Happy Birthday, Yellowstone!
Yellowstone National Park just turned 153 years old! Since its establishment on March 1, 1872, the country’s first national park has welcomed millions of visitors from around the world—as many as 4,744,352 visitors in 2024, according to the National Park Service.
To celebrate Yellowstone’s birthday, let’s dive into the records of the celebrated park.
For the Benefit of the People
President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law on March 1, 1872, setting the precedent for a network of future parks. This legislation, officially titled“An Act to Set Apart a Certain Tract of Land Lying Near the Head-Waters of the Yellowstone River as a Public Park,” identified 3,472 square miles of wilderness in the Montana and Wyoming territories that would be “dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” This made Yellowstone the first federally protected national park in the United States.
But why was Yellowstone created? Following the Civil War, the national government turned more attention to its western territory. Because the environment of the West differed significantly from that of the East, explorers were charged with identifying natural resources and assessing the utility of the land for settlement. Ferdinand Hayden was sent to survey the area around Yellowstone in 1871. The expedition consisted of 32 men, including photographer William Henry Jackson, whose stunning photos are among the earliest and most celebrated images of Yellowstone.
Photographs by William H. Jackson in 1871. Left: Tower Falls at Yellowstone; top right: Crater of the Castle Geyser; bottom right: Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon
When he returned to the East, Hayden mounted a campaign to promote and protect the natural wonders he had seen. He wrote a well-received article for Scribner’s Monthly that was illustrated with images by fellow expedition member Thomas Moran, who had made numerous watercolor sketches and drawings in the field during the trip. Hayden then lobbied members of Congress and won their support by presenting them with an album of Jackson’s Yellowstone photographs.
Yellowstone as Inspiration
Yellowstone’s beauty and unique ecosystem have inspired photographers, mountaineers, artists, writers, presidents, and conservationists alike. From Ernest Hemingway to Thomas Moran to John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone has awakened the American imagination.
In fact, President Roosevelt played a pivotal role in the creation of Yellowstone National Park by advocating for its protection and expansion during his presidency. Roosevelt championed conservation efforts, recognizing the importance of preserving national parks for future generations. Most importantly, he signed into law the Antiquities Act of 1906, which was the first set of broad-based legal protections for cultural and natural resources of historic or scientific significance on federal lands.
The National Archives preserves many photos taken of Yellowstone over the years, including those taken by Ansel Adams and Henry Peabody. You can see a small sample below.
As one of the last and largest nearly intact natural ecosystems on the planet— with 67 different mammal species, over 10,000 hydrothermal sites, and half the world's active geysers—Yellowstone continues to inspire Americans nationwide to venture into the great outdoors.
Did you know? You can explore more records of the National Park Service here.
