D
NATIONAL MONUMENTS

ADMINISTERED BY THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT

NameLocationWhen createdArea (acres)Description
Devil's Tower WyomingSept. 24, 1906 1152Remarkable natural rock tower, of volcanic origin, 1200 feet in height.
Montezuma CastleArizonaDec. 8, 1906160Prehistoric cliff dwelling ruin of unusual size, situated in a niche in face of a vertical cliff; of scenic and ethnological interest.
El MorroNew MexicoDec. 8, 1906160Enormous sandstone rock eroded in form of a castle, upon which inscriptions have been placed by early Spanish explorers; contains cliff dweller ruins; of great historic, scenic, and ethnological interest.
Chaco CañonNew MexicoMar. 11, 190720,629Contains numerous cliff dweller ruins, including communal houses in good condition and but little excavated.
Muir Woods California Jan. 9, 1908 295 Contains one of the most noted redwood groves in California; was donated by Hon. William Kent, Member of Congress; located seven miles from San Francisco.
Pinnacles California Jan. 16, 1908 2080 Contains many spirelike rock formations, 600 to 1000 feet high, which are visible for many miles; also numerous caves and other formations.
Tumacacori Arizona Sept. 15, 1908 10 Contains ruins of Franciscan mission dating from sixteenth century, until recent years in fair preservation, but now rapidly disintegrating.
Mukuntuweap Utah July 31, 1909 15,840 Contains magnificent gorge, depth from 800 to 2000 feet, with precipitous walls and many waterfalls. Of great beauty and scenic interest.
Shoshone Cavern Wyoming Sept. 21, 1909 210 Cavern of considerable extent, located near Cody.
Natural Bridges Utah Sept. 25, 1909 2740 Contains three natural bridges, among largest examples of their kind. Largest bridge is 222 feet high, 65 feet thick at top of arch; arch is 28 feet wide; span 261 feet; height of span 157 feet. Other two are only slightly smaller.
Gran Quivira New Mexico Nov. 1, 1909 160 One of the most important of earliest Spanish mission ruins in the Southwest. Monument also contains Pueblo ruins.
Sitka Alaska Mar. 23, 1910 57 Park of great natural beauty and historic interest as scene of massacre of Russians by Indians. Contains 16 totem poles of best native workmanship.
Rainbow Bridge Utah May 30, 1910 160 Unique natural bridge of great scientific interest and symmetry. Height 309 feet above water; span is 278 feet, in shape of rainbow.
Lewis and Clark CavernMontanaMay 16, 1911160Immense limestone cavern of great scientific interest, magnificently decorated with stalactite formations. Cavern now closed to public because of depredations by vandals.
ColoradoColoradoMay 24, 191113,883Contains many lofty monoliths and is wonderful example of erosion; of great scenic beauty and interest.
Petrified ForestArizonaJuly 31, 191125,625Contains abundance of petrified coniferous trees, one of which forms a small natural bridge. Is of great scientific interest.
NavajoArizonaMar. 14, 1912360Contains numerous pueblo or cliff dweller ruins, in good preservation.
Papago SaguaroArizonaJan. 31, 19142050Contains splendid collection of characteristic desert flora and numerous pictographs. Interesting rock formations.
DinosaurUtahOct. 4, 191580Contains deposits of fossil remains of prehistoric animal life of great scientific interest.
Sieur de MontsMount Desert Island, MaineJuly 8, 1916About 5000Beautiful island scenery, mountains, lakes, meadows, numerous varieties of birds and plants. Historical Associations.
CapulinNortheast Corner New Mexico1916681Magnificent specimen of a volcanic cinder cone, 8000 feet high; crater 1500 feet in diameter, cone-shaped; numerous "blister cones."

ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

NameLocationWhen createdArea (acres)Description
Gila Cliff DwellingsNew MexicoNov. 16, 1907160Contains numerous cliff dweller ruins of much interest and in good preservation.
TontoArizonaDec. 19, 1907640Contains numerous cliff dweller ruins of much interest and in good preservation.
Grand CañonArizonaJan. 11, 1908806,400Contains the most wonderful portion of the Grand Cañon of the Colorado.
Jewel CaveSouth DakotaFeb. 7, 19081280Contains a limestone cavern of much beauty and considerable extent, limits of which are as yet unknown.
WheelerColoradoDec. 7, 1908300Of much interest from geological standpoint as example of eccentric erosion and extinct volcanic action. Of much scenic beauty.
Oregon CavesOregonJuly 12, 1909480Extensive caves in limestone formation of much beauty. Magnitude not entirely ascertained.
Devil PostpileCaliforniaJuly 6, 1911800Spectacular mass of hexagonal basaltic columns, like an immense pile of posts. Said to rank with famous Giant's Causeway, in Ireland.
Mount OlympusWashingtonApr. 17, 1912299,370Contains many objects of great and unusual scientific interest, including many glaciers. Is summer range and breeding-ground of Olympic elk.
Walnut CañonArizonaNov. 30, 1915960Contains cliff dwellings of much scientific and popular interest.
BandelierNew MexicoFeb. 11, 191618,000Contains vast numbers of cliff dweller ruins, with artificial caves, stone sculpture and other relics of prehistoric life.

ADMINISTERED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT[1]

Big Hole Battle-FieldMontana
CabrilloCalifornia

[1] "Lincoln National Park or Reservation" in Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln's birthplace, was established in 1916 and is administered by the War Department. It might well become a regular National Park.