Background

     Yellowstone National Park would not have been possible without the Hayden Expedition. Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden was raised in Ohio most of his life, but was born in Massachusetts in the year of 1829 (Henry 117). Hayden was asked by the government to lead this expedition into Yellowstone based on a previous expedition he was a part of in the 1860's (Black 341). Hayden was a good person for the job as he was a physician and was educated in geology and paleontology (Henry 117). He was given the money in March of 1871, and on July 21st, with a group of various people on the team to go with him (Henry 117). They reached the area of the park the same year (Henry 117). The team was instructed by the government to take photographs and draw images of different areas of the park (Henry 120). The letter they sent to Congress with the images read, "Dear Doctor: Judge Kelly has made a suggestion which strikes me as being a excellent one, viz.: Let Congress pass a bill reserving the Great Geyser Basin as a public park forever-just as it has reserved that far inferior wonder the Yosemite valley and big trees. If you approve this, would such a recommendation be appropriate in your official report?" (Black 351). The government was speechless at what they were seeing, and on March 1st, 1872, the bill that protects Yellowstone National Park was signed (Black 352).