Yellowstone National Park

Social Studies Explorer An Expedition into the Geography, History and Economy of

The World’s First National ParkMiss. Lassiter

Unit Two: Yellowstone National Park – History

All abroad the Yellowstone Magic Bus as we travel back in time…Departure station: Albright Visitor Center Mammoth Hot Springs

• The geologic and human history of Yellowstone is a fascinating and volatile journey from volcanism to ice ages, intrepid adventurers and the three million visitors each year– making their own memories and preserving park history through diaries, blogs and facebook photographs.• This unit will study Yellowstone’s history under the lens of human

interaction with the land. We will learn about the people and cultures that have shaped the Yellowstone region and how geography has played a role in settling and exploration of the land.• We will also discuss the history of Yellowstone as a National Park, park

policy and its interplay with economics and civics in setting the park agenda (We will focus much more on Civics/Economics in Unit 3).

Yellowstone Magic Bus: ‘Time Travel Machine’:

1936 National Park Bus: 1936 White Motor Company Model 706 fourteen passenger National Park Bus, Y.P. 361. This vehicle has a 6-cylinder engine (flathead motor)A total of twenty-seven 1936 Model 706 buses were used in Yellowstone, and by 1939, a total of ninety-eight Model 706s were used in Yosemite, Glacier and YNP. They were phased out of use in the 1950s, but have made a comeback in the park, allowing tourists to step back in time in this ideal vehicle of transport for a trek into Yellowstone National Park. Today we’re setting our controls to the History Tour. Buckle up!

- The human history of the Yellowstone region dates back more than 11,000 years!- Many culturally diverse tribes used Yellowstone as their homes, hunting grounds

and transportation routes. - Geographically Yellowstone played an important role in the lives of tribes,

providing them with sustenance and clothing (bison, bighorn sheep, elk, beaver) as well as raw materials for tools such as volcanic obsidian.

- Geographically the park’s harsh climate and topography has been a barrier to settlement. Native Americans adapted to the extremes and used the park to their benefit

- The traditional uses of Yellowstone’s lands continued until in the 1800s the first people of European descent, mountain men and trappers explored Yellowstone. John Colter, Jim Bridger, Nathaniel Langford, Dr. Hayden are a few of the Yellowstone adventurers we’ll encounter on this historical tour

- In 1872, Yellowstone was established by Congress as the world’s first national park and ‘America’s Best Idea.’

Prehistory:• The first native peoples in the park were Paleo-Indians of the Clovis

culture. The Clovis people was a culture centered around stone tools. They lived in New Mexico but elements of their culture have been traced thousands of miles from their epicenter, including a dig site discovered in the 1950s in Yellowstone. • The Clovis culture used significant amounts of Yellowstone’s obsidian

volcanic rock to construct tools and weapons. • Arrowheads made of Yellowstone obsidian have been found as far

away as the Mississippi Valley, indicating that a regular obsidian trade existed between local tribes and tribes farther east – a prehistoric ‘silk’ road – it shows that many ancient cultures were highly advanced

Obsidian Cliff: History in Stone

Obsidian Cliff: a remnant of YNP’s volcanic past and a part of the rich human history in the park. • Obsidian Cliff is located in the

northwest corner of Yellowstone, south of Mammoth Hot Springs. This cliff of volcanic obsidian served as an important source of lithic materials for prehistoric people in the park. Jim Bridger’s Tall Tale of the Mountain of Glass is based on Obsidian Cliff. The Cliff is protected as a National Historic Landmark

The Pre-Park Years, 1795-1871• 1797-1798 – explorer and geographer David Thompson in the British fur

trade of the Northwest, used the words “Yellow Stone” in notes he made while visiting Mandan villages on the Upper Missouri. This was the name used by trappers and natives in the area• What’s in the name?: No one knows for certain how ‘Yellow Stone’ got

its name – each of the tribes have their own unique myths of the park. Theories of Yellowstone’s name include the big yellow rocks along the river at Fort Mandan in North Dakota, the dazzling yellow stone along the park’s canyons, including Golden Gate.• Yellowstone most likely is a translation of the Hidatsa name ‘Mi tsi a-da-

zi’ – Rock Yellow River.

Lewis & Clark and Westward Expansion• In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson negotiated to purchase the Louisiana Territory from

France for $15 million dollars. It is considered one of the greatest real estate deals in history.

• The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of US Territory. President Jefferson enlisted the assistance of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark to explore the newly acquired land, survey the territory and if possible find a Northwest Passage (a shortcut from the Atlantic to Pacific without going around South America)

• Lewis and Clark’s Expedition from Saint Louis up the Missouri, west to the Pacific Ocean is one of the most fascinating segments of U.S. History. Lewis & Clark never stepped foot into Yellowstone National Park, but their presence in the Greater Yellowstone area still echoes today.

