Fort Yellowstone

Fort Yellowstone ( 1895)

Fort Yellowstone is a former U.S. Army base, now used for the management of Yellowstone National Park.

History

The Yellowstone National Park was established on 1 March 1872 and was thus the first national park in the world. In the years following its establishment led a civilian team with limited resources of the park. This group was not able to protect the flora and fauna of the park from vandalism and exploitation. So they gave in 1886 control of the park to the U.S. Army.

The Army built in the north of the park, near Mammoth Hot Springs, a tent camp, Camp Sheridan. On 11 May 1891, the Army began in the same place with the construction of Fort Yellowstone. By the fall, they had the first twelve building erected, including a guard house for 15 prisoners, an administration building with three offices, two officers' building, a barracks for 60 soldiers, a storehouse, a bakery and a stable. 1893 supplemented the Army the Fort by a hospital with ten beds and by a bearing 150 tons of hay. Thus, the capacity of the fort ranged well to accommodate a single troop. Between 1897 and 1909, the Army expanded the capacity of the fort for a second troop. The construction of additional facilities such as a chapel and a new hospital ended the Army until 1913., The Army continued to use the fort until they surrendered in 1918 the control of the park and the fort at the newly established National Park Service. The National Park Service has since used the facilities of the Fort Yellowstone as the administrative center for the Yellowstone National Park as well as a park - museum.

With the exception of 1904 and 1905 at Fort Yellowstone always one or two cavalry troops were stationed. 1904/ 05 the fort was occupied by four troops by far. In the summer of units of the Army camped each also in camps outside the fort Service in Yellowstone was a popular diversion to the otherwise hard life of a soldier.

On 31 July 2003 Fort Yellowstone was declared a National Historic Landmark.

Historical importance of the fort

For 32 years, led the Army to Yellowstone National Park. No U.S. National Park led the Army longer.

The park is often considered by environmentalists as the first standard for the management of national parks. During her 32 years continuous presence in the park, the Army developed regulations that put a lot of emphasis on protection. The flora and fauna of the park was effectively protected against vandalism and extinction. The National Park Service took over many of the Army Rules. Even the hats that are worn by the National Park Service rangers ( rangers Stetsons ), descended from old army hats.