Washington, District of Columbia
HORACE M. ALBRIGHT 1890 -- 1987
The year was 1914. It was a cold December day in Washington, D. C. and Secretary of the Interior, Franklin K. Lane, had just introduced his secretary, Horace M. Albright, to Stephen T. Mather. Mather was the man to whom Lane had offered the position of Assistant to the Secretary. Lane had left the two alone in his office so that they could become acquainted. Albright and Mather discussed the problems that the new Assistant would face, particularly that of the national parks. Europe was war torn and the U. S. Army was ready to pull out as caretaker of our national parks. It was under these circumstances that the possibility of establishing a National Park Service was first broached. After realizing the similarities in their desires for the parks, Mather and Albright decided to work together to make the Service a reality.
Albright did much of the leg work and politicking necessary to get Congress to approve the National Park legislation. The bill was signed by the congressional committee chairmen on 25 August, 1916. Albright, in his efficiency, managed to get the bill over to the White House and secured the presidential signature, as well as the pen used by President Wilson, on the same day. Because Mather was in California at the time, Albright sent a telegram informing his boss of the good news. Both the pen and telegram are part of Yellowstone's museum collection and can be considered the first artifacts of the National Park Service history. With the creation of the National Park Service, Mather became its Director and Albright his assistant.
The establishment of the National Park Service and World War I brought about a transition of management in Yellowstone. The Army had administered the park since 1886. Soldiers assigned to Fort Yellowstone were given the option of taking new assignments or finishing their enlistments as park rangers. By 1917 the Army was gone and the National Park Service had a new ranger force.
In May of 1918 Secretary of the Interior Lane wrote a policy letter to Mather detailing principles of park management. The letter outlines concepts such as non-utilization of resources for commercial purposes, provisions for concessions, and the priority of public use and enjoyment which are still followed today. In 1976 Albright admitted to former Yellowstone superintendent Lon Garrison that it had actually been he who had written the letter regarding policy which had such far-reaching and long-lasting effects.
In 1919 Horace Albright became the first Park Service Superintendent of Yellowstone, a position he held for ten years. Shortly after becoming superintendent, Albright put a stop to all market fishing within the park, curtailed the cutting of wood except "dead and down timber", and worked hard to upgrade the services provided by the concessionaires. Most importantly,
Albright carried the park into the automobile age. By order of the Secretary of the Interior automobiles were permitted to enter the park beginning in August of 1915. It became Albright's responsibility to respond to the increasing demands on the park. This was no small task in that it involved building and upgrading roads and facilities, and refining the ranger force to deal with the increase of visitors and their mobility throughout the park.
During this period Albright became interested in providing visitors with educational programs and museums. He also dreamed of acquiring the Grand Tetons as part of Yellowstone. Albright's acquaintance with John D. Rockefeller proved to be of tremendous value when it came to securing the Grand Tetons as a national park. While he was superintendent of Yellowstone, Albright, also served as Assistant Director of the National Park Service. In the autumn of 1928 Mather suffered a debilitating stroke and Albright was offered the directorship. Even though he disliked the idea of leaving the West, Albright returned to Washington and was sworn in as Director of the National Park Service in June of 1929.
Shortly after Albright became Director, the park system acquired several important areas, including the Grand Tetons. As Director, Albright also began to reorganize and coordinate the interpretive programs that the Park Service provided by establishing a Branch of Education and Research. After five years as Director, Albright felt he had accomplished the major goals he had set for himself and submitted a letter to the Secretary of the Interior stating: "It is with the keenest regret that I leave the Department of the Interior after more than 20 years." The resignation became effective on 10 August, 1933 and Albright began a successful career in the potash industry.
Horace M. Albright was a perceptive and effective politician, which was necessary for the growth and development of the National Park Service. He was also an outdoorsman, interpreter and successful businessman. Throughout his life he remained an active supporter of the national parks and of many conservation organizations. Among the many awards recognizing Albright's work with the National Park Service is the Medal of Freedom, presented to him in 1981 by President Carter. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award and was presented in recognition of Albright's distinguished, contributions to the cause of conservation in America.
