The Antiquities Act
The Antiquities Act of 1906 is one of the most important tools available for the preservation of public, federal lands and historical sites for all Americans to enjoy. The law is essential to maintain the integrity of critical national and cultural resources including:
- Muir Woods National Monument: Designated in 1908 by Theodore Roosevelt due to its “extensive growth of redwood trees” and threats from old growth forest logging.
- Grand Canyon National Park: Designated in 1908 by Theodore Roosevelt and later expanded under Antiquities Act proclamation by Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt.
- Statue of Liberty National Monument: Designated in 1924 by Calvin Coolidge, with later expansions to include Ellis Island by Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson as a symbol of the role of the United States as a land of freedom and opportunity.
For over one hundred years the Antiquities Act has been used as a bi-partisan conservation tool. With the exception of the Organic Act of 1916, no law has had more influence over the development of the modern National Park System and our other public lands than the Antiquities Act. NPCA is opposed to proposals that would restrict presidential authority to proclaim national monuments.
To learn more about the Antiquities Act, check out our recent fact sheet (PDF) and list of monuments (PDF) created under the act.
