U.S. Congress Creates Yosemite National Park
By the late nineteenth century, growing awareness of environmental damage from logging, grazing, and tourism prompted conservation advocates like John Muir to push for federal protection of California's Sierra Nevada landscapes. Earlier state-level efforts had preserved Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove, but surrounding areas remained vulnerable. On October 1, 1890, Congress passed legislation signed by President Benjamin Harrison that established Yosemite National Park, encompassing over 1,500 square miles of wilderness including towering granite cliffs and giant sequoias. The act transferred oversight to the federal government while initially leaving the valley and grove under California control. This created America's third national park and set a model for preserving natural wonders for public use.