Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 35 minutes ago
Ah, yes. The Great Grand Tetons Controversy (nobody actually calls it that, I just made it up but it works so we're going with it). There was indeed a time in Grand Teton National Park's history that was turbulent and stormy, hidden away today behind a veneer of majestic peaks and braided rivers. During the formative years of Grand Teton, just as many people would have preferred the park were never created at all, as who championed its creation. This story can teach us a lot about the politics of park creation, the power of the Antiquities Act, the ongoing debate over land use on America's public lands, and the role of philanthropy in National Parks. It's a doozy, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/nationalparkdiaries
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/nationalparkdiaries
Sources and Resources:
nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/upload/creation.pdf
content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,851628,00.html
wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/establishment-grand-teton-national-park
dailykos.com/stories/2011/02/24/947812/-Jackson-Hole-National-Monument
ahcwyo.org/2022/02/21/grand-teton-national-park-and-the-jackson-hole-national-monument-controversy
nps.gov/grte/learn/management/upload/Grand-Teton-NP-enabling-legislation_9-14-1950.pdf
npshistory.com/publications/righter/index.htm
journals.ala.org/index.php/dttp/article/view/6119/7893
Images and Music:
Storyblocks
University of Wyoming
Ansel Adams
AP
Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum
Wyoming Tails and Trails
Wyoming State Archives
Rockefeller Archive Repository
Ah, yes. The Great Grand Tetons Controversy (nobody actually calls it that, I just made it up but it works so we're going with it). There was indeed a time in Grand Teton National Park's history that was turbulent and stormy, hidden away today behind a veneer of majestic peaks and braided rivers. During the formative years of Grand Teton, just as many people would have preferred the park were never created at all, as who championed its creation. This story can teach us a lot about the politics of park creation, the power of the Antiquities Act, the ongoing debate over land use on America's public lands, and the role of philanthropy in National Parks. It's a doozy, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/nationalparkdiaries
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/nationalparkdiaries
Sources and Resources:
nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/upload/creation.pdf
content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,851628,00.html
wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/establishment-grand-teton-national-park
dailykos.com/stories/2011/02/24/947812/-Jackson-Hole-National-Monument
ahcwyo.org/2022/02/21/grand-teton-national-park-and-the-jackson-hole-national-monument-controversy
nps.gov/grte/learn/management/upload/Grand-Teton-NP-enabling-legislation_9-14-1950.pdf
npshistory.com/publications/righter/index.htm
journals.ala.org/index.php/dttp/article/view/6119/7893
Images and Music:
Storyblocks
University of Wyoming
Ansel Adams
AP
Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum
Wyoming Tails and Trails
Wyoming State Archives
Rockefeller Archive Repository
