Evening star., 1940-10-27
Discusses Growth Of
National Parks
By Frederic J. HuSkin.


parable previous period. Then. there
were l470l,728 acres In the system OF
national parks but the acreage has
risen to 81 $50 065-an increase of more
than 80 per cent. During the time
national park areas have risen from 66
to 1862.
The establishment of important new
national parks, expansion of already eX-
listing park and monument units, and
the consolidation of all Federal park
areas under cne bureau-the National
Park Service-by transfer Of number
Of historic shrines and military areas
from other agencies, all contributed to
the acreage increase.
The country has not only expanded its
park acreage and increased park service
activities since 1888, but has added new
types of park units such as that devel-
oped in connection with Boulder Dam
and historic sites such as Hopevell Viii
lage, Pa, an 18th century iron-making
village. Other historical sites include
Federal Hall Memorial, New York City.
where America obtained her Bill Of
Rights, and the old Philadelphia Gus
toms House, where the historic contro-
versy between President Andrew Jack
son and the Wings over national bank
ing policies took place.
Establishment of the Cape Hatteras
National Seashore, near Wilmington.
N. c., by recent act of Congress has
provided another new type of reserva-
ton. In addition, restoration and de-
velopment of the historic old Chesapeake
e. Ohio Canal from Georgetown 10
Seneca, Md, is now in progress and will
provide scenic driveway-a unique PARK
unit.
Among the most important park sddi-
tions during the last seven years are IL
Olympic National Park, in the State
Washington, and the Kings Canyo
National Park, Calf. Both of these al
vast wilderness areas of several hundre
thousand acres and are to be kept i
their natural state. Isle Royale Ma
tional Park in Lake Superior, also re-
Gently established, is a most unususl
island region. Other recent acquisition
are the Carl Inn Tract of sugar pine
added to Yosemite National Park. Calf
and two major eastern national parks
Shenandoah in Virginia, and the Gree
Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and
North Carolina.
More than dozen other areas hay~
been acquired by the service since l93
notably Mammoth Cave National Par.
in Kentucky, several national ceme-
teries and their surrounding areas, nu-
merous national monuments and other
shrines and places that mark milestone
in the country's progress.
In its field activities program the Ma
tional Park Service has added TO ranger
naturalist projects. increasing its inter
pretive service through lectures, con-
Quoted hikes and campfire sessions in
almost all park areas. An ver-increas-
ing number of visitors take to the trails
and back-country to enjoy the real will
derness areas of the scenic parks.
In 1888 the initiation Of various Fed
eral emergency activities gave the serv-
ice an opportunity to inaugurate pro-
gram of cooperative conservation.
Through the C. C. C. 1t was possible to
undertake long-needed steps in forest
protection, care of prehistoric ruins and
historic objects and installation of facili-
ties required to preserve the health and
add to the comfort Of the visiting public
Hundreds of miles of trails and scores
Of camp sites have been provided Also.
through the C. c. C. the service was able
to cooperate with various States by
supervising camps in State. country and
metropolitan parks, resulting in a re-
birth of the State park movement
Grants from emergency appropria-
tions have made possible the construc-
ton of needed national park admnistra-
ton buildings relocatio and reconstruc-
ton of old roads to make them adequate
for motor travel and the initiation Of
such projects as the Blue Ridge Park
way. connecting the Shenandoah and
Great Smoky Mountain National Parks.
and the historic Natchez Trace Park
way through Mississippi, Alabama and
Tennessee
4lIC NotIOLldI OtlNlIc 10 d
of the Department of the Interior, and
was established in 1916 by congressional
action. The field service of the bureau
includes civil and landscape engineering
and education. Each park has super
intendent
The United States had a system OF
national parks before it had a National
Park Service. For example. Congress in
1882 established the Hot Springs Reser-
vation in Arkansas, although this area
was set aside not for park purposes. but
because of the medicinal qualities Of its
waters
The first national park created in the
United States. and, in fact, in the world,
was Yellowstone. That was in 1872,
when by an act of Congress there was
stablished new national policy that
the supreme acres of the public domain
were to be preserved for all time for the
use of the people.
Langford's diary Of the Washburn e1-
pedition OF 1870 shows that Cornelius
Hedges pioneer Montanan, was the first
to advance the national park idea at a
campfire discussion on the night of Sep
tember 20 of that year. Two years later
the national park system was started.
Many years elapsed before further
progress was made, for it was not until
1890 that further action was taken to