• Lewis & Clark named the Gallatin and the Madison. Park features Lewis Lake and Lewis Falls are named after Captain Meriwether Lewis. While Corps member John Colter became the first white man to see Yellowstone’s thermal features…

The Lewis and Clark Expedition explored the Yellowstone River in Montana during 1806. William Clark, Sacajawea and other select Corps of Discovery Members traversed the Yellowstone River in Montana. Clark camped in Livingston Montana, only fifty miles north of Yellowstone’s current park boundary.

- The Corps of Discovery encountered the Nez Perce, Crow and Shoshone tribes. Sacajawea their translator and guide, was a Shoshone born in the area around Three Forks Montana and the Headwaters of the Missouri.

- Lewis and Clark heard reports from natives of a volcano to the south which sounded like thunder and made the earth tremble. Given constraints on time and supplies they did not investigate activity.

- Adventure-seeker, John Colter, requested to be relieved on his duties as a Corps of Discovery member, in order to explore the area. We will learn more about Colter’s run into the fires of Yellowstone as we continue our historical tour into the park’s past.

SacajaweaSacagawea turned out to be incredibly valuable to the Corps as it traveled westward, through the territories of many new tribes. Some of these Indians, prepared to defend their lands, had never seen white men before. As Clark noted on October 19, 1805, the Indians were inclined to believe that the whites were friendly when they saw Sacagawea. A war party never traveled with a woman -- especially a woman with a baby. During council meetings between Indian chiefs and the Corps where Shoshone was spoke, Sacagawea was used and valued as an interpreter.

More about her fascinating history click the links on this page.

John Colter man of the wilderness - John Colter was born in 1774 in Augusta County Virginia. Circa 1780, the Colter

family moved west to Kentucky. Colter was a natural adventurer, who developed a frontier lifestyle.

- He joined the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery in the rank of private on October 15, 1803

- Colter rebelled against leadership in the preparation stages of the expedition. Lewis gave Colter a second chance. Colter proved to be a hardworking asset to the corps.

- Born with wanderlust, Colter requested an early discharge from his Corps duties in mid-August 1806 while the expedition camped at Fort Mandan en route back to St. Louis. After careful consideration Lewis & Clark agreed to let Colter leave to join up with two trappers he met on their journey to Mandan. This sealed the fate of the next stage of western discovery…

• Colter had a falling out with his trading partner’s Joseph Dickson and Forest Hancock, when they set up at Three Forks Montana. • In 1807, Colter encountered Manuel Lisa near the mouth of the Platte

River. Lisa was a prominent trader in Saint Louis, looking to expand his business interests into the Rockies. Lisa’s party included several former members of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Colter joined up and helped establish Fort Raymond, the earliest Euro-American settlement in Montana. • That winter, Lisa sent Colter to winter Indian camps to alert them of

the Missouri Fur Company’s presence and a desire to trade.• Alone with his rifle and a 30 lb. pack, Colter traveled an estimated 500

miles that winter with the assistance of Indian guides

- Colter’s 500 mile trek is an adventure for the ages.

- Colter’s exploration took him through breathtaking harsh landscapes to be the first white man to lay eyes on Jackson Hole.

- Colter’s steps led him into the heart of Yellowstone Country where he discovered Yellowstone Lake and reported a land of sulfuric thermal areas and a thundering earth.

- No one believed Colter’s wild fantastic stories of thermal features, dismissing his testimony as ‘Colter’s Hell’

- In 1810 when Colter returned to Missouri he reported his findings to William Clark who incorporated the information in an updated map of the territory

- Can you imagine Colter’s trepidation and wonder as he navigated the frigid territory of Yellowstone, laying eyes of such a foreign and indescribable land of fire and ice fore the first time?

Colter is the first European-American to see Yellowstone Lake

Colter’s Run….who says history is boring?• If exploring and charting 500 miles of untapped wilderness,

experienced the fire and ice of Yellowstone and building a trade network with Native Americans is not exciting enough for you…• In 1808, Colter teamed up with fellow Corps member, John Potts to

form a trading outfit near Three Forks. They were injured fighting with the Blackfoot Indians as they led a party of Crow Indians to Fort Raymond. The bad blood between the Blackfoot, Potts and Colter boiled over in 1809. While rowing their canoe up the Jefferson River in Montana, Potts and Colter encountered several hundred Blackfoot who demanded they come ashore…

• Colter went ashore and was disarmed and stripped naked. Potts was shot and wounded when he defiantly refused to come ashore. Potts in turn shot one of the Indian warriors. The Blackfoot killed Potts on site, bringing his bullet riddled body ashore and hacking it apart. Helpless and naked, Colter in a state of courage and fear, no doubt expected this to be his last moments of life.

