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| Landmark #790 | Mariposa County | Visited: February 17, 2013 | Plaque? YES! 🙂 |
| What is it? | A plaque on the wall of the Yosemite National Park visitor center! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: On June 30, 1864, in an act signed by President Abraham Lincoln, the United States granted the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the State of California to “be held for public use, resort, and recreation . . . inalienable for all time.” This, the first federal authorization to preserve scenic and scientific values for public benefit, was the basis for the later concept of state and national park systems. In 1906 the State of California returned the land, considered the first state park in the country, so that it could become part of Yosemite National Park.
OTHER TIDBITS: The Southern Sierra Miwok who originally called this place home named this valley Ahwahnee, which meant “mouth,” because it was shaped like a bear’s mouth! Yosemite, which white settlers applied to both the valley and the tribe, came from Yohhe’meti, which was a derogatory term for a renegade tribe in the valley and meant “those who kill!” John Muir first visited here in 1868 and was so impressed that he found a job working as a shepherd, then at the sawmill of James Mason Hutchings, who saw himself as the authority on Yosemite and didn’t like that Mr. Muir was getting the attention! Jealousy aside, Mr. Muir went on to work with President Theodore Roosevelt to designate Yosemite a national park! It’s a little known fact that over 500 Buffalo Soldiers served as some of the park’s first rangers! Until the founding of the National Park Service in 1916, the US Army took on the role of evicting poachers of trees and animals, and putting out forest fires! Because these Buffalo Soldiers were African-American, they faced the added challenge of not offending their officers in the slightest, or else they would be abused or killed! Finally, at the age of 14, Ansel Adams made his first trip to Yosemite! The famed nature photographer, who would go on to use his photography to promote the creation of Kings Canyon National Park and to expose the disgrace of Manzanar, got his start making black and white photographs of Yosemite’s most famous features: Half Dome, El Capitan, Bridal Veil Falls, and more! This landmark is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: Mounted on entrance wall of auditorium bldg, Visitor Center Yosemite National Park ANNOTATIONS: 9035 Village Dr From Los Angeles: ~311mi (501km) — 5.2hrs |
| When should I go? | Whenever the mood strikes you! |