The principle Albright established and fought to insure is still timely and of undiminished importance: "that the national parks must be maintained in absolutely unimpaired form for the use of future generations as well as those of our own time." Horace M. Albright died on March 28, 1987. However generations to come will benefit from his passion for trees, animals, mountains and beauty.
Dieuwke A. Dizney
11 December 1983
revised: 1987
Albright did much of the leg work and politicking necessary to get Congress to approve the National Park legislation. The bill was signed by the congressional committee chairmen on 25 August, 1916. Albright, in his efficiency, managed to get the bill over to the White House and secured the presidential signature, as well as the pen used by President Wilson, on the same day. Because Mather was in California at the time, Albright sent a telegram informing his boss of the good news. Both the pen and telegram are part of Yellowstone's museum collection and can be considered the first artifacts of the National Park Service history. With the creation of the National Park Service, Mather became its Director and Albright his assistant.
The establishment of the National Park Service and World War I brought about a transition of management in Yellowstone. The Army had administered the park since 1886. Soldiers assigned to Fort Yellowstone were given the option of taking new assignments or finishing their enlistments as park rangers. By 1917 the Army was gone and the National Park Service had a new ranger force.
In May of 1918 Secretary of the Interior Lane wrote a policy letter to Mather detailing principles of park management. The letter outlines concepts such as non-utilization of resources for commercial purposes, provisions for concessions, and the priority of public use and enjoyment which are still followed today. In 1976 Albright admitted to former Yellowstone superintendent Lon Garrison that it had actually been he who had written the letter regarding policy which had such far-reaching and long-lasting effects.
In 1919 Horace Albright became the first Park Service Superintendent of Yellowstone, a position he held for ten years. Shortly after becoming superintendent, Albright put a stop to all market fishing within the park, curtailed the cutting of wood except "dead and down timber", and worked hard to upgrade the services provided by the concessionaires. Most importantly,
Albright carried the park into the automobile age. By order of the Secretary of the Interior automobiles were permitted to enter the park beginning in August of 1915. It became Albright's responsibility to respond to the increasing demands on the park. This was no small task in that it involved building and upgrading roads and facilities, and refining the ranger force to deal with the increase of visitors and their mobility throughout the park.
During this period Albright became interested in providing visitors with educational programs and museums. He also dreamed of acquiring the Grand Tetons as part of Yellowstone. Albright's acquaintance with John D. Rockefeller proved to be of tremendous value when it came to securing the Grand Tetons as a national park. While he was superintendent of Yellowstone, Albright, also served as Assistant Director of the National Park Service. In the autumn of 1928 Mather suffered a debilitating stroke and Albright was offered the directorship. Even though he disliked the idea of leaving the West, Albright returned to Washington and was sworn in as Director of the National Park Service in June of 1929.
Shortly after Albright became Director, the park system acquired several important areas, including the Grand Tetons. As Director, Albright also began to reorganize and coordinate the interpretive programs that the Park Service provided by establishing a Branch of Education and Research. After five years as Director, Albright felt he had accomplished the major goals he had set for himself and submitted a letter to the Secretary of the Interior stating: "It is with the keenest regret that I leave the Department of the Interior after more than 20 years." The resignation became effective on 10 August, 1933 and Albright began a successful career in the potash industry.
Horace M. Albright was a perceptive and effective politician, which was necessary for the growth and development of the National Park Service. He was also an outdoorsman, interpreter and successful businessman. Throughout his life he remained an active supporter of the national parks and of many conservation organizations. Among the many awards recognizing Albright's work with the National Park Service is the Medal of Freedom, presented to him in 1981 by President Carter. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award and was presented in recognition of Albright's distinguished, contributions to the cause of conservation in America.
The principle Albright established and fought to insure is still timely and of undiminished importance: "that the national parks must be maintained in absolutely unimpaired form for the use of future generations as well as those of our own time." Horace M. Albright died on March 28, 1987. However generations to come will benefit from his passion for trees, animals, mountains and beauty.
Dieuwke A. Dizney
11 December 1983
revised: 1987