Early History of Rocky Mountain National Park
Dates
Late 1700s - End of Rocky Mountain National Park area as Ute territory
1800s - Rocky Mountain National Park is Mining Territory
January 16, 1915 - President Wilson approves Rocky Mountain National Park Act
September 4, 1915 - Official Opening Day of Rocky Mountain National Park
Introduction
Context
Rocky Mountain National Park has a rich history of different occupants and visitors. The territory was originally inhabited by Ute peoples until the late 1700s before becoming a moderately popular mining area among white settlers. The majestic alpine scenery and imposing mountain ranges continually attracted sizable quantities of admiring onlookers from the Eastern United States in the nineteenth century. The idea for the park itself emerged from Progressive-era national forestry movements associated with Gifford Pinchot, Theodore Roosevelt, and John Muir. The famous naturalist Enos Mills pushed for the establishment of a park and President Woodrow Wilson obliged by approving the Rocky Mountain National Park Act on January 16, 1915. The park itself was officially dedicated on September 4, 1915.
Park Preservationist Philosophy
Enos Mills endorsed a conservationist outlook on nature, yet also wanted guests to explore and enjoy the park. Acting Supervisor C.R. Trowbridge generally agreed with Mills’ outlook and worked to improve visitor accessibility, although he still occasionally permitted hunting and timber collection in the park (Buchholtz, 1983). Privately owned territories within the park also posed unusual problems for nature purists. Moraine and Horseshoe Parks, for instance, each contained privately-run ranches and lodges for overnight stay. These structures would eventually be demolished when the National Park Service bought the land in the 1960s.
Rocky Mountain National Park’s official philosophy took on a more coherent form after 1916, when Congress advocated for stricter protection measures that would leave parks “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” Over the following decades, Rocky Mountain National Park assumed an increasingly preservationist stance that emphasized the maintenance and restoration of natural wilderness areas while minimizing human development (Buchholtz, 1983).
