546 



Yearbook^ of Agriculture 1949 



are provided parking overlooks, places 

 and facilities for picnicking, and, along 

 the longer, remote parkways, accom- 

 modations for meals and sleeping. 



The congregation of large numbers 

 of people in the remote wilderness ne- 

 cessitates arrangements for housing, 

 feeding and the maintenance of health, 

 and a reasonable degree of comfort. 

 Most of these services are provided by 

 concessionaires who have invested in 

 buildings and equipment for the pur- 

 pose. The accommodations include 

 free public camp grounds, simple cab- 

 ins, housekeeping cabins, lodges, and 

 complete modern hotel service. In 

 nearly every park are picnic grounds 

 maintained free to the public by the 

 Government for the benefit of those 

 who only have a short time to stay. 

 Boats, fishing tackle, guide service, 

 mountain-climbing equipment, con- 

 ducted automobile tours, pack animals, 

 riding horses, and other conveniences 

 are offered according to the particular 

 needs of the area. 



Anyone desiring general information 

 regarding the national park system can 

 get it by writing to the Director, Na- 

 tional Park Service, Washington 25, 

 D. G. Many private enterprises, among 

 them oil companies and several west- 

 ern railroads, distribute excellent lit- 

 erature concerning the national parks 

 and monuments. Some will plan com- 

 plete trips on request. Such agencies 

 as the American Automobile Associa- 

 tion are well informed on the subject 

 and can give complete directions to 

 their members. Information and tour- 

 ist bureaus of various States gladly sup- 

 ply pamphlets concerning those areas 

 within their boundaries. For the latest 

 complete information in regard to pre- 

 vailing conditions and rates in any par- 

 ticular area, however, it is best to ad- 

 dress the park superintendent directly. 



STATE PARKS, recreation areas, and 

 monuments also offer opportunities for 

 recreation. 



About 80 years ago the first State 

 park was established in the Yosemite 

 Valley in a move to save that outstand- 



ing scenery from despoliation. For 

 many years thereafter other State parks 

 were set aside for similar reasons. 

 When automobiles came into general 

 use, the need became more urgent to 

 seek out and preserve some of the re- 

 maining wild areas for the crowds 

 who were beginning to travel afield in 

 the quest for places of relaxation and 

 recreation. The decade 1920-30 was 

 a period of great expansion of park 

 systems in the States that had accepted 

 the new concept and were aware of 

 their responsibility to meet the grow- 

 ing demand. It was not until the ad- 

 vent of the Civilian Conservation 

 Corps and other emergency agencies, 

 however, that many of the States found 

 themselves financially able to inaugu- 

 rate park systems. With the Federal 

 assistance then available, the growth 

 of physical facilities began to catch up 

 in some measure with the needs. New 

 areas were rapidly acquired and new 

 facilities provided in the older parks 

 until at present most States have some 

 provision for out-of-door recreation in 

 natural, forested surroundings. 



In the beginning, State parks, like 

 national parks, were created to pre- 

 serve some scenic or scientific marvel, 

 but the changed attitude brought about 

 by transportation by automobile re- 

 sulted in the selection of new areas so 

 situated as to serve centers of heavy 

 population. Scenic quality was a sec- 

 ondary consideration in many of these, 

 but water for recreational use was a 

 requirement. Consequently, many of 

 the most heavily used areas represent 

 average, rather than outstanding, seg- 

 ments of a State. They were chosen for 

 accessibility and adaptability, although 

 frequently a happy combination of 

 scenery and recreational usefulness was 

 attained. One of the main considera- 

 tions, perhaps, was that there should 

 be trees, at least in those regions where 

 trees grow. The finer the trees, the 

 more favorable is the park. 



In the State parks that were estab- 

 lished primarily for the protection of 

 exceptional resources are some of the 

 finest stands of remaining virgin dm- 



