On this date in 1872, Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park. Prior to the mid-1800s, trappers and mountain men recounted “wild” stories of seeing spouting geysers, multicolored hot springs, boiling rivers, bubbling mud, noxious fumes and hissing earth while roaming through the future park. These reports were largely dismissed as delusions or tall tales before formal expeditions of the region began in 1869. In that year, the first of three expeditions to explore and document the region were launched, culminating with the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871. After Thomas Moran’s artwork and William H. Jackson’s photographs provided proof that Yellowstone’s geothermal and geologic features were indeed real, Congress was convinced they needed to protect this unique landscape from development. Less than six months after the conclusion of the Hayden Geological Survey, Yellowstone became a national park.
There are many histories and videos about Yellowstone; however, I found a short clip about the park that I thought was quite interesting. This is a public service announcement created by Wilding Picture Productions for the Ford Motor Company - likely in the 1950s, but possibly from the late 1940s. In addition to its age, what makes this clip remarkable is the advertisement of the "bear feeding grounds" in the park. Obviously, bear management practices have improved a little since then!
The video clip also mentions that Yellowstone’s buffalo were “a symbol of our vanished frontier.” Ramble On: A History of Hiking discusses the remarkable story of how George Bird Grinnell saved the buffalo, as Yellowstone was its last refuge.
