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National Park Service
Although Theodore Roosevelt did not establish the National Park Service, his conservation activities as President of the United States created the foundation on which the agency was founded a decade later. The NPS today oversees more than 400 units, including national parks, monuments, and historical sites.
Theodore Roosevelt doubled the number of national parks from 5 to 10 during his presidency, adding Crater Lake (1902), Wind Cave (1903), Sullys Hill (1904 – later designated a national wildlife refuge under the management of the US Fish and Wildlife Service), Platt (1906 – now part of Chickasaw National Recreation Area), and Mesa Verde. In addition, he designated 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, and 18 national monuments.
National Park Service sites are well represented in the Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. We began with the 6 sites which memorialize TR’s life and legacy:
- Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
- Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
- Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
- Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial
With the help of Valerie Naylor, former superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, research and digitization was undertaken at the extant national parks and monuments TR designated (some have changed designation since their establishment). Among the documents are a page from the Wind Cave visitor register with the signature of Seth Bullock and items from Crater Lake relating to rumors of a Roosevelt visit. Valerie also digitized documents from the Midwest Archaeological Center related to NPS studies of the Elkhorn Ranch site.
Use the following links to visit the collections from these sites:
- Chaco Canyon National Historical Park
- Crater Lake National Park
- Devils Tower National Monument
- Golden Gate National Recreational Area
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Jewel Cave National Monument
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Midwest Archaeological Center
- Muir Woods National Monument
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Olympic National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- Rio Grande National Forest
- White Horse Hill National Game Preserve
- Wind Cave National Park