Antiquities Act of 1906

An Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities (Antiquities Act) was signed into law on June 8, 1906, and was the first law that provided protection of natural and cultural resources and treasures on Federal lands. One of President Roosevelt's greatest legacies during his time in office was his efforts to pioneer stewardship of the nation's resources. While in office, he declared eighteen monuments, including six to protect historic or prehistoric structures.

This Act authorized the President to proclaim national monuments, historic and prehistoric structures, or objects of historic or scientific interest on Federal lands. It also protected America’s natural and historic wonders from mining, drilling, looting, and industrial development, and provided for museums, universities, and other educational institutions to ask permission from the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and War to investigate monument sites, including archaeological excavation.

Prior to this legislation, Congress used specific acts to create national parks and other protected areas. Archaeologists urged Congress to pass broader protective legislation, anxious to prevent the looting of American Indian relics. Congress did so, empowering the President to move quickly to save threatened archaeological, historic, or natural sites. Some of the National Park Service's land sites that were first established under the Antiquities Act included Grand Canyon National Park in 1908 and Acadia National Park in 1916, while other sites, such as Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in 1923, were set aside to protect their archeological resources. (Sources: National Park Service (NPS) , U.S. Capitol ).

An Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities (Antiquities Act)
54 U.S.C. C - American Antiquities
54 U.S.C. III - National Preservation Programs
43 CFR 3 - Preservation of American Antiquities

Additional Resources

• Read more about the significance and impact of the Antiquities Act of 1906 on the National Park Service's website, and take a look at the National Park Service's video and learn about how the Antiquities Act was able to protect special places we continue to enjoy today. .
• Read about how the Antiquities Act was used to create and protect water areas and underwater parks on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) webpage. .