Throughout the year 2000, we will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the "new" Grand Teton National Park. The1929 Park saved only the Teton Range and glacial lakes at the foot of the mountains; it preserved a pristine, unaltered landscape. The 1943 Jackson Hole National Monument protected valley lands through private philanthropy. The 1950 park represents the consolidation of two separate units with other public and private lands. It balances many of the issues that shaped both the fledgling Grand Teton National Park and the controversial Jackson Hole National Monument. Today’s park achieves conservation through compromise, preserves a more complete ecosystem and continues to influence our rich heritage.

Grand Teton National Park offers a legacy of grand proportions with worldwide recognition for spectacular mountain scenery, bountiful wildlife, and diverse recreational opportunities. In celebrating this Golden Anniversary, we pay tribute to the dedication, perseverance and aspirations of visionary men and women who believed that the greatest good for the Teton landscape was as a "public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people."