Renowned for its natural beauty, California's Yosemite Valley holds the distinction of being the first tract of land set aside by any government for non-utilitarian purposes. Glacial activity formed the valley's unique appearance over the course of millions of years, including the massive granite peaks flanking each side of the pass.

In the early 1830s, non -natives first visited the valley with Joseph Reddeford Walker's expedition in search of overland routes to California. Twenty years later, the state of California sent the Mariposa expedition into the Valley to remove the native people disputing the influx of miners into the area. Walker's company encountered the native Ahwahneechee tribe, who called the valley Ahwanee, or "place of the big mouth." This expedition received widespread attention among the growing western population and by 1855, tourists began trickling into the valley.

Concerned about the threat posed by the rapid influx of visitors, Frederick Law Olmstead led a campaign to preserve Yosemite and prevent privatization. In 1864, Congress and President Abraham Lincoln passed the Yosemite Grant, giving the state of California control of the valley.

Following the creation of Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite became the nation's second national park in 1890 thanks to the tireless advocacy of John Muir and other naturalists.

Until the creation of the National Park Service in 1916, the U.S. Army - and, most notably, African-American Buffalo Soldiers - patrolled Yosemite. Since then, Yosemite has continually improved its infrastructure, attracting visitors from around the world. Today, millions visit this United Nations designated World Heritage Site each year to see many of the area's unique attractions, including Tioga Pass, Half-Dome and Bridalveil Fall.

Credits and Sources:

Researched and written by UWF Public History Graduate Student Grant Czubinski