History of the Yosemite area the Yosemite area in 1863. Pressure from Starr King and Olmsted, photographs by Carleton Watkins, and geological data from the 1863 Geological Survey of California prompted legislators to take action. Senator John Conness of California introduced a park bill in 1864 to the United States Senate to cede Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees to California. The bill easily passed both houses of the United States Congress, and was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on June 30, 1864. The Yosemite Grant, as it was called, was given to California as a state park for "public use, resort
DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc. vs. The United States of America contractual rights. They characterized the park service's position as "taking Aramark's side." Delaware North also noted that payment would be made by Aramark, not the federal government. The same contract with the park service required that any successor to Delaware North would have to buy out its Yosemite-related assets at fair market prices. Indeed, when the government put the concession contract for Yosemite up for bid, the notices it published explicitly stated the winner would be required to purchase furniture, equipment, vehicles, and "other property." The National Park Service, by request of Delaware North, amended the bid notice to explicitly