Yosemite National Park History

The National Park Service

The National Park Service was created in 1916 under the Organic Act to protect all natural lands all over the continental US and US territories. With the creation of the 1916 Organic Act, it enacted a new federal bureau under the Department of the Interior becoming the National Park Service to have a formal system to protect these natural spaces. This was important since natural spaces before the 1916 Organic Act was protected by the Forest Service and War Department which meant US military members protected these areas for the public. After the 1916 Organic Act, the areas covered by the Forest Service and War Department transferred 56 National Monument's and military sites over to the National Park Service done by the Executive Order 1933. With this new established federal bureau came their mission statement which still holds to this day in how they protect these important natural areas.

The National Park Service Mission Statement

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

Galen Clark and History of Yosemite

When thinking about the beginning of National Park Service and Yosemite National Park, we have to go back to1857 where a European American named Galen Clark came to California for the gold rush as many others did during that time but sadly was diagnosed with consumption. Consumption is what we now know to be tuberculosis and the doctor that diagnosed Galen gave him only six months to live. With this news Galen decided that he would live out the rest of his days up in the mountains where he would either find a cure or die in fresh mountain air. With Galen’s exploration into the Sierra Nevada's he came across with what we now know is the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and Yosemite Valley. Galen fell in love with the Giant Sequoias and Yosemite Valley and knew that these places needed to be protected so as to preserve these beautiful places as well for others to enjoy. Galen alongside lawmakers wrote letters to Congress and the Senate to ask for protection for these natural spaces. These letters were set during the Civil War and when the Senate and Congress saw all these letters they basically just said California do whatever you please. This letter then comes across Abraham Lincoln's desk during this time of much chaos from the civil war President Lincoln pauses and considers what the American people are asking him. President Lincoln, listening to what the people had asked him, signed the Yosemite Grant act which gave the state of California protection over Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in 1864. Galen Clark spent the next twenty-four years as Guardian of Yosemite National Park until he died where he now lays in Yosemite Valley with Giant Sequoias surrounding his grave. The Yosemite Grant was the first federal legislation to protect land for it’s natural beauty as well as the first idea of what the National Park Service would later become. Yosemite would stay under California and US Army Cavalry and Infantry protection done by Buffalo Soldiers until October 1st of 1890 when Yosemite became a National Park.

For more information on Galen Clark: https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/galen-clark.htm