Yosemite GrantIn 1864, by Act of Congress (13 Stat., 325) a grant was made to the State of California of the “Yo-Semite Valley” and the land embracing the “Mariposa Big Tree Grove.” Thus for all time the area was protected for “public use, resort, and recreation.” An Act on 1 Oct 1890 reserved additional areas of forest land in California, and created Yosemite National Park under the control of the Secretary of the Interior. On 3 Mar 1905, the State of California receded and regranted the Yosemite Valley land to the United States of America. Thus responsibility and maintenance costs were transferred to the federal government for the National Park, now the third oldest.« |
