US National Park Service

  • Acronym: NPS
  • American

The national park system comprises 401 areas covering more than 84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These areas include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. - NPS

US National Historic Landmarks
National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. Today, fewer than 3000 historic places bear this national distinction. Many buildings described are private and not open to the public. Please respect private property and privacy.
US National Registry of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. Most of the buildings and places on National Register of Historic Places are privately owned and not open to the public. Please respect private property and privacy.

What is the difference between a national park and a national monument?

The difference is in the way they are designated. National monuments are generally proclaimed by the President of the United States under authority granted in the 1906 Antiquities Act. National parks are created through Congressional legislation. They are all part of the same system and in 1970, Congress clarified and elaborated on the 1916 National Park Service Organic Act saying that all units in the system have equal legal standing. Park units have different designations depending on the type of park or a description of its resources (national park, national historical park, national historic site, national seashore, etc.).

President Theodore Roosevelt was the first President to use the Antiquities Act in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. It has been used by 16 presidents since then to protect unique natural and historic features in America, such as the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty. - NPS

Notable Position Person From To
Architect Paul V Rice
Landscape Architect Robert Stone (landscape architect)
Virginia Commission on Conservation and Development E L Myers, Jr

Timeline

Y/M/D Description Association Composition Place Locale Food Event
Y/M/D Description Association Composition Place Locale Food Event
1872/03/01 Bill establishing Yellowstone National Park is signed into law by Ulysses S Grant. Genesis Yellowstone National Park, MT, WY Wyoming
1872/03/01 Bill establishing Yellowstone National Park is signed into law by Ulysses S Grant. Genesis Yellowstone National Park, MT, WY Montana
1916/08/25 Woodrow Wilson signs the 'National Park Service Organic Act' creating the National Park Service. Established
1917/00/00 Administration of Muir Woods is transferred within the Department of Interior from the General Lands Office to the newly created National Park Service. Administrator Muir Woods National Monument Golden Gate North - Golden Gate NRA
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