“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the tract of land…
YELLOWSTONE IS ESTABLISHED AS THE FIRST NATIONAL PARK
Yellowstone National Park–some say it is America’s greatest contribution to world culture– the best idea we ever had. Yet when President Ulysses S. Grant signed…
ORIGIN OF THE NAME “YELLOWSTONE”
“Yellowstone” is the oldest and most important of the park’s place names, dating back to the late eighteenth century. The name was first applied to…
EARLY EXPEDITIONS TO YELLOWSTONE
It is a testimonial to the spectacular nature of the wonders of Yellowstone that three “discovery” expeditions were required before the American public would believe…
GEYSERS, MUDPOTS, FUMAROLES, AND HOT SPRINGS:
“. . . and behold! The whole country beyond was smoking with vapor from boiling springs; and burning with gases issuing from small craters, each…
LAND OF FIRE AND ICE
When someone mentions the word “volcano,” what do you think of–Mount St. Helens in Washington, Kilauea in Hawaii, Mount Etna in Italy? Or do you…
THE HISTORY OF BISON IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
The history of bison and their management in Yellowstone National Park could be described as cycles of endless bounty followed by scarcity. Most people know…
EARLY VISITORS TO THE PARK
As the roads are cleared of their last vestiges of winter snows, and hotels and campgrounds are cleaned and readied for this summer’s visitors, it…
THE ROOSEVELT ARCH, YELLOWSTONE’S HISTORIC GATEWAY
“It is a pleasure now to say a few words to you at the laying of the corner stone of the beautiful arch which is…
OLD FAITHFUL INN HISTORY
Friday, May 2, 1997, is the opening day of Yellowstone National Park’s most famous building, the Old Faithful Inn. Overlooking Old Faithful Geyser and the…