Sequoia National Park is a national park in the United States that was founded on September 25, 1890, through legislation signed by President Benjamin Harrison. The park was created specifically to protect the giant sequoia trees, also known as Sequoiadendron giganteum. Just a week after its creation, the park was expanded, once again through legislation signed by President Harrison. For the first 23 years of its existence, the park was guarded by the U.S. Army Cavalry troops and administered by the military. In 1914, the first civilian administrator, Walter Fry, was appointed.
Initially, accessing Sequoia National Park was difficult, with little more than a pack road serving as the entryway. However, under the leadership of Captain Charles Young, the only Black commissioned officer in the U.S. Army at the time, a road to the Giant Forest was completed in August 1903. This allowed wagons to reach the park for the first time. The growing popularity of automobile travel led to the construction of the Generals Highway in 1926, increasing visitation to the park. As the number of visitors increased, the National Park Service began work on amenities for those traveling to California.
One of the first projects undertaken by the National Park Service in 1917 was the construction of the first steps to the summit of Moro Rock, a popular destination within the park. In March 1940, Kings Canyon National Park was established, which was formerly known as General Grant National Park. Since World War II, Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park have been jointly administered. Together, the two parks contain about a third of all naturally growing sequoia trees and receive around 1.5 million visitors each year as of 2022.
Overall, Sequoia National Park was founded to protect the giant sequoia trees and has since become a popular destination for visitors. The park was initially administered by the military and later by civilian administrators. Access to the park improved with the completion of a road to the Giant Forest and the construction of the Generals Highway. The National Park Service worked on providing amenities for visitors, including the construction of the first steps to Moro Rock. Kings Canyon National Park was established in 1940 and is now jointly administered with Sequoia National Park, both of which are home to a large portion of naturally growing sequoia trees.
