The First Five National Parks

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are getting a little nerdy! We have been making lists of the National Parks by size, visitation, and date established on Dirt In My Shoes.

Today, we’re sharing some interesting information on the first five National Parks that were established. As National Park enthusiasts, we think everyone should know what the first five national parks were! So let’s explore the first five national parks and learn some interesting history along the way.

Join us as we discuss:

The interesting history leading up to the establishment of the national parks
The first five national parks that were established in the U.S.
The key people involved in establishing these national parks
Fascinating historical events surrounding these parks
The establishment of The National Park Service

We were so surprised by some of the parks on this list and the history behind it all. We hope you loved this episode and enjoyed nerding out over national park history with us! If you want to see the full list, you can find it here.

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode:

History of the National Park System

The history of the National Park System is tied to the history of the United States. As the country was forming, Americans needed a sense of identity to connect the country beyond individual states.

France had Notre Dame, and England had Shakespeare, but what did America have to build a sense of cultural identity? That’s where the National Park System steps in.

The Oldest and Best: Yellowstone

Is there anything better to latch your identity onto than Yellowstone, the land of natural forces? Back when it was founded in 1872, people couldn’t believe what they were hearing or seeing as geysers hissed and hot springs bubbled.

Fur traders and mountain men started trading tales of Yellowstone in the early to mid-1800s… with some embellishment. Their stories of a land marked by fire and brimstone where spirits wandered Earth kept credible reports from coming to light until after the Civil War.

Ferdinand Hayden, the head of the U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey, teamed up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to explore Yellowstone in 1871 to get the definitive truth. While many experts joined the expedition, the artists and photographers that came along proved to be the most beneficial.

Thanks to the photographs by William Henry Jackson and the paintings and sketches by Henry W. Elliot and Thomas Moran, we finally had proof of the beauty of the western frontier.

Within six months of the return of the Hayden expedition back to Washington, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, creating the first-ever National Park. Go America!

Catch the full podcast episode to hear about the first protectors of Yellowstone!

Technically the Second National Park: Sequoia

Most people don’t guess that Sequoia was the second National Park, designated on September 25, 1890. And that’s because, according to who you ask, it was the third National Park!

Mackinac Island in Michigan was created as a National Park in 1875, but just 20 years later, it was decommissioned. Who said you can’t change your mind? So, on a technicality, Mackinac Island makes the list of the first five National Parks.

Back to Sequoia, which we consider to be number 2!

Sequoia’s origins as a park are a familiar tale. Locals in California noticed giant sequoia trees were being logged, and they didn’t like it. They rallied to have Sequoia added to the National Park System.

They were successful, making Sequoia the first National Park explicitly created to protect a living organism.

Though it would go on to become Kings Canyon, General Grant National Park was established one week later to protect the famous tree.

Sequoia can trace its history back to the Buffalo Soldiers, who were the first protectors of the park led by Charles Young.

The Original Battleground for Conservation and the Third National Park: Yosemite

One week after Sequoia was made a National Park, Yosemite was established! On October 1, 1890, Yosemite upgraded its status from state park to National Park. If you want to dive deeper into Yosemite’s history, check out Episode 20: Yosemite Fun Facts!

We all know John Muir, but have you heard of Galen Clark? Galen was why Yosemite became a state park and generated interest from people far and wide to protect this beautiful valley forever.

Like many parks, there were questions about mindfully managing the natural resources while protecting them from overlogging or intensive farming. When there was no National Park Service to help guide decisions, local experts like Galen Clark and John Muir stepped in.

Yosemite was a massive deal for the early National Parks! Hetch Hetchy Valley was dammed when San Francisco faced a water shortage in the early 1900s, which raised questions about proper management that still impact our National Parks today.

A Controversial Fourth National Park: Mt. Rainier

On March 2, 1899, Mt. Rainier joined the budding list of parks thanks, in part, to efforts by John Muir.

If you’ve seen Mt. Rainier in person, you understand just how stunning it is; that’s precisely what John Muir did – encourage politicians to come and see the spectacular mountain for themselves. And his efforts paid off!

For the first 15 years of Mt. Rainier’s existence, people still tried to establish mining and skiing. In 1908, Congress passed legislation to prevent more mines in the area.

Despite local people and Native Americans wanting to name the park Mt. Tacoma or Mt. Tahoma, Mt. Rainier got its name after Captain George Vancouver saw it from afar and named it after his friend.

Fifth and Certainly Far From Last: Crater Lake

From an active volcano to one that has already blown its top, we get Crater Lake on our last spot of the first five National Parks!

Crater Lake was first discovered in the 1850s by prospectors, but they failed to communicate its beauty to anyone, as did other people throughout the 1800s. In 1865, the U.S. Army officially discovered Crater Lake as they built roads in the area.

William Steel catalyzed Crater Lake’s joining of the National Park System. Like John Muir, he lobbied politicians and other influential people to protect Crater Lake forever. On May 22, 1902, President Teddy Roosevelt designated Crater Lake as a National Park.

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! We want to know which national park surprises you the most according to when it was established. Head to the Dirt in My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know!

Links mentioned in this episode:

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