The words "national park" have special meaning to most people, conjuring up images of Old Faithful, Yosemite Falls, and the Grand Canyon. Historically the first parklands trace their origins to the 17 public reservations that the federal government acquired in 1791 for the nation’s capital. The areas in the system are a remarkable representation of the nation’s greatest natural and cultural places and recreational areas of outstanding attraction. Not every park is a Yellowstone, not every historic site boasts an Independence Hall. But all have resources and values that make them special and nationally significant.
