Nature and Conservation

Botanist John Bartram was born on March 23, 1699, in Darby, Pennsylvania Colony. Called the “greatest natural botanist in the world,” he started one of the first botanic gardens in the United States.

On March 2, 1899, William McKinley signed a bill establishing Mount Rainier National Park. It was the first national park created from land already set aside as forest reserves.

On February 26, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge signed legislation creating Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park.

On February 11, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation establishing Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico.  The 33,677-acre park protects ancient pueblo structures and is home to a notable Civilian Conservation Corp district.

On December 26, 1935, Shenandoah National Park was officially established in Virginia. The park is most well-known for its 105-mile Skyline Drive.

Since 2013, National Bison Day has been held on the first Saturday in November, which falls on November 5, 2022. Once close to extinction, bison populations have recovered due to prolonged conservation efforts and in 2016, the bison was made America’s national mammal.

On October 23, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed legislation establishing the National Marine Sanctuary Program. This program protects and manages over 783,000 square miles of aquatic areas in and around the US.

On October 15, 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation establishing the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the shore of Lake Superior. It was the first national lakeshore in the United States.

Frederic Sackrider Remington was born on October 4, 1861, in Canton, New York. He went on to become the most successful artist of Western scenes during his lifetime.