The U.S. National Parks have often been called “America’s best idea.” Born out of the nineteenth century, these parks were created to preserve the country’s natural beauty and wildlife. Today, millions of people visit these protected areas. But how much do people know about the parks’ history? Here are 10 facts about the U.S. National Parks you should know.
1. The first national park was Yellowstone National Park.
The park was established on March 1, 1872, making it over 150 years old. Yellowstone was followed by Sequoia National Park and Yosemite National Park in 1890. Today, there are 63 official National Parks, and over 400 national park sites.
Bison in Yellowstone National Park. Image from U.S. National Park Service.
2. The National Parks Service has been around for over a hundred years.
Although the first park had been established in 1872, it took over 40 years for the government to create a national park service. It was created in 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act into law. Today, the NPS manages all the national parks and national monuments.
President Woodrow Wilson, c. 1919. Image from the Library of Congress.
3. The idea of a national park is often credited to the 19th-century artist George Catlin.
In the 1830s, George Catlin traveled across the West, painting the nature and people he met along the way. He saw westward expansion into these areas and became concerned about its impact on the Indigenous American people and landscapes. He dreamed there might be “by some great protecting policy of government... in a magnificent park... a nation's park, containing man and beast, in all the wild[ness] and freshness of their nature's beauty!” About 40 years later, Catlin's dream became a reality.
George Catlin, View of the Junction of the Red River and the False Washita, in Texas, 1834-1835, oil on canvas. Image credit: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.345
4. Most, if not all, of the lands in today's national parks are the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples.
Indigenous peoples had been managing much of these lands for millennia, and many were forcibly removed from their ancestral homes. The banning of hunting and fishing in these areas deeply impacted their ability to survive. Some Native leaders suggest that the Tribes should manage the parks instead of the government, while still allowing visitors to enjoy the land.
The National Park Service is making efforts to acknowledge this history, though it still has a long way to go. In 2021, Chuck Sams became the first Native American to lead the NPS. He is Cayuse and Walla Walla and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Charles F. "Chuck" Sams III, 19th director of the National Park Service.
Image from U.S. National Park Service.
5. The Buffalo Soldiers, the famous all-Black regiment, were some of the nation’s first park rangers.
When the first national parks were established, there was no park service, and farmers often let their livestock graze and trample the land. The Buffalo Soldiers, along with other U.S. cavalry soldiers, were called to patrol the new parks and make sure the wildlife remained untouched. The all-Black regiment served after the Civil War and fought on the Western frontier during the American Indian Wars. About 500 Buffalo Soldiers served at Yosemite National Park and nearby Sequoia National Park. They protected against poachers and put out forest fires.
These soldiers were also some of the first to wear the wide-brimmed hats that park rangers wear today. It's the same type of hat that Smokey the Bear wears!
A group of Buffalo Soldiers from the 24th Infantry poses for a photo in 1899. Image from U.S. National Park Service
6. Speaking of Smokey…did you know that the bear is over 80 years old?
The idea for Smokey the Bear was born in 1944. During World War II, many firefighters left to fight overseas, and the U.S. feared that a Japanese attack could ignite dangerous wildfires. The U.S. Forest Service created posters about wildfire prevention to help educate the public. At first, Walt Disney allowed the government to use his forest critters from Bambi for these posters. But, the U.S. Forest Service eventually came up with its own character: a bear named Smokey. And, as they say, the rest is history. Today, you can find images of the famous bear across many national parks.
Smokey the Bear fire hazard sign along the Appalachian Trail in Maine. Image from the Library of Congress.
7. Shipwrecks can be found in many national parks along the coast and Great Lakes.
If you explore these waters, you can find sunken treasure ships from the 16th century, Civil War submarines, World War II battleships, and many trading vessels. At Biscayne National Park, snorkers and divers can follow the maritime heritage trail and explore the remains of five sunken ships. The NPS also has its own dive teams who help uncover and preserve the stories behind these wrecks.
A snorkeler swimming above the Mandalay, a steel-hulled schooner wrecked in 1966 on Long Reef.
Image credit: Brett Seymour, Submerged Resources Center, U.S. National Park Service.
8. And if we’re talking about history, did you know that the NPS has a chief historian?
Many U.S. national parks hold important historical and cultural sites. With so much history under its care, the NPS realized historians were essential. The very first chief historian, Verne E. Chatelain, was hired in 1931. Since then, there have been 10 chief historians, including today’s historian, Dr. Turkiya L. Lowe. Historians and rangers across the national parks play an essential role in keeping the stories and legacies of these sites alive.
A park ranger teaches students about the Civil War at Fort Harrison. Image from U.S. National Park Service.
9. Dinosaurs once roamed across many national parks.
Scientists have uncovered fossils in over 20 different National Park Service areas across Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Alaska. The history of these dinosaur bones dates back to 1806, when Lewis and Clark uncovered a large bone near Montana. Today, tourists can visit Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado and even touch some of the fossils the prehistoric creatures left behind.
A view of the Wall of Bones from the lower floor of the Quarry Exhibit Hall of Dinosaur National Monument. Image from U.S. National Park Service.
10. U.S. National Parks are home to several world records.
You can find the longest cave system in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, and the world’s largest tree (named General Sherman) in Redwood National Park, California. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park holds the world’s most active volcano: Kilauea. Wondering where the hottest place on Earth is? The highest recorded air temperature was in Death Valley National Park, California.
The national parks make history in other ways, too. Glacier National Park in Montana is the world's first international peace park. Both the U.S. and Canada work together to conserve the area.
Stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the cave in Mammoth Cave National Park. Image credit: David Kem, U.S. National Park Service.
Interested in learning more about conservation? Check out our kids magazine Issue 7 | Into the Deep to uncover the scientists and conservationists who made history. And, if you’d like to learn more about Indigenous history, we recommend Issue 15 | A Native Story. Kids can explore the incredible story of American Indians, as told in their own words.
