The United States has 114 protected areas known as national monuments. The President of the United States can establish a national monument by presidential proclamation, and the United States Congress can by legislation. The Antiquities Act of 1906 authorized the president to proclaim "historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest" as national monuments. Concerns about protecting mostly prehistoric Indian ruins and artifactsâ€"collectively termed antiquitiesâ€"on western federal lands prompted the legislation. Its purpose was to allow the president to quickly preserve public land without waiting for legislation to pass through an unconcerned Congress. The ultimate goal was to protect all historic and prehistoric sites on U.S. federal lands.
President Theodore Roosevelt established the first national monument, Devils Tower in Wyoming, on September 24, 1906. He established eighteen national monuments, although only nine still retain that designation. Sixteen presidents have created national monuments since the program began; only Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush did not. Bill Clinton created the most monuments, nineteen, and expanded three others. Jimmy Carter protected vast parts of Alaska, proclaiming fifteen national monuments, some of which later were promoted to national parks.
Thirty states have national monuments, as do the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Minor Outlying Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Arizona, with eighteen, has the largest number of national monuments, followed by New Mexico with fourteen and California with eleven. Fifty-eight national monuments protect places of natural significance, including eleven geological sites, seven marine sites, and five volcanic sites. Twenty-two national monuments are associated with Native Americans. Twenty-nine are other historical sites, including twelve forts.
Many national monuments are no longer designated as such. Some were changed to national parks or another status by Congress or the President, while others were transferred to state control or disbanded.
National parks are fun and enjoyable for all ages.
Analysis of management by federal agency and department
Seven federal agencies in four departments manage the 114 current U.S. National Monuments. Of these, 107 Monuments are managed by a single agency, while seven are co-managed by two agencies. Only 79 of the NPS's 80 National Monuments are official units because Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument overlaps with Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
National Monuments
See also
- List of areas in the United States National Park System
- List of National Historic Landmarks of the United States
- National Memorial
- List of tourist attractions worldwide
References
External links
- Map and chronological list of all National Monuments
- Alphabetical list of all National Park Service areas
- National Monuments and the Forest Service
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management National Monuments list
- National Monuments from HowStuffWorks
- List of U.S. National Monuments
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