150 Years of Preservation “For the People”
Happy Birthday, Yellowstone!
On March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a monumental piece of legislation into law. Public support – encouraged by the beautiful works of artists such as Thomas Moran and William H. Jackson – inspired Congress to pass the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act on to President Grant. With his signature, the glorious lands of Yellowstone National Park were preserved “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.”
Before the U.S. Civil War, very few Anglos traveled through the pristine lands that are today known as Yellowstone. With sweeping vistas, awe-inspiring mountain ranges and the largest high-altitude lake in North America, it wasn’t long before people were traveling to marvel at the area’s natural beauty.
Mount Washburn, Yellowstone National Park circa 1870sUshering in an era of exploration
In 1869, David Folsom and C.W. Cook, along with William Peterson (an employee on Folsom’s ranch) set out to explore the region. As the lead on the trip, Folsom wrote up a description of all they saw – though he had trouble getting it into print at first, as many publications rejected it as fiction!
Though this trip only scratched the surface of discovery in Yellowstone, it was followed the very next year by a more in-depth expedition. In August of 1870, Surveyor-General Henry Washburn, along with Nathaniel Langford, Cornelius Hedges and Lieutenant Gustavus Doane (who accompanied the trip as a military escort) set out to travel the region. During this expedition, the group became the first to officially attempt measurements and analyses of many natural features, including the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
The Grand CanyonThe breakthrough for preserving the area’s beauty came with a more scientific expedition in 1871. It was then that geologist Ferdinand Hayden brought his team, as well as a groundbreaking photographer and artists, to the region. Thanks to their talents, the world – including members of Congress – were able to see the wonders of Yellowstone for themselves.
Preserving the land
It wasn’t long before Congress made a move to permanently protect the lands of Yellowstone. In the early days of 1872, they approved “An Act to set apart a certain tract of land lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone River as a public park.” President Grant signed it into law on March 1, 1872 – officially reserving 2 million acres of land as the first official national park in the U.S.
Today, thanks to the pioneering acts of these individuals, we can still enjoy millions of acres of untouched beauty. Not to mention the park’s many claims to fame! It’s the largest park in the lower 48 states, and it contains more than half of the world’s geothermal features (including geysers, hot springs, fumaroles and mudpots). The most famous of Yellowstone’s over 500 geysers is Old Faithful, which erupts on average every 91 minutes.
In addition to the fascinating hydrothermal features of the park, it boasts approximately 290 waterfalls, one of the world’s largest petrified forests, and a great variety of wildlife. It’s home to everything from bison and grizzly bears to moose, elk, gray wolves, bald eagles and more!
Yellowstone coin & currency tributes
For those of us looking to add Yellowstone coins and collectibles to our collections, there are plenty of options! One of the earliest was a 90% silver dollar released in 1999 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the park.
Of course, we have to remember the Yellowstone coins that were released in 2010! The National Park quarter for Wyoming celebrated this location with an image of Old Faithful and a bison. If you’d like to expand beyond the Uncirculated and Proof quarters, Littleton also offers the Yellowstone National Park quarter layered in precious 24k gold, as well as the Uncirculated quarter presented in our Showpak®.
If you prefer adding a splash of color to your collection to celebrate the anniversary of this colorful land, I’d recommend either this Great American Landscapes colorized $2 note, our beautifully colorized Yellowstone coin, or a special 150th anniversary Challenge Coin!
