The National Park System: America's Best Idea
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The Origins of the National Park System
The idea of a national park is something that was a new world phenomenon. The first Europeans in North America settled on the east coast of the continent. As Western expansion continued, there was more and more pressure to protect some of the outstanding locations before they were overrun. It wasn't until 1869 that an official expedition to the Yellowstone took place. This led to the passage of the Act of Dedication which created Yellowstone as the world's first national park. By 1886, it became necessary for the park to be administered and protected, so the U.S. Army was commissioned to manage the park.
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