• After a council, Colter was told to leave, and encouraged to run. It quickly became apparent that Colter was the prey of a hunt and he had to literally run for his life.

• And run he did for several miles, naked and bleeding, he managed to stave off the warriors

• He was so far ahead of the group he was able to overtake the one assailant trailing him. Colter took the man’s blanket and continued running until he reached the Madison River.

• In a stroke of ingenuity, Colter hid inside a beaver lodge, escaping capture• He emerged that night, walking with only a blanket for eleven days to a trader’s fort

on the Little Big Horn. It is one of the great escapes in history.• This event did convince Colter to head back to St. Louis. He settled down, married

(Sally) and had a son before dying of illness (unknown possibly jaundice)in 1813

Native American Tribes of Yellowstone: 1800s• Shoshone: The name “Shoshone” comes from Sosoni, native word for high-growing grasses. Some neighboring tribes call the Shoshone “Grass House People.” Shoshones call themselves ‘Newe’ meaning ‘People’• Crow – Apsáalooke in native tongue – “children of the large-beaked bird.”•Nez Perce: Their name for themselves is Nimíipuu (pronounced [nimiːpuː]), meaning, "The People," in their language

Shoshone- The Shoshone Tribe is a multi-faceted

nation, comprised of unique tribes, each with a shared language and identity. Each band has its own unique culture and territory. The Shoshone and other native tribes are threads binding the tapestry of Yellowstone’s cultural history.

- Archaeologists are still learning about native history in the park. While each tribe offers a fund of its own knowledge of the spirit of the land and their personal history.

- One branch of the Shoshone, known as the Tukadika, which translates to ‘Sheep Eater’ – lived in Yellowstone, adapting to the harsh land as they moved seasonally to harvest edible and medicinal plants in the park. They also used the park’s rivers and lakes to fish. They hunted bison, elk and bighorn sheep.

- Wickiups have been found in the park in areas around Sheepeater Cliff and other locations. Tribes, including the Shoshone built Wickiups and used them for shelter.

- The Shoshone used dog travois to carry food and hides and other provisions as they migrated seasonally. The dogs also were used in hunting.

- The Tukadika built large wooden traps to funnel small herds of game. The dogs may have helped to drive animals into the traps.

- The Tukadika also used rock and pit, and brush blinds to hunt game.

- They cooked with stone pots made from Yellowstone obsidian

- They used Bighorn sheep for food and weapons. They made awls, ladles, spoons and other powerful hunting tools from the horns.

- To make their strong bow, natives would soak ram horns in hot water, perhaps in Yellowstone’s hot springs, to make the horn soft and pliable. The horns were straightened, and joined together with sinew in the middle to form a strong bow used in hunting.

Crow Nation:- The Crow Nation are the Apsaalooke in

their own Siouan language, which translates to ‘Children of the Large-Beaked Bird.’ They arrived in Yellowstone-Bighorn Canyon area in the early 1700’s.

- From the time of their arrival, they were constantly being challenged, to call this land home.

- The Crow are a vibrant nation, within the south-central territory of Bighorn country in Montana.

- The Crow name for the Yellowstone River is the Elk River. The Crow considered ‘Yellowstone’ a sacred place.

- Their historical territory from Yellowstone National Park and the headwaters of the Yellowstone River in the west, north to the Musselshell River in Eastern Montana and northeast to the Yellowstone’s mouth at the Missouri River, and southeast to the confluence of the Yellowstone and Powder Rivers .

- Tribal area included the river valleys of the Judith River (Buluhpa’ashe – Plum River) Powder River, Tongue and Big Horn Rivers and Wind River. They held territory in the Bighorn Mountains, Pryor Mountains, Wolf Mountains and Absaroka Range.

Links to Explore the Living History of the Crow:NPS – Bighorn Canyon: Bighorn Canyon NRA is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The eastern entrance of the park lies on the precipice of this awe-inspiring canyon. Bighorn Canyon has billions of years of geologic history and thousands of years of human habitat and stories than echo in the canyon rim.

The Crow – Legends in History

Before they were Parks – a PBS documentary on Crow, Shoshone and Blackfeet perspectives on Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.

