The national park movement began in the United Sates in 1870 when a team of explorers suggested that part of the Yellowstone River region be set aside in order to protect its geothermal features, wildlife, forests, and exceptional scenery for the benefit of future generations. Congress responded by creating Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first, in 1872.

The idea proved popular, and the number of national parks in this country grew rapidly, new parks being set up by presidential proclamation and sometimes as the result of gifts by states of the union or by individuals. Administration of this increasingly complex system was in the hands of the U.S. Army for thirty years from 1886, but then Congress created the National Park Service as part of the Department of the Interior to oversee it.

Today, in addition to what might be thought of as typical national parks, the Service also manages places of historic interest, hiking trails, seashores, rivers, reserves of scientific interest, and memorials. In all, more than 300 entities are involved, covering over 32 million hectares. Each unit is directed by a superintendent who is responsible for all aspects of the operation. Staff include administrative personnel and, according to the nature of the unit, park rangers, naturalists, historians, and maintenance workers.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the Statue of Liberty and the White House both fall within the system. It is sites such as these which help account for the extraordinary number of visitors, now totaling some 400 million annually. To serve such large numbers, guest facilities are offered at every site, which may include hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and transportation systems. All these are operated by private concessionaires, who must observe specific regulations imposed by the Federal Government.