Leave it as it is. You cannot improve it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children, your children's children, and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American if he can travel at all should see.
-Theodore Roosevelt, speaking about the Grand Canyon
When I lived in Arizona, I had the opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon. (No, I didn't ride a mule.) It is impressive, and pictures don't do it justice. Years later, when I honeymooned in Hawaii, my husband and I watched the sun rise over Mount Haleakala. Later, we biked--he biked, I rode in the van a good part of the way--down the dormant volcano. I remember noticing in both places the beautiful scenery during the day and amazing number of stars at night.
Besides their magnificence, what do these places have in common? They are both run by the National Park Service, a bureau that currently oversees 122 historical parks or sites, 74 monuments, 58 National Parks, 24 battlefields or military parks, 18 preserves, 18 recreation areas, ten seashores, four parkways, four lakeshores, and two reserves.
In 1872, Congress took land in what is now Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho and created Yellowstone, the first national park. Others soon followed. With the passage of the Antiqities Act in 1906, "historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest" could be proclaimed national monuments by the president. Between 1872 and 1916, the Department of the Interior oversaw the parks and landmarks, but no systemic management or standards existed. In 1916, The National Park Service was created and assumed responsibility for 35 national parks and monuments, as well as the Hot Springs Reservation, which was later designated a national park.
Starting this Sunday, September 27, at 8:00 p.m., PBS will air The National Parks: America's Best Idea, a six-episode series directed by Ken Burns. The series was filmed over the course of six years and features footage from the parks, photographs, accounts of historical figures, and interviews with historians and people whose lives have been impacted by the parks. If you are a fan of Burns--he also directed Baseball, The Civil War, and Jazz, which you can borrow from the Nashua Public Library--you may want to tune in. To learn more about the series and to see some clips, visit the documentary's website or search for it on http://www.pbs.org. In addition to watching the series, you can take a look at the companion book, The national parks : America's best idea : an illustrated history. If you're eager for more, you can read about the history of the National Park Service in The national parks : shaping the system, which is in our government documents section, or take a look at the National Park Service website . You can also find information about the parks themselves at this site.
If you are thinking about visiting a park, Nashua Public Library has guidebooks that will help you plan your trip. The more recent books include:
The complete guide to the national park lodges 647.9473 S
The complete guide to the National Parks of the West 917.8 C
Frommer's national parks with kids 917
President Roosevelt, who signed the Antiquities Act, was a conservationist. A new book, The wilderness warrior : Theodore Roosevelt and the crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley details his conservation efforts. During his presidency, he proclaimed 18 national monuments as well as national parks and forest preserves. In the above quote, Roosevelt implored Americans to keep the Grand Canyon as it was so that future generations could appreciate its natural beauty. The National Parks are a great resource, and the areas under the auspices of the National Park Service are diverse. They range from coastline to canyons, include archeological treasures and presidential birthplaces, and can satisfy people interested in anything from history or hiking.
National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/index.htm.
"The National Parks: America's Best Idea." PBS. http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/.
Roosevelt, Theodore. "Presidential Addresses and State Papers" quoted at "Teddy and the Children's Room." Theodore Roosevelt Association. http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/kidscorner/Grand_Canyon.htm.