Photo to the right: Chief Plenty Coups

Nez Perce- The Nez Perce call

themselves ‘Nimi’ipuu,’ which means the “real people” or “we are the people”

- The Nez Perce are experts with horses and were the finest horseman in the American West.

- The Shoshone referred to the Nimi’ipuu as “people under the tule” because the tribes main dwelling place was the tule mat-covered, double lean long house.

- To learn more about the culture of the Nez Perce you can visit their Tribal webpage

“I believe much trouble would be saved if we opened our hearts more.” Chief Joseph – Nimi’ipuu

Nez Perce• The Nez Perce territory at the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition was roughly 17 million acres

ranging from present-day Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho. They were the largest tribe on the Columbia River Plateau with a population of 12,000.

• The Nez Perce actively sought to help Lewis & Clark in 1805 and 1806 as the Corps travailed over harsh passes in Bitterroot Mountains of Montana/Idaho. Running low on food, Clark took six hunters and hurried ahead of the Corps to hunt.

• On September 20, 1805, near the western end of the Lolo Trail, Clark found a camp of Nez Perce.

• Nez Perce went out of their way to show the explorers hospitality, something that so impressed Lewis and Clark that they trusted the Nez Perce to keep their horses as the Corps continued their trek west via watercraft.

• The Nez Perce faithfully took care of the Corps’ horses, returning them to Lewis and Clark the following year. The Corps camped with the Nez Perce, becoming friends with the tribe. Without the Nez Perce, and other Native Americans, Lewis and Clark would not have survived the expedition. This is what makes the Nez Perce’s chapter in Yellowstone’s history so tragic…

The Flight of the Nez Perce:• As western migration and the attitude of a ‘Manifest Destiny’ pushed

more settlers into the Montana and Idaho Territory spurred by gold, cattle and homesteading, conflicts over land between Native populations and settlers began to emerge. The US Army began a policy of forcing tribes onto reservation to free up land for White settlers. The Nez Perce (Ni-Mii-puu) resisted removal, fighting to stay on their ancestral lands and be free as a nation.• Summer of 1877 brought tragedy to the Nez Perce (Ni-Mii-puu). Many

of their tribe had been removed from homelands to a reservation. The remaining Nez Perce objected because they had not sold their land to the US government nor signed a treaty.• Nez Perce leaders decided to lead their people in search of a new home.

- The trek of more than 800 people and 2,000 horses was to be peaceful. But warriors killed Idaho settlers as revenge for earlier murders, which caused the Army to chase the Nez Perce.

- Their trek became a flight marked by skirmishes and battles, the last of which stopped them more than 1,000 miles away from their homeland and less than 40 miles from safety in Canada.

Nez Perce Flight in Yellowstone• “The Nez Perce entered Yellowstone on August 23rd. They knew the park well, having visited often

to hunt and gather food or while traveling east to the buffalo hunting grounds of the Great Plains. During the two weeks they crossed the park, the Nez Perce encountered all 25 people known to be visiting the new park at that time. To obtain supplies, they attacked or took hostage several tourist parties—with no intention of harming the visitors. But as revenge for the deaths at Big Hole (an earlier battle on their trek) warriors killed two visitors, and left a third for dead.

• The group continued traveling through the park and over the Absaroka Mountains. They eluded Army troops in a deep, narrow canyon of the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River. At Canyon Creek, near Billings, they engaged in another battle with the Army, then continued their flight toward Canada.

• The last battle occurred in the foothills of the Bear’s Paw Mountains, less than 40 miles from the Canadian border, in October. After fierce fighting, the U.S. Army laid siege to the Nez Perce camp. Some Nez Perce escaped into Canada, but the rest surrendered on October 5. This is where it is believed that Chief Joseph said, “From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.” The 1,170-mile flight had ended” From NPS brochure

•The spirit of the Nez Perce still lingers in Yellowstone as a reminder of the passion and respect they had for their land, culture and national identity. The Nez Perce’s Flight under Chief Joseph, is widely considered a social issue of government misusing its power and our civic duty to uphold the American ideal of equality. Chief Joseph’s character as an honorable leader led many Americans to support the Flight of the Nez Perce and question the US Army’s tactics in hunting down the tribe. These are questions that still remain with use today as we study the crossroads of social sciences and how we can work together to solve social problems through the lens of history, geography, economics, civics and political science... • Today park visitors can learn more about Chief Joseph in an interactive display by

Nez Perce Creek. The Indian Arts Museum in Colter Bay in nearby Grand Teton National Park is an excellent place to discover the tribes of the Yellowstone region, tour exhibits and hear guest lecturers from tribes, including the Nez Perce, Shoshone and Crow…• Visit Forest Service interactive website to tour the Nez Perce Trail

Discovering Yellowstone: Age of the Mountain Men- Mountain men were robust, itinerant,

hardworking fur trappers, surveyors, cartographers and geographers…their daring adventures continue to stir our imaginations.

