A BRIEF HISTORY 63 



aside of these forest reservations was begun in 1891. Large areas of western 

 forest lands in the Rockies, the Sierras, the Cascades and lesser mountain 

 ranges soon were included in what were then called the forest reserves. 

 In 1897 laws were passed for their administration. In 1905 they were trans- 

 ferred from the Department of Interior and placed under jurisdiction of the 

 Department of Agriculture and provision was made to use the resources 

 inherent in the lands in accordance with the broadest concept of conserva- 

 tion — wise use of all the resources in the interests of all the people. 



In 1907 the name was changed from "forest reserve" to "national forest." 

 This was done to avoid any implication that the resources were locked up, 

 not for use. 



Lands immediately adjacent to settlements or within them had been set 

 aside for the recreation of the people, very much earlier, as far back as 

 colonial days. The Battery and Bowling Green in New York date from about 

 1621. Boston Common was bought by the city fathers in 1634. Five parks 

 were laid out by William Penn in the early days of Philadelphia. The areas 

 so reserved were for common pasturage, for play, for social gatherings, and 

 were to be protected against destruction by the selfish few. 



It appears then that even under the stern compulsions of our early colonial 

 days these provisions for play as well as for work held the element of public 

 responsibility. The subsequent development of municipal, county, State, 

 and Federal parks and forests throws rich and varied sidelights on our advanc- 

 ing civilization. 



The story of our municipal parks alone is an account of endless brave 

 attempts to provide rural peace and beauty for city people, of the progressive 

 development of concentrated mass use, of the progressive urbanization of the 

 parks into amusement and playground centers, and often of the eventual 

 overwhelming of the park or forest by the city. 



Frederick Law Olmsted, still remembered for his pioneer work in laying 

 out Central Park in New York City in 1853 and for subsequent work in 

 other cities, considered that a true park was "a place where the urban inhab- 

 itants can, to the fullest extent, obtain the genuine recreation coming from 

 the peaceful enjoyment of an idealized rural landscape in rest-giving con- 

 trast to their wonted existence amidst the city's turmoil." 



