From Soldier to Ranger

In 1912, President Taft urged Congress to establish a bureau of National Parks, calling such legislation essential to the proper management and preservation of the nation's natural wonders for the people's edification and recreation. The National Park Service Act was signed on August 25, 1916, and soon afterward soldiers were discharged from the Army to form the first ranks of park rangers and a maintenance force. By arrangement with the War Department and with its cooperation, the National Park Service took over protection of Yellowstone National Park on October 1, 1916. Although local opposition led to one last episode of Army residency, the National Park Service assumed full administrative responsibility in 1918, and Fort Yellowstone was officially transferred to the new civilian agency. The Army's legacy remained visible in wood and stone and in Yellowstone's survival as one of the world's great symbols of the National Park idea.

Mammoth, Wyoming · United States