system also helps preserve

America’s heritage, from

seashores and highways

to battlefields and

monuments.

preservinG the pArks

America’s national parks attract

millions of visitors each year, drawn

by the incredible scenery as well as

the many opportunities for outdoor

recreation. most Americans live

within a day’s drive of a park, making

it an ideal tourist destination.

overcrowding in some parks led

to the founding of the national

parks Association in 1919, to help

preserve the park system.

the First pArk

in 1870, members of an

expedition exploring the

Yellowstone region in

Wyoming came up with the

idea of preserving the land by

giving it to the nation. the

following summer, the government sent a geologist to

survey the region. his report, and the enthusiastic

support of the public, helped persuade Congress to set

aside the area for the enjoyment of all the people. in

1872, president Ulysses s. Grant signed the bill that

established Yellowstone as the first national park.

UrbAn pArks

not all national parks are

located in remote areas. the

largest and most popular

urban park is the Golden

Gate national recreation

Area, in san Francisco,

California. more than 14.5

million people visit the park

each year. Alcatraz island,

site of a former maximum-

security federal prison, is

found within the park’s

boundaries.

Alcatraz Island,

San Francisco

Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite

National Park, California

nAtionAl pArk serviCe

the national park service was

established in 1916 to maintain and

administer the park areas. each

park has a resident superintendent,

assisted by a team of park rangers.

rangers build roads, trails, and

campsites, run park museums, and

offer tours and talks to visitors.

oUtdoor ClAssrooms

Archaeologists, naturalists, and historians work

at most national parks, often leading educational

programs that help teach park visitors about

their surroundings. Archaeologists can be seen

excavating dinosaur bones in parks such as the

dinosaur national monument, Utah (above).

Archaeology

Conservation

and endangered species

Fossils

Find out more

historiC plACes

the park system was

expanded in 1906 to

include national

monuments—landmarks

and structures of historic

or scientific interest. these

include sites such as the

ancient cave dwellings in

the bandelier national

monument (left) and the

Gila Cliff dwellings, both in

new mexico, as well as early

colonial settlements. in

1933, the park service

was given control of

military landmarks such

as historic battlefields

from the revolutionary

and Civil Wars.

National parks

Surveyors camp in the

Yellowstone region, 1871.

Grand Canyon

park ranger

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