Yosemite National Park is an American national park in the state of California, surrounded on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers an area of 759,620 acres (1,187 sq mi; 3,074 km2) in four counties – centered in Tuolumne and Mariposa, extending north and east to Mono and south to Madera County.
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| Yosemite National Park in the 1930s |
Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Almost 95 percent of the park is designated wilderness. Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, and the park supports a diversity of plants and animals.
The geology of the Yosemite area is characterized by granite rocks and remnants of older rock. About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and tilted to form its unique slopes, which increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in the formation of deep, narrow canyons. About one million years ago glaciers formed at higher elevations which eventually melted and moved downslope, cutting and sculpting the U-shaped valley that attracts so many visitors to its scenic vistas.
These amazing travel-book photos from ChiefRanger that show Yosemite National Park in the 1930s.
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| Ahwahnee Golf Course, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Autumn in Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Campfire Entertainment, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| El Capitan, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Entrance to Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Face of Half Dome, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| From the Valley Rim, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Glacier Point, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Half Dome in Winter, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| High Country, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| High Sierra Waters, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Mirror Lake, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Mount Ritter and Banner Peak, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Nevada Falls, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Sentinel Rock, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Skiing in Yosemite, 1930s |
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| The Ahwahnee, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| The Grizzly Giant, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| The Skating Ring, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| The Three Brothers, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| The Wawona Tree, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Toboggan Slide, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Top of the World, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Vernal Falls, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Washington Column, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Wawona Golf Course, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Wild Life, Yosemite, 1930s |
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| Yosemite Falls, 1930s |
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| Yosemite Museum, 1930s |
