Civil War General Philip Henry Sheridan was born on March 6, 1831 in Albany, New York. For his service during the war, he was promoted to General of the Army of the United States, which is equal to that of a five-star general.
On February 26, 1919, Woodrow Wilson signed legislation establishing the Grand Canyon National Park. It’s one of the country’s most popular national parks and is considered one of the Wonders of the World.
On January 5, 1933, the four-year construction of the Golden Gate Bridge began in San Francisco Bay. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time and has been called a “Wonder of the World” structure.
On October 31, 1941, work on Mount Rushmore was completed 14 years after it began. The final monument was quite different than it was originally planned.
On October 15, 1966, the Wolf Trap Farm National Park for Performing Arts was established in Virginia. It’s the only National Park dedicated exclusively to the performing arts.
On September 3, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Wilderness Act. The act protected 9 million acres from development and created the National Wilderness Preservation System that consists of more than 111 million acres today.
On August 10, 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt used the power of the 1906 Antiquities Act to create Joshua Tree National Monument. Decades later, the trees received additional protection when the area was made into a national park.
On July 23, 1966, George Rogers Clark National Historical Park was established in Vincennes, Indiana. The park honors this Revolutionary War hero and his role in the expansion of the Northwest Territory.
On July 16, 1934, the first stamp in the National Parks Series was issued, honoring Yosemite National Park. The series was issued to raise awareness of America’s national parks, and was part of the Infamous Farley’s Follies…