Snake River Land Company facts for kids
The Snake River Land Company was a special company started in 1927 by a very rich man named John D. Rockefeller Jr.. He was a philanthropist, which means he liked to give away money to help good causes. His secret plan was to buy a lot of land in a beautiful area called Jackson Hole valley in Wyoming.
Rockefeller didn't want people to know he was buying the land. If they knew, the prices might go up! So, the Snake River Land Company acted as a "front," meaning it looked like a regular company buying land. The idea was to hold onto the land until the National Park Service could take it over and protect it.
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Buying Land in Jackson Hole
The company aimed to buy more than 35,000 acres (about 142 square kilometers) of land. They planned to spend around $1.4 million. However, this wasn't easy! For 15 years, many ranchers in the area didn't want to sell their land. Also, the National Park Service was slow to accept the land.
Facing Challenges and Questions
Some people thought the company was working too closely with the Park Service and using unfair ways to buy land. These concerns led to special meetings in the United States Senate in 1933. During these meetings, the company and the Park Service were cleared of any wrongdoing. This means they were found to have acted properly.
The tough times of the Great Depression actually helped. Many ranchers faced financial difficulties, which made them more willing to sell their land.
A President Steps In
John D. Rockefeller Jr. became frustrated with the slow progress. He wrote a letter to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and explained the situation. He told the President that if the government didn't take the land, he might have to sell it to someone else.
Soon after, on March 15, 1943, President Roosevelt used his power to declare 221,000 acres (about 894 square kilometers) of land as the Jackson Hole National Monument. This was a big step towards protecting the area.
Land Becomes a National Park
Even after the monument was declared, it took a few more years for the land to officially become part of the federal government's care. This happened on December 16, 1949. The very next year, the Jackson Hole National Monument was combined with and expanded into the famous Grand Teton National Park. This protected the beautiful land for everyone to enjoy.
