Long before any recorded human history in Yellowstone,
a massive volcanic eruption spewed an immense volume of ash that covered
all of the western U.S., much of the Midwest, northern Mexico and some areas
of the eastern Pacific. The eruption dwarfed that of Mt. St. Helens in 1980
and left a caldera 30 miles wide by 45 miles long.
That climactic event occurred about 640,000 years ago, and was one of many
processes that shaped Yellowstone National Park --a
region once rumored to be "the place where hell bubbles up". Geothermal
wonders, such as Old Faithful, are evidence of one of the world's largest
active volcanoes. These spectacular features bemused and befuddled the park's
earliest visitors, and helped lead to the creation of the world's first
national park.
Fur trappers' fantastic tales of cauldrons of bubbling mud and roaring geysers
sending steaming plumes skyward made their way back east. Several expeditions
were sent to investigate, opening the West to further exploration and exploitation.
In 1871, Ferdinand Hayden led an expedition that included artist Thomas
Moran and photographer William H. Jackson. They brought back images that
helped convince Congress that the area known as Yellowstone
needed to be protected and preserved.
The human history of the Yellowstone region
goes back more than 11,000 years. From about 11,000 years ago to the very
recent past, many groups of Native Americans used the park as their homes,
hunting grounds, and transportation routes. These traditional uses of Yellowstone
lands continued until a little over 200 years ago when the first people
of European descent found their way into the park. In 1872 a country that
had not yet seen its first centennial established Yellowstone as the first
national park in the world. A new concept was born and with it a new way
for people to preserve and protect the best of what they had for the benefit
and enjoyment of future generations.
Yellowstone's name is historically credited to the Native Americans who
lived in and around the park area. The name is basically derived from the
Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone River has high yellow rock cliffs along
its banks in the northern area of the present day park.