- Mountain men like Jedidiah Smith, Jim Bridger and Hugh Glass left their imprint on the culture, mythos and history of the American west.

- In 1829 Trapper Joe Meek stumbled upon the Norris Geyser Basin. His stories of “fire and brimstone” were dismissed as ‘tall tales’

- Jim Bridger is the ultimate mountain man. He was a person with a 10,000 pound personality, strength of character, humor, adventure and stamina, Bridger played a vital role in Yellowstone’s history. Known for his tall tales and big personality, Jim Bridger’s tales of his adventure’s in Yellowstone opened a door to exploration.

- Jim Bridger began exploring the Yellowstone region in the 1830s. He is the first European-American to lay eyes on many of the park’s thermal and geologic features.

- He told what others viewed as ‘outlandish stories of waterfalls spouting upwards (geyser) and petrified “birds and trees.” His tall tales were a mix of myth and reality. A storyteller at heart, Jim Bridger enjoyed crafting extraordinary tales about his adventures. Few believed the truth in a land of geysers and glass mountains.

- However as more explorers found their way into Yellowstone, it became harder to discount all the accounts of thermal activity and supernatural beauty as bar talk by wayward men.

- In 1842, ex-trapper Warren Ferris identified the features as ‘geysers’ a term and known geologic feature in Iceland

- In 1863 a group of prospectors, headed by ‘Colonel’ Walter Washington DeLacy, pushed into the southern portion of Yellowstone, reporting the Shoshone Geyser Basin near present-day Shoshone Lake. The DeLacy Trailhead in the Park still bears his name.

• In 1865 Father Francis Xavier Kuppens, a young Jesuit priest serving near Great Falls, Montana was guided into Yellowstone by Piegan Indians. He visited the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the geysers of the Firehole Basin. • Father Kuppens relayed his journey to Montana Governor Thomas Francis

Meagher who said if a place of wonders did exist, then it should be set aside as a national park. • “On that occasion I spoke to him [Meagher] about the wonders of the

Yellowstone. His interest was greatly aroused by my recital and perhaps even more so, by that of a certain Mr. Viell [3]—an old Canadian married to a Blackfoot squaw—who during a lull in the storm had come over to see the distinguished visitors. When he was questioned about the Yellowstone he described everything in a most graphic manner. None of the visitors had ever heard of the wonderful place. Gen. Meagher said if things were as described the government ought to reserve the territory for a national park. All the visitors agreed that efforts should be made to explore the region and that a report of it should be sent to the government.” – Fr. Kuppens

• In 1869: Three mine workers: David E. Folsom, Charles W. Cook and William Peterson set out to explore the Yellowstone region. They visited the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, saw wildlife teeming in the area and experienced the wonders of geysers and hot springs. The party believed that the area needed to be preserved from commercialization. They wrote articles about their expedition into the park, but reputable magazines discounted the accounts as unreliable far-fetched tall tales.

1870: The Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition

1870 was a landmark year in Yellowstone’s road to becoming a national park. Inspired by the vivid accounts of Cook and Folsom, a band of prominent citizens of Montana, including Henry D. Washburn, the surveyor-general of the Montana territory set out to investigate the stories of geysers and mud pots. The party included Nathaniel Langford (later to serve as the first Park Superintendent), Truman Everts, Cornelius Hedges (US Attorney), and esteemed journalist Walter Trumbull.

• The expedition uncovered the wonderland of Yellowstone, discovering geysers, fumaroles, daunting canyons, lakes and rivers. • The expedition visited the Upper and

Lower Geyser Basins. After observing the regular eruptions of one geyser they decided to name it Old Faithful. The name stuck, Old Faithful is still the world’s most famous geyser.• Amazed by the beauty and majesty

of the park, the Washburn party endorsed the idea of setting Yellowstone aside as a national park.

