abraham lincoln was president when yosemite became a national park.
abraham lincoln was president when yosemite became a national park.
who was president when yosemite became a national park?
abraham lincoln
watkins often photographed yosemite and had a profound influence over the politicians debating its preservation as a national park. his photographs did more than just capture the national park; he created an icon. half dome, for example, did already exist, but watkins’ photographs brought it to people in a way that they could experience it. it became iconic through his photographs, became something people wanted to see in person. his images had a more concrete impact on yosemite becoming a national park than just encouraging people to visit. it is said that senator john conness passed watkins’ photographs around congress. his photography was also said to have influenced president abraham lincoln and was one of the major factors in lincoln signing the yosemite grant in 1864, a bill that declared yosemite valley inviolable. the bill paved the way for the 1872 creation of yellowstone national park, and the u.s. national park system in its entirety. one of yosemite’s many mountains is named mount watkins in honor of watkins’ part in preserving yosemite valley.
carleton watkins
tenaya lake is named after chief tenaya, who was the chief of the native people who lived in yosemite valley before being driven out by the [mariposa battalion].. tenaya protested that the lake already had a name: "pie-we-ack", or "lake of the shining rocks." this original name is now attached to pywiack dome, a granite dome to the east of the lake.









































as part of the 1864 yosemite grant, the area became the first park land to be federally protected for preservation and public use. yosemite became a national park in 1916 with the advent of the national park service.
tenaya lake