The National Parks: America's Best Idea

S01E03 The Empire of Grandeur (1915-1919)

In the early 1900s, the United States boasts a collection of national parks, but they exist as an uncoordinated assortment managed by various federal agencies. Following the unsuccessful attempt to halt the Hetch Hetchy dam, the conservation movement rallies for the creation of a single agency to manage all parks, resulting in the formation of the National Park Service in 1916. Stephen Mather, the inaugural director and a wealthy businessman with a deep passion for preservation, embarks on a vigorous campaign to broaden the national park system and attract more visitors. A key part of his mission is to safeguard the Grand Canyon from commercial threats and designate it as a national park instead of merely a national monument.