Washburn named Old Faithful because it erupted in regular, timed intervals

Campaign for a Park

• Jay Cooke of the Northern Pacific Railroad saw the economic potential of Yellowstone as a tourism mecca, which would attract railroad business to the region. This is a crossroads of economics, civics and history. It took a combination of factors to create Yellowstone as a park: geography and economics.• Cooke financed a series of ‘stump’ tour speeches by Nathaniel Langford in Virginia

City (MT), Helena (MT Capital), New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. where Langford lectured about the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition. • On January 19 1871, during a speech promoting the park’s wonders in D.C., U.S.

geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden became inspired to conduct his next geological survey in Yellowstone…the result was the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871…a trek into Yellowstone’s wilderness that cemented its fate as a national park

Hayden Expedition• Hayden sought federal funding to survey the Yellowstone Territory in

1871. His goal was to lead a scientific expedition documenting the phenomenon in the park. Congress appropriated $40,000 to the expedition, making the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 the first federally funded geological survey to explore and further document features in the region.• Dr. Hayden assembled an all-star team of scientists in the disciplines

of geology, botany, zoology and more. He also made the ingenious move of recruiting a guest artist, Thomas Moran, and expedition photographer, William Henry Jackson to document the survey. Jay Cooke funded Moran’s place on the team, in hopes his paintings would stir interest in Yellowstone tourism.

Thomas Moran is considered one of the premier painters in the history of Western Landscapes. His use of color, light and perspective is inspired and reflects the natural wonder of space. Moran’s paintings and sketches of Yellowstone captured the magic and natural elegance of the park. He did not seek to romanticize the landscape, rather relying on the natural grandeur of the land to articulate awe. Thomas Moran’s paintings played a crucial role in convincing Congress to designate Yellowstone as a National Park. His paintings reflect the raw uncorrupted beauty of Yellowstone.

W.H. Jackson’s photographic evidence of Yellowstone were vital in Yellowstone’s designation as a National Park. Jackson’s keen ability of a photographer captured the heartbeat of Yellowstone’s natural wonder. Seeing is believing and these photographs convinced Congress of the marvels of Yellowstone.

• The Hayden Survey entered Yellowstone via the Paradise Valley and Mammoth Hot Springs on July 21, 1871. During their voyage of discovery, the party documented Tower Fall, Mount Washburn and the Hayden Valley (named after Dr. Hayden), Yellowstone Lake, the Lower, Midway and Upper Geyser Basins.• Accompanied by the photographic and pictorial evidence of Yellowstone’s

geologic and geographic wonders, Hayden composed a 500 page comprehensive report on the survey.• Congress, after much debate and external lobbying, passed an Act of

Dedication on March 1 1872 creating Yellowstone as a national park. At the time the bill seemed insignificant, but it has become one of the most important legislative acts in US History, creating an idea of fostering public lands as protected spaces for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. The law is the first legislation of what would transform into the National Park Service, National Forest Service and other public entities protecting the economic and environmental welfare of our public lands.

Yellowstone – 1872- World’s First National Park• Yellowstone’s dedication as a national park did not instantly elevate its prominence to

a top tourist destination. Yellowstone is an extreme land with crippling winters and treacherous terrain.

• The Northern Pacific Railroad played an active role in expanding tourism to Yellowstone, Jay Cooke who recognized the value in park’s geologic wonders as an economic driver for the railroad and development.

• Many Montanans were torn on the idea of the Federal Government controlling such a large tract of land and saw the interests of the railroads as monopolistic and dangerous. In the end, the railroad helped grow the economy of Livingston and Gardiner Montana as well as Bozeman.

• The Northern Pacific was active in advertising the park. They invested in lodging and setting up tours. The Northern Pacific is an example of a beneficial and also the tense relationship in public interest, economics and private interests.

The Early Years: Rocky Roads

• After the park’s official formation, Nathaniel Langford was appointed as the park’s first superintendent in 1872. He served for five years but was denied a salary, funding and staff. He lacked the means to improve the land or properly protect the park.

• This left YNP vulnerable to poachers, vandals and others seeking to raid its resources• Langford addressed the problems facing the park in the 1872 Report to the Secretary of the

Interior. Langford predicted that Yellowstone would become a major international attraction and deserved the undue continuing stewardship of the U.S. Government.

• In 1875 Colonel William Ludlow observed the lawlessness and exploitation of park resources. Ludlow’s Report of a Reconnaissance to Yellowstone National Park included letters and attachments by other expedition member, including leading naturalist and mineralogist George Bird Grinnell.

• As a result of Ludlow’s report, Langford was replaced by Philetus Norris. Congress funded the position of superintendent and provided minimal funding to operate the park. Norris used these funds to expand access to the park.

Norris served as Park Superintendent from 1875 to 1882, he built 100 miles of roads and trails to provide increased park access. Norris Hot Springs and other park locales are named after this early guardian of Yellowstone

• In 1880 Harry Yount was appointed as a gamekeeper to control poaching and vandalism in the park. • Yount is considered the first national park ranger. Yount’s Peak,

located at the head of the Yellowstone River is named in his honor.• The lack of funding, manpower and resources continued to plague

Norris and subsequent superintendents. • Incursions with Native Americans continued to cause friction in park

operations. Eastern Shoshone left their homeland in Yellowstone in a 1868 by a loose treaty, allowing the tribe to retain their hunting rights. The US government revoked hunting rights of the ancestral tribe of the land. The Nez Perce flight left several tourists dead. Yellowstone still had a long climb to become the national park it is today.

