The Early Years, 1872-1915
Capturing America's Imagination
This is part one of two parts of the
story of Yellowstone's Early Years.
1872
-- On March 1, President Ulysses Grant signed into existence the world's
first national park, Yellowstone National Park. The 2.2 million acres of
wilderness was "set apart as a public park or
pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."
Nathaniel Langford, one of the most outspoken
proponents of the national park idea, was appointed the first superintendent of the Park.
He was immediately assigned the task of making a "thorough exploration" of the
Park, and decided to make his investigation as a guest of the Hayden Survey party, which
was returning to Yellowstone for further research. Langford thus spent a memorable summer
in the newly commissioned Yellowstone Park. (1:
p.172-192)
 1873 - 1882
-- The
nation and government leaders sought to grapple with the "national park" issue
and that which it entailed. The Yellowstone region was visited by the few fortunate who
could afford to make the trip and were hearty enough to brave the elements of the great
outdoors. Opportunists sought to take advantage of the attraction of Yellowstone Park.
(2: p. 58-59)
Read about the involvement of
Jay Cooke and the Northern Pacific Railway.
1883
-- President Chester Arthur took a camping tour of Yellowstone, brought Yellowstone Park
to a new level of awareness among the nation's citizens. The nation became concerned that
opportunists were exploiting the Park. (1:
p.277-282) The National Hotel at Mammoth Hot
Springs was built. The massive structure was 414 fee long. It lost money from the
beginning, and only existed for a short period of time.
(1: p.272-273)
1886 --
The Secretary of the Interior comes to realize the hopelessness of trying to
keep opportunists from ruining the Park in the face of recent Park
superintendents who appeared unconcerned about vandalism and poaching. The
Interior department asks the US Army to
intervene, and Yellowstone came under military jurisdiction, which gradually brought order
back into the Park. (2: p.59)
Also, Lt. Daniel C. Kingman conceived of the so-called
"Grand Loop" which became the main roadway through the Park.
Continue to the
second part of
Yellowstone's Early Years.
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