Theodore Roosevelt declares The Grand Canyon A Nation Monument

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

-In 1869, geologist John Wesley Powell led a group of 10 men in the first journey down the Colorado River and along the length of the 277-mile gorge in four rowboats.

-After establishing the National Wildlife Refuge to protect the country's animals, fish and birds, Roosevelt turned his attention to federal regulation of public lands.

-Though a region could be given national park status-indicating that all private development on that land was "illegal"-only by an act of Congress, Roosevelt cut down on red tape by beginning a new presidential practice of granting a similar "national monument" designation to some of the West's greatest treasures.

-In January 1908, Roosevelt exercised this right to make more than 800,000 acres of the Grand Canyon area into a national monument

-"Let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is," he declared. "You cannot improve on it. But what you can do is keep it for your children, your children’s children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see."-------as Theodore said.