Harry Yount – First National Park Ranger

Timeline Snapshots:

• 1883: President Chester Arthur visited Yellowstone on a camping tour of the park, raising awareness about the park to the nation’s citizens. The nation became concerned that opportunists were exploiting the park. This battle continue to rage into the 21st century as balances of private and public interest contend for their place in Yellowstone. • 1886 The Secretary of the Interior asks the US Army to

intervene in protecting Yellowstone from vandals and poachers. You can tour Fort Yellowstone on this digital NPS Tour The Army protected Yellowstone from 1886-1916 when the National Park Service was established

• In 1894 the Lacey Act is passed by Congress giving full protection to wildlife in Yellowstone Park (except wolves and coyotes), thus paving the way for future wildlife and environmental movements• Official yearly visitor counts begin in 1895.

5,438 people visit Yellowstone this year.• 1903: President Roosevelt visits Yellowstone.

He is awed by the wild beauty of the park and advocates for continued preservation. He dedicates the foundation of the Roosevelt Arch, which continues to welcome park visitors into Yellowstone today

The Old Faithful Inn

• Construction began on the Old Faithful Inn in the winter of 1903. The hotel was the brainchild of park concessionaire Harry Child and architect Robert Reamer.• The Northern Pacific Railroad funded the project. • Robert Reamer is entrenched in the fabric of the park as the geysers.

As one of the great architects of his time, he designed beautiful edifices of stone and wood that complement the park’s natural beauty. The Old Faithful Inn considers to serve as a hub of tourism activity. It is perfectly sited to frame the fiery landscape of Old Faithful and Geyser Hill.

In a revolutionary move at the time, Reamer designed the building to complement the natural landscape. He evoked the simplicity of the arts and crafts movement working to reflect the wonders of the park in a style known as ‘parkitecture ‘

• Reamer set out to use local building materials including locally grown lodgepole pine and rhyolite stone from the region. • The Old Faithful Inn is among the

largest log hotels in the world. This colossal knotted pine and stone edifice is surpassed only by the surrounding drama of the Upper Geyser Basin. • The interior of the lobby soars 77

feet, with a grand fireplace and numerous seating nooks making this a perfect getaway for travelers ready to rest a spell • The Old Faithful Inn is so close to its

namesake geyser that you can hear it gushing with each power eruptions throughout the night.

In addition to the Old Faithful Inn, Reamer also designed many other important park landmarks.

• Lake Hotel: originally built in 1893, Reamer remodeled and expanded the Lake Hotel into a Colonial Revival style that has an open air feel perfect for viewing Yellowstone Lake.• Roosevelt Arch• Fishing Bridge Visitor Center• Mammoth Springs Hotel• Gardiner Railway Hotel

1915 and Beyond: Transitioning into the Auto Age• 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signs into existence a new government

agency, the National Park Service, forever changing the administration of our national parks.• 1915 is when the first automobile zoomed into the park –1000 auto

tourists entered YNP that year, resulting conflicts with horses and horse drawn transportation. Horse travel on roads was eventually prohibited. By 1920, some 5000 tourists enter the park via automobile• In 2014 nearly three million visitors entered the park, over a million

automobiles traverse park roads, demanding constant maintenance and repair – which also puts Yellowstone into political throes in the search for added funding from the federal government.

- From 1919-1929, Horace Albright one of the great advocates of our park system served as Yellowstone’s Park Superintendent.

- The NPS was in a race to create a strong road system and buffer park infrastructure to meet the needs of auto travel. During the Great Depression, from 1933-1942,* the Civilian Conservation Corps played a major role in developing Yellowstone’s facilities. The CCC projects included reforestation, campground development, trail construction and fire hazard reduction. The CCC built many of the early visitor centers, campgrounds and the current system of park roads

- During World War II tourist travel fell sharply and staffing was cut. The park’s facilities fell into disrepair. By the 1950s the economy rebounded and families planned road trips to See America. A new campaign emerged: Mission 66 – to modernize and expand park service facilities.

Hebgen Lake Earthquake• On August 17 1959 a massive 7.3

Earthquake occurred on the Madison Fault near Hebgen Lake. Twenty-eight people died in the earthquake as a mudslide tore apart the mountain, sending a deluge sweeping away homes and damned the Madison River.

