Existing comment:
Roosevelt Arch:
Historic Gateway -- Symbol of an Idea:
When Yellowstone was established in 1872 as the world's first national park, it was remote and nearly inaccessible. Few "tourists" had the time or the means to travel here from the major cities of the east and west coasts. However, by 1903 the North Entrance to Yellowstone had become a bustling tourist destination. Most visitors arrived here by train, then boarded stagecoaches to begin the Grand Tour of Yellowstone's wonders.
Captain Hiram M. Chittenden, director of road construction, decided that the park's primary entrance deserved a formal structure to improve and dramatize the appearance of the dusty staging area. During the spring of 1903, a fifty foot high stone archway was built to face the train depot. From there, the arch's inscription, "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People,"welcomed visitors.
Today, the Roosevelt Arch has become one of the great symbols of the national park idea. Throughout the United States and around the world, places of outstanding natural and cultural significance have been preserved for the benefit of humankind. This idea, first officially sanctioned with the creation of Yellowstone National Park, had been called "... the best idea America ever had." |