History of Olympic National Park in Timeline

Olympic National Park, situated on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, encompasses diverse ecosystems across four regions: Pacific coastline, alpine areas, west-side temperate rainforest, and drier east-side forests. Three distinct ecosystems thrive within its boundaries: subalpine forests and wildflower meadows, temperate forests, and the rugged Pacific coast. This variety makes it a unique and valuable protected area.

1907: Olympic Forest Reserve Becomes National Forest

In 1907, the Olympic Forest Reserve became Olympic National Forest.

March 2, 1909: Park Designated as Mount Olympus National Monument

On March 2, 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt designated the park as Mount Olympus National Monument.

1909: Mount Olympus National Monument Created

In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt created Mount Olympus National Monument.

June 29, 1938: Park Redesignated as National Park

On June 29, 1938, the monument was redesignated as a national park by Congress and President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1938: National Park Creation

In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill creating a national park.

1939: Headquarters Constructed

In 1939, the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed a headquarters with funds from the Public Works Administration.

1953: Park Expansion

In 1953, the national park was expanded by 47,753 acres to include the Pacific coastline and portions of the Queets and Bogachiel valleys.

1976: Designated as International Biosphere Reserve

In 1976, Olympic National Park was designated by UNESCO as an International Biosphere Reserve.

1981: Designated as World Heritage Site

In 1981, Olympic National Park was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

1982: Glacier Count

In 1982, there were 266 glaciers within the Olympic National Park.

1988: Designated as Olympic Wilderness

In 1988, Congress designated 95 percent of the park as the Olympic Wilderness.

1988: Olympic Wilderness Established

In 1988, the federal government established the Olympic Wilderness, containing 877,000 acres within Olympic National Park.

2009: Glacier Count Decline

By 2009, the number of glaciers within the national park declined to 184 due to the effects of climate change.

2014: Dam Removal Completed

In 2014, the removal of the Elwha Dam and the Glines Canyon Dam was completed as part of the Elwha Ecosystem Restoration Project.

2015: Rare Rainforest Fire

In the summer of 2015, a severe drought after a dry spring and low snowpack resulted in a rare rainforest fire in the park.

2017: Wilderness Renamed

In 2017 the Olympic Wilderness was renamed the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness to honor Governor and U.S. Senator Daniel J. Evans.

2017: Wilderness Renamed Daniel J. Evans Wilderness

In 2017, the Olympic Wilderness was renamed the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness in honor of Daniel J. Evans.

2022: Proposed Wilderness Expansion

In 2022, a proposed expansion of the wilderness area by 125,000 acres was not successful.

May 7, 2023: Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center Burned Down

On May 7, 2023, the Hurricane Ridge visitor center burned down. The center, built in the 1950s, housed exhibits and a gift shop.

2024: Park Visitation

In 2024, Olympic National Park had over 3.7 million visitors, ranking 25th among national parks in the United States.

Mentioned in this timeline

The United States of America is a federal republic located...

Climate change encompasses global warming and its far-reaching effects on...

Fire is a rapid oxidation process called combustion releasing heat...

UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations UN...

National parks are protected areas of natural semi-natural or developed...