Yellowstone National Park, the first U.S. national park, was established in 1872.
President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act on March 1, 1872. The law set aside the area as a public park so its extraordinary scenery, geothermal features, and wildlife could be preserved for public enjoyment rather than private settlement or development.
Yellowstone lies mainly in Wyoming, with smaller portions in Montana and Idaho. Its landscape includes geysers, hot springs, waterfalls, lakes, and mountain habitats. Old Faithful became one of the park’s best-known attractions, although it is only one of many geothermal features.
Native American peoples had used and visited the region for thousands of years before the park was created. The 1871 Hayden Geological Survey, including photographs by William Henry Jackson and paintings by Thomas Moran, helped persuade Congress to protect the area. The National Park Service did not yet exist; it was created in 1916.