• The Hebgen Lake Quake changed the plumbing system of many of Yellowstone’s thermal features. Many geologists believe cluster earthquakes in the park might be aftershocks from this earthquake – it is a reminder of Yellowstone’s volatile seismic history.

Late 1960s-70s

• In 1963-67 the park refocuses on a natural management of park wildlife: ‘"natural processes" management, stating that managers would "minimize, give direction to, or control" the "changes in the native environment and scenic landscape resulting from human influences on natural processes of ecological succession." By attempting to "neutralize" human influences, the Service aimed to allow the "natural environment to be maintained essentially by nature.’• In the 1970s – National attention begins to shift from viewing Yellowstone as a

recreational playground to an ecological resource that needed to be preserved and protected for future generations. In 1976 Yellowstone is designated as a World Biosphere Reserve. • In 1978 Yellowstone is designated as World Heritage Site, in recognition of its

ecological value.

1980s: Fire and Rage, Rebirth of the Land• 1988 — The worst fire season in

Yellowstone’s history takes place. “The Fires of 1988″ burn some 1.4 million acres in the Yellowstone ecosystem between June and October. 25,000 firefighters and $120 million dollars are unable to stop the massive flames. Early winter snows finally extinguish the flames.

Out of the ash was life, the fires helped bring the ecosystem back in check. As we learned in the Geography Unit, Fires are a critical part of Yellowstone’s ecosystem. A healthy balance of fire and growth is needed for a healthy park

Naturally reseeded forest born out of the fire are flourishing throughout Yellowstone: NPS Video Link on fire

Last Stop: The Old Faithful Visitor CenterOld Faithful is due to erupt any moment…• The Old Faithful Visitor Center opened on

August 25 2010, it is a state of the art facility with interactive learning opportunities detailing the park’s geologic and cultural history. The visitor center is an example of the park service moving forward into 20th century park management. It is a LEED Certified Building with an eco-purpose

• The park is constantly working to improve its facilities and educational programs. Take an interactive tour of the OF Visitor Center via this link.

Issues facing Yellowstone Today• Wolf Reintroduction: Hailed a success in 2005, Wolf Reintroduction remains a bitter divide

between ranchers, biologists and ecologists. Yellowstone’s wolves drive tourism to the park, while MT FWP argues that any tourism gains from park wolves is lost through the wolves economic impacts on the elk population (decreasing hunting licenses) and loss of livestock. Both sides have valid points. At the end of the day the wolf is an extraordinary creature, important to the fabric of the park and a sound policy will need to bridge the concerns of both groups.

• Snowmobiling remains a critical question in the park. We will look at snowmobiling as an economic driver in our next unit.

• The greatest controversy facing Yellowstone right now is the decision to slaughter bison who leave the park. Ranchers support this idea, but biologists and park tourists believe it is inhumane and based on unsound science.

• Government leadership in Washington has attempted to enact laws that many believe hurt the park, especially regarding climate change, fracking in the Beartooths and lack of funding. This question of what role government should play in our public lands continues to be a heated debate. It will take compromise and sound legislation through our governmental processes (Social Sciences) to seek and enact solutions.

• At the end of the day it is our role as citizens to stand up as voices for our parks and to play and active role in the protection and preservation of Yellowstone for the benefit and the enjoyment of the people.

Our Role as Park Citizens

• The NPS and Yellowstone is a testament to the American ideal, but it at the confluence of civics, politics, economics, geography/ecology and history controversy can run rampant. Yellowstone continues to grow, working to preserve and protect the park. For Yellowstone to remain protected, preserved for the benefit and enjoyment of the people it takes a coming together of diverse groups to work for the common goal of protection.• Organizations such as The Sierra Club, Yellowstone Association,

Greater Yellowstone Coalition and The National Parks Foundations serve as a bridge between public and private interest, advocating for Yellowstone and working to lobby Congress for park protections.

In ClosingYellowstone’s human history goes back 11,000 years. Its history is shaped by geography, cultural migration, exploration and more.

Key Themes:

- Native American populations in Yellowstone

- John Colter and the Mountain Men that shaped the west.

- Early exploration and Expedition of the National Park

- The Founding of Yellowstone and history of park management

Sources:

• Sources from this slide come from the following websites:• Wikipedia (History of Yellowstone) • NPS.gov/yell; variety of park materials including e-book of Aubrey

Haines History of Yellowstone. • PBS.org: Lewis & Clark (Ken Burns documentary); America’s Best Idea;

Great Lodges of the National Parks• Http://www.Yellowstone.net/history • All photographs are free licenses