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Show National Park System began 100 years ago, with establishment of Yellowstone The birth of an idea, unique then to the United States, was accomplished just 100 years ago. On March 1, 182, President Presi-dent Ulyses S. Grant signed me organic act which created Yellowstone National Park; The roots of the national park idea and the idea of reserving re-serving such natural wonders for public use and enjoyment had earlier origins and were part of old world cultures which immigrated with the settlers in the New World. Nonetheless, the concept of Yellowstone was' singularly American. The idea caught on . for there followed a number num-ber of national parks at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. Besides national parks, a number of national monuments monu-ments and related areas were added to the system In the first half of the 20th century. In Southern Utah and Northern North-ern Arizona, Zion National Park was created In 1919 the same year Grand Canyon became a national park. Pipe Spring became a national monument in 1924 and Bryce Canyon a national park in 19-28. 19-28. In 1933, Cedar Breaks was declared a national monument. monu-ment. The most recent park, Capitol Reef, received this designation de-signation in December, 1971. Celebrations are planned throughout the country during. dur-ing. 1972. The United States will act as host for the second sec-ond World Conference on National Na-tional Parks. A Centennial banquet held in Washington, D.C. will open the celebration year. A series of commemorative commemora-tive postage stamps, depicting depict-ing several . national parks, will be issued and commemorative commem-orative medallions will be struck for the individual parks, Locally, the celebration began today, March 2 with an open house in the Visitor Center Cen-ter at Bryce Canyon from 2 to 8 pjn. Other special events will be announced as definite dates are established. |