Since the passage of the Antiquities Act of 1906, more than one hundred National Monuments have been designated. Many of these Monuments, including Grand Canyon, Mount Olympus (Olympic National Park), and Mukuntuweap (Zion National Park), were later expanded and re-designated National Parks by acts of Congress. Collectively, our National Monuments, past and present, inspire, amaze, educate, and entrance approximately 50 million visitors annually. To suggest that National Monuments are anything but a critical facet of the American experience is a gross misunderstanding of United States history.
This document provides an overview of the Act’s historical use and impact, so readers can also see its importance in the future.
