This study investigates the role of the United States Army conducting the mission of park custodians of the California National Parks for the period of 1891 to 1914. Limited information on this subject is consolidated as only a few historians have researched this aspect of the National Parks history. This study fills a small portion of that gap. The California Parks are just three of the parks that the Army administered. This study focused on the contributions made to these parks. The precedent for the use of the Army was established during the administering of the Yellowstone Park, requiring it to be reviewed for this precedent. This thesis identifies the general contributions, and challenges related to them, that the United States Army made to the California parks as a result of the Yellowstone experience.

ADA 299299 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)