(FOXNEWS) – Yellowstone National Park, an almost
mystical  2.2-million acre wonderland of dynamic
hydrothermal activity, breathtaking scenery and
spectacular wildlife, was established on this day in
history, March 1, 1872.        

It was the first national park in the United States and,
to most people around the world, the first known on
the planet. It quickly inspired an international
conservation movement in the wake of the Industrial
Revolution.

This poster was created in 1938 as part of the Works
Progress Administration, or WPA.

On October 1, 1890, an act of Congress created Yosemite National
Park, home of such natural wonders as Half Dome and the giant
sequoia trees. Environmental trailblazer John Muir (1838-1914)
and his colleagues campaigned for the congressional action,
which was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison and
paved the way for generations of hikers, campers and nature
lovers, along with countless “Don’t Feed the Bears” signs.

Benjamin Harrison
(August 20, 1833 – March 13, 1901)

John Muir 
(April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914)

Riding through a giant sequoia tree.

Crater Lake National Park is located in southern Oregon. The lake is
in a dormant volcano and is an average of 1,943 feet deep, making
it the deepest lake in the United States. It was created by one of the
largest volcanic explosions in history when Mt. Mazama exploded
over seven thousand years ago, collapsing on itself.

The cataclysmic eruption of Mount Mazama 7,700 years ago began
with a towering column of pumice and ash, as depicted in this
painting by Paul Rockwood.
      
 

The United States Congress established Yellowstone National Park in 1872
and President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park
Protection Act into law. Thus the world’s first national park was born.

Ulysses S. Grant  (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885)

Crater Lake National Park is in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon and
is known for its namesake Crater Lake, formed by the now-collapsed volcano,
Mount Mazama. Wizard Island is a cinder cone near the western edge of the
lake. The Rim Drive, a road surrounding the lake, offers views of the park’s
volcanic formations. The park’s numerous trails include Sun Notch, with
views of the Phantom Ship, a small island. It was designated as a National
Park in 1902.

A visitor on Scenic Rim Drive; Crater Lake, Oregon.