Yosemite National Park History

The Sierras or Sierra Nevada and Yosemite National Park in particular have an interesting history that has fascinated both ancient tribal peoples and newer settlers for thousands of years.

• Very Early History - Early Native American tribes occupied this area for nearly 8,000 years prior to the arrival of the first white settlers. The earliest know Sierra inhabitants were the ancient Native American tribes' people of the Paiute, Sierra Miwok and Mono. These Native Americans made use of the of the plant and animal resources in an efficient and effective manner. They were perhaps the first conservationists of Yosemite.
• 1851 - Discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills brought thousands of miners to the area to find their fortune. The ensuing conflict between the Native Americans and the miners resulted in the "Mariposa Indian War." An army battalion entered Yosemite Valley while searching for Indians on March 27, 1851.
• 1864 - As the number of visitors to the area increased, an entrepreneur, named James Hutchings realized he could make money from tourism. He constructed hotels and residences – creating a problem for the ecosystem of Yosemite Valley. Protection was sought to save the scenic quality of Yosemite and on June 30, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill granting Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias to the State of California as an inalienable public trust.
• 1890 - Largely through the effort of John Muir, Yosemite National Park was created on October 1, 1890.
• 1897 - The area was mapped, including the trail called John Muir, after the famous mountaineer. In fact, many of the Sierras' most famous peaks were named after Muir and other like-minded climbers.
• 1900 - Near the beginning of the nineteenth century, Hetch Hetchy Valley became the center of a bitter political struggle when the City of San Francisco wanted to dam the Tuolumne River inside Yosemite National Park as a source of drinking water and hydroelectric power.
• 1913 - Conservationists led by John Muir lost the battle over the construction of a dam when Congress passed the Raker Act, authorizing the construction of O'Shaughnessy Dam.

Through the years, various management plans have been in place to cope with the increasing number of visitors. The main focus of the Park Service remains to conserve and preserve the natural, cultural and historical wonders of Yosemite National Park.