Page 105 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 92

On July 14, 1922 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the creation
of Yellowstone Park held near the spot where on September 19, 1870
Cornelius Hedges first spoke of the idea of making a National Park
of the Yellowstone region. The sons of Cornelius Hedges, Cornelius
Hedges Jr, and W. A. Hedges planted a tree to commemorate the
event. Also attending was C.W. Cook a member of the Folsom-Cook
expedition of 1869. Stephen Mather, Secretary of the Interior and
acting Director of the Park Service, commented on the principle of
preservation of the park as embodied in the original idea of Cornelius
Hedges, which is the foundation of our National Park System.

In retrospect, it matters little that perhaps Hedges was not the
sole originator of the National Park idea, and that David E. Folsom
undoubtedly deserves part of the credit. What matters most is that,
in his own benevolent way, Cornelius Hedges was the right person
at the right time to present such a potent idea, and that such an
idea was so completely in harmony with all the guiding principles
of his life. Hedges definitely profited by having such a receptive
audience, but it was he, on that September evening of 1870, in an
almost common manner, who planted a seed, called the National
Park idea that germinated, and today has grown to a National Park
system, preserving the scenic and historic heritage of our nation
which oversees 394 units, of which 58 are designated national parks.

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