Is it national?

How national parks are created and their history

Maybe you’ve found yourself staying up at night contemplating all aspects of life and the question of how a national park becomes a national park has crossed your mind. Or maybe you’re normal. Anyway, it turns out it’s a bit more complicated and a whole lot more formal than you might think. Also meaning that The Boneyard does not, in fact, meet the requirements to become federally protected land. 

National Park – Large places of historical significance with a wide variety of other natural and/or cultural aspects, with a big no-no on hunting, mining or any other harmful activities. 

Before growing up to be a national park, the young land, referred to as a unit, first has to ask itself four questions. Oh, and it also needs a letter of recommendation from the Secretary of the Interior and an act of Congress to enact the study. Casual. 

1. Does it have national significance? Basically, does it contain a solid amount of natural, cultural or recreational resources?
2. Is it a suitable addition to the system? Is it going to protect something that isn’t already highly protected somewhere else or are we going to protect a new aspect of significance with this park?
3. Is it a feasible addition to the system? Gotta make sure it’s big enough to be worth it in the long run. Big enough for significant protection and public use, but also not a money pit. 
4. Is this something that will be best managed by the National Park Service, or would another organization be a better fit to manage and protect the land?

The study is done with input from the public, Indigenous tribes, and any federal, state or local agencies that feel like getting involved. Once they decide that the land is of significance, suitable and feasible, and the best management would be the NPS, the land still does not yet become a national park. That’d be far too simple. 

Next, the boundaries of the park have to be determined. It’s gotta make sense, ya know, the whole feasibility of it all, so they have to take into account the size, ownership, cost, etc. 

Then, at last, Congress makes its decision on whether or not the young, spectacular land will, against all odds, come out of this whole thing as a national park. The National Park Service presents the study and the boundaries and the very important decision of question number four. They then probably go into a back little room and talk amongst themselves and then come back out dramatically breaking the what-has-felt-like-an-hour silence to announce that by act of Congress, we have ourselves a brand new national park. Badda bing badda boom. 

The different types of national “parks”

National Park – Large places of historical significance with a wide variety of other natural and/or cultural aspects, with a big no-no on hunting, mining or any other harmful activities. 

National Monument – Any sort of historically or scientifically significant landmark, structure or object on government-owned or controlled land as proclaimed by the President of the United States.

National Preserve – Like a national park but you are still allowed to hunt, fish, trap, extract. 

National Historic Site – A site containing an individual feature of historic significance that is directly related to the subject, e.g. the Clara Barton House, honoring her foundation of The American Red Cross in Glen Echo, Maryland, which acted as the headquarters of the Red Cross in its early days. 

National Historic Park – Covers multiple buildings or properties of historical significance. 

National Memorial – A memorial honoring a specific person or event. Unlike the historic site, memorials do not need to be placed in a location that correlates with what it is commemorating. 

National Battlefield – This one is pretty self-explanatory, though it also includes national battlefield parks, national battlefield sites, and national military parks under its umbrella. 

National Cemetery – Also pretty self-explanatory. 

National Recreation Area – An area that allows ample outdoor recreation for the masses, while combining the preservation of historic resources and natural lands. 

National Seashore – Protected coastlines, but you can still hunt and fish. 

National Lakeshore – Same as the national seashore but on a lake instead. 

National Parkway – Roadways and those little parking lots that usually go through protected areas and/or connect sites of cultural importance.

The History of Trail Blazin’

Photos by Britt Norris