Which 1872 site became the world’s first national park after being signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant?

Yellowstone National Park became the world’s first national park in 1872 after President Ulysses S. Grant signed its establishment law.

Congress passed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, and Grant signed it on March 1, 1872. The law reserved a large area in the territories of Montana and Wyoming as a public park and recreation ground for the benefit of present and future generations.

Yellowstone was selected because of its extraordinary geothermal features, including geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. The park also protects a vast landscape of forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife. Its famous Old Faithful geyser became an enduring symbol of the park.

The national-park idea developed before the modern U.S. system was fully organized. Yellowstone’s creation established a model for protecting exceptional landscapes through federal action. Yosemite became a national park later, in 1890, while Yosemite Valley had earlier received special protection through a federal grant.