Year

Event

1795

The first reference to the terms “Yellow Stone” were used by an explorer in the British Fur Trade, David Thompson, who probably was describing the “Yellow Rock” which can be found around the canyon walls of the River.

 
The "Yellow Rock" of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone from which Yellowstone National Park probably received its name
1892

1808

One of Lewis and Clarks co-expeditioners, John Coiter, who was the first white man to visit the area. The scenes at Yellowstone were considered to be tall tales once they were uttered and all who heard had disbelief in such outrageous landscaping in the mid-west. 

 
Old Faithful area 1916-1930

1834

Warren Angus Ferris visited the area and spoke of the thermal features, or geysers, as he referred to them.  At this point the United States had yet to officially explore the park and through the 1860’s this was still the case due to the American Civil War.

 
Grotto Geyser 1916-1930

1865

A Jesuit priest, Father Francis Xavier Kuppens visited the park and shared with the territories governor Thomas Francis Meagher.  Governor Meagher was the first to make mention of the Yellowstone area becoming preserved as a national park.

 
Emerald Pool
1916-1930

1870

Henry D. Washburn, of the Washburn Party, was credited with the actual discovering of Yellowstone. One of the members of the Washburn Party was Pitt Langford who was actually the first Park Superintendent.  This expedition was also responsible for the naming of “Old Faithful” by Washburn himself.

 
Old Faithful
1900-1930

1871

United States officially sent out Ferdinand V. Hayden who at the time was head of the government’s geological survey.  Accompanying Hayden was a group of scientists, including geologists, botanists and zoologists, an artist Thomas Moran, and a photographer William H. Jackson.  The 500-page report put together by the Hayden Expedition accompanied by the watercolors and photographs was the proof that was needed to describe the unbelieveable landscape of the Yellowstone area.  The overall result of the expedition was the push for lobbying to officially designate Yellowstone as a “national park.”

 
Terrace of calcerous hot spring deposits with terraces and basins 1916-1930

1872

President Ulysses S. Grant officially named Yellowstone as the world’s first national park.  “The 2.2 million acres of wilderness was set aside for ‘the benefit and enjoyment of the people’.”

 
Posted Rules and Regulations
1881

1883

The National Hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs was built so as to allow for more people to visit the park.  This was a terrible misallocation of money because it lost money consistently and was soon out of commission.

 
Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs
1891-1936

1886

The Lake Hotel at Yellowstone Lake and the Fountain Hotel near Old Faithful were built. 

 
Lake Hotel
1898

1894

The Lacey Act was passed by Congress as an order to protect all wildlife in the park from poaching and hunting with the exception of coyotes and wolves. 

 
Elk
1871

1895

There was an official count of all the visitors to the park and it totaled 5,438 people.

Visitors from the University of Chicago
1891-1936

1902

The Fishing Bridge was built in 1902 which was later officially named “The Fishing Bridge” in 1914.

 
Fishing Bridge
1968

1903

The park was serviced by the railroads.

 
Proposed railroads and hotels
early 1900's

1904

The Old Faithful Inn was built from Park materials.

 
Old Faithful Inn
1904

1911

The Canyon Hotel was completed in 1911 at the rim of the Canyon.

Probable view from Canyon Hotel

1912

National Geographic Magazine did a feature story to draw in more visitors to the park and recommended a 5 ½ days stay to enjoy the park.

Visitors posing in Hell's Kitchen
1891-1936

1915

The fate of the Park would be changed dramatically when the first automobile, a Model T Ford passed through the gates of the park.

 
Model T Ford

1916

President Woodrow Wilson put the National Park Service into commission.

 
Woman feeding bear cub
Shows the need for a National Park Service

1917

There were nearly 5000 automobiles entering the park during the summer season.

 
President Harding and cabinet members touring
1923

1927

Telephone exchanges were installed in the Park.

 
Telephone
1915-1925

1929

Both the east and northwest areas of the park were enlarged.

Botany Field Trip in 1923

1932

A winter grazing area was opened near the north entrance of the park.

Elk at Tower Falls 1907

1951

It was estimated that the traffic traveling through Yellowstone added $19 million to the area.

Visitors standing near thermal pool 1891-1936
 

1950’s

The Canyon Village was set up for visitors.  And Park officials first began to control the populations in the park.  They decided that there were too many elk in the park and began a plan to reduce their numbers.

 
Student with elk antlers
1891-1936

1967

The Park Service takes on a “natural management” policy in regards to Yellowstone’s wildlife.

Volcanic breccia near Tower Falls 1871

1970’s

The park was thought of less as a playground and more as an “ecological treasure.” 

 
Meandering creek
1891-1936

1974

Fishing is prohibited from Fishing Bridge to protect spawning cutthroat trout.

 
Large catch of  trout
1899-1904

1976

Yellowstone was named a Biosphere Reserve.

 
View of a Yellowstone Lake
1891-1936

1978

Declared a World Heritage Site.

 
Gardner entrance to Yellowstone from Montana
1891-1936

1988

The worst fire in Yellowstone History occurred which burned 1.4 million acres in 5 months in spite of the use of 25,000 firefighters and $120 million dollars. 

 
Survey of 1988 Fires of Yellowstone

1995

Wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone at the same time it was considered a “World Heritage Site in Danger.” 

1995 reintroduced wolves pack growth by 2002

1997

1,100 bison were killed due to a brucellosis outbreak in the population.

 Bison held in a coral 1891-1936