One of the best ideas this country did was the creation of our system of national monuments, parks and forests, this model was used in the creation of our parks state. Historically, parks and forests were the domain of the richest, most influential and powerful where they could hunt and relax. Here in the United States this was the mentality that prevailed until the mid-1860s. With the discovery in the early 1800s by what were called mountain men, they described boiling mud, steam coming out of the ground, and water being expelled from the ground. This was initially dismissed as nonsense and was dubbed “Colter's Hell” (Burns) by the media. That is, until a prestigious expedition brought back detailed descriptions of hot springs, boiling mud, and, of course, geysers. After this period, a sense was gaining momentum that we, as a nation, must preserve such wonders, not only for the rich and powerful, but for all citizens to enjoy. Our parks were becoming the last refuge of animals that would otherwise disappear forever (Burns). Our national park system began with the creation of the first national park in Yellowstone, and today continues to evolve and be debated over who should control our national parks, what should be contained within their boundaries, and whether they should even exist at all ( Burns ). The push for the creation of a "Park of Nations" came primarily due to the near ruin of Niagara with landowners who owned every view overlooking the falls charging a tax; marketing went crazy and what eventually became a national embarrassment (Burns). Although Yellowstone is officially the first national park, the entire national park began with Yosemite Valley with a bill introduced in 1864 to give it the status of... middle of paper... dog monument. National Forest Service, August 4, 2011. Web. April 19, 2012. Sharon, Susan. Maine lawmakers decide to oppose the creation of a national park. PBS. MPBN, Maine, June 17, 2011. Maine lawmakers decide to oppose the creation of a national park. PBS, June 17, 2011. Web. March 13, 2012. United States. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Budget. By GPO. National Park Service, January 18, 2012. Web. April 11, 2012. United States. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. National Park Service Cultural Resources Learn about history. By Robert W. Righter. The Western Historical Quarterly. Network. March 13, 2012. United States. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Wildland fire in Yellowstone. By GPO. National Park Service. Network. April 11, 2012. The case of Yosemite Valley. Supreme Court. December 1872. FindLaw. Thomson Reuters Business. Network. April 8. 2012.