Partnering for Parks: The National Geographic Society-National Park Service Alliance

Keywords: National Geographic Society, National Park Service, National Geographic Magazine, national parks, public lands
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

The creation of the National Park Service (NPS) was a pivotal moment in the history of America’s national parks. Starting in 1916 the emerging system of parks would be administered by a new agency headed by wealthy businessman Stephen Mather. Concerned about the long-term survival of the fledgling agency, he and his assistant, Horace Albright, sought to promote tourism by making infrastructural improvements at existing parks and adding new properties to the system. An important “partner” in this endeavor was the National Geographic Society (NGS). Long before establishment of the NPS, National Geographic magazine, renowned for its ability to reach a broad audience, published promotional articles highlighting the scenic and cultural wonders one might encounter while visiting the parks. As more than 1,000 pieces of personal correspondence between NPS officials, including Mather and Albright, and NGS personnel, such as NGS President and National Geographic editor Gilbert Grosvenor, indicate, the “partnership” between NPS and NGS was much more deeply rooted than previously has been understood. Housed at the NGS archives in Washington, DC, these data show that Mather and Grosvenor—along with influential park advocates in their social circle—worked hand-in-glove to fund and acquire new lands for national parks and to promote the mission of the agency. Informed by social network theory, we explore how these two organizations secured the legacy of what writer Wallace Stegner once called the “best idea” America ever had.