Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park. Photo credit: Dr. Paul A. Cox

One hundred and fifty years ago today, on March 1, 1872, the first National Park in the world, Yellowstone was created by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant.

National parks, termed by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns as “America’s Best Idea” have continued since that time to be created, including the 50 th National Park of the United States in American Samoa, in which our Executive Director Dr. Paul Alan Cox, played a key role.

Happy Birthday, Yellowstone!