For America's 250th anniversary, which U.S. national park became the country's first in 1872?

Yellowstone National Park became the United States' first national park when President Ulysses S. Grant signed its establishing law on March 1, 1872.

The park was created to preserve its extraordinary landscapes, wildlife, and geothermal features for public enjoyment. It occupies a large area mainly in Wyoming, with smaller sections extending into Montana and Idaho. Old Faithful is among its best-known features.

Yellowstone is often described as the world's first national park as well as the first in the United States. The Yellowstone National Park Protection Act placed the area under federal protection, although early administration was poorly funded and later required U.S. Army oversight.

Yosemite and Sequoia also became national parks in 1890, but they were not first. Grand Canyon received national-park status much later, in 1919. Native American peoples had used the Yellowstone region for thousands of years before its creation as a national park.