National Park posters: https://www.facebook.com/dougrudnikphotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=987127298070962
The National Park System covers more than 84 million acres and is comprised of 413 sites with 28 different designations. These include 128 historical parks or sites, 84 national monuments (soon to be 85 with the new Maine North Woods), 59 national parks, 25 battlefields or military parks, 19 preserves, 18 recreation areas, 10 seashores, and two reserves.
Yellowstone National Park was established by Congress as the nation’s (and world’s) first national park on March 1, 1872.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Alaska) is the largest park with 13.2 million acres. The smallest site is the Thaddeus Kosciusko National Memorial (Philadelphia) at 0.02 acres.
Mission Statement: On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the NPS. The “Organic Act” states that the fundamental purpose of the NPS “is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generation.” (nps.gov)
