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Yellowstone Caldera - First National Park
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By Act of Congress on March 1, 1872,
Yellowstone National Park
was "dedicated and set apart as a
public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and
enjoyment of the people" and "for the preservation,
from injury or spoilation, of all timber, mineral
deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders. . . and
their retention in their natural condition."
Yellowstone is the first and oldest national park in
the world.
-- Information courtesy Yellowstone National Park Website, October 2000
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Mount Rainier - Fifth National Park
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Congress established Mount Rainier National Park
on March 2, 1899, reaffirming the nation's intent to set aside certain areas of
outstanding scenic and scientific value for the enjoyment of present and future generations.
It is America's fifth oldest national park, after
Yellowstone (established in 1872), and Yosemite, General Grant
(now part of Kings Canyon), and Sequoia (all established in 1890).
Mount Rainier National Park ... encompasses 235,625 acres, ranging in
elevation from 1,610 feet to 14,410 feet above sea level. The
"mountain" is an active volcano encased in over 35 square
miles of snow and ice, surrounded by old growth forest
and stunning wildflower meadows. The park is also rich in
cultural resources and was designated a National Historic
Landmark District as an outstanding example of early
park planning and NPS rustic architecture.
-- Information courtesy Mount Rainier National Park Website, October 2000
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Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
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Despite the troubled economy in early 1980s, tens
of thousands of visitors flocked to the area surrounding
Mount St. Helens to marvel at the effects of the
eruption. On August 27, 1982, President Reagan
signed into law a measure setting aside 110,000
acres around the volcano as the
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument,
the nation's first such
monument managed by the USFS. At dedication
ceremonies on May 18, 1983, Max Peterson, head
of the USFS, said, "we can take pride in having
preserved the unique episode of natural history for
future generations." Since then, many trails, viewpoints,
information stations, campgrounds, and picnic
areas have been established to accommodate
the increasing number of visitors each year.
-- Excerpt from: Tilling, et.al., 1990, Eruptions of Mount St. Helens: Past, Present, and Future:
USGS General Interest Publication
Though few people in the United States may actually experience an erupting
volcano, the evidence for earlier volcanism is preserved in many rocks of North
America. Features seen in volcanic rocks only hours old are also present in
ancient volcanic rocks, both at the surface and buried beneath younger deposits.
A thick ash deposit sandwiched between layers of sandstone in Nebraska,
the massive granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and a
variety of volcanic layers found in eastern Maine are but a few of the
striking clues of past volcanism. With this perspective, an erupting volcano is
not only an exciting and awesome spectacle in its own right but a window into a
natural process that has happened over and over again throughout Earth's history.
-- Excerpt from:
Steven R. Brantley, 1994,
Volcanoes of the United States:
USGS General Interest Publication
Visit A Volcano
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