Proclamation 496—Enlargement of the Yellowstone National Reserve

Whereas, The Yellowstone Forest Reserve and The Teton Forest Reserve, in the State of Wyoming, and The Absaroka Forest Reserve, in the State of Montana, have been heretofore established by proclamations, under the provisions of the acts of March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, entitled, "An act to repeal timber-culture laws, and for other purposes," and June fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, entitled, "An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, and for other purposes";

And Whereas, it appearing proper that the area embraced in said forest reserves with certain additions thereto should be included in one reserve and be distinguished by one name; and it appearing that the public lands in the States of Wyoming and Montana, within the limits hereinafter described, are in part covered with timber, and that the public good would be promoted by setting apart and reserving the same as a public reservation;

Now, Therefore, I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, by virtue of the power vested in me by the aforesaid acts of Congress, do hereby make known and proclaim that the proclamations heretofore issued respecting said forest reserves are hereby superseded, and The Yellowstone Forest Reserve is hereby established in place thereof, with boundaries as follows, to wit:

Beginning at the point where the range line between Ranges nine (9) and ten (10) East, Principal Meridian, Montana, intersects the northern boundary of the Yellowstone National Park; thence northerly along said surveyed and unsurveyed range line, allowing for the proper offset on the First (1st) Standard Parallel South, to the south-west corner of Section eighteen (18), Township four (4) South, Range ten (10) East; thence easterly to the south-east corner of said section; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section six (6), said township; thence easterly to the south-east corner of Section thirty-two (32), Township three (3) South, Range ten (10) East; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section five (5), said township; thence easterly along the township line to the north-east corner of Township three (3) South, Range eleven (11) East; thence southerly to the south-east corner of said township; thence easterly along the surveyed and unsurveyed township line to the point for the south-west corner of Township three (3) South, Range fourteen (14) East; thence northerly along the surveyed and unsurveyed range line to the north-west corner of Township two (2) South, Range fourteen (14) East; thence easterly to the north-east corner of said township; thence southerly to the point for the south-east corner of said township; thence easterly to the point for the north-east corner of Township three (3) South, Range fifteen (15) East; thence southerly to the point for the south-east corner of said township; thence easterly along the surveyed and unsurveyed township line to the north-west corner of Township four (4) South, Range eighteen (18) East; thence southerly along the range line to its intersection with the First (1st) Standard Parallel South; thence easterly along said parallel to the north-east corner of Township Six (6) South, Range eighteen (18) East; thence southerly along the surveyed and unsurveyed range line to the south-west corner of Township seven (7) South, Range nineteen (19) East; thence easterly to the north-west corner of Township eight (8) South, Range twenty (20) East; thence southerly to the south-west corner of said township; thence easterly to the south-east corner of said township; thence southerly along the range line to its intersection with the boundary line between the States of Montana and Wyoming; thence westerly along said state boundary line to the point for its intersection with the range line between Ranges one hundred and two (102) and one hundred and three (103) West, Sixth (6th) Principal Meridian, Wyoming; thence southerly along said range line to its intersection with the Fourteenth (14th) Standard Parallel North; thence westerly along said parallel to the north-east corner of Section four (4), Township fifty-six (56) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence southerly along the section lines to the south-east corner of Section thirty-three (33), Township fifty-four (54) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence westerly to the north-west corner of Township fifty-three (53) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence southerly to the south-west corner of said township; thence westerly along the Thirteenth (13th) Standard Parallel North to the North-west corner of Township fifty-two (52) North, Range one hundred and four (104) West; thence southerly along the range line to the north-west corner of Section eighteen (18), Township fifty (50) North, Range one hundred and four (104) West; thence easterly to the north-west corner of Section fifteen (15), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section three (3), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section two (2), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of said section; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section twelve (12), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of said section; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section, n seventeen (17), Township fifty (50) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence southerly to the south-east corner of said section; thence easterly to the south-west corner of Section fourteen (14), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section eleven (11), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of the north-west quarter of the north-west quarter of said section; thence northerly along the quarter-quarter section line to the north-west corner of the north-east quarter of the north-west quarter of Section two (2), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section one (1), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section seven (7), Township fifty (50) North, Range one hundred and two (102) West; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section nineteen (19), said township; thence westerly to the south-east corner of the south-west quarter of Section twenty-three (23), Township fifty (50) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence southerly along the quarter-section lines to the north-west corner of the north-east quarter of Section two (2), Township forty-nine (49) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence easterly to the north-east corner of said section; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section twenty-three, (23), said townships; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section nineteen (19), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Township forty-nine (49) North, Range one hundred and four (104) West; thence easterly along the Twelfth (12th) Standard Parallel North to the north-east corner of Township forty-eight (48) North, Range one hundred and four (104) West; thence southerly to the south-cast corner of Section one (1), said township; thence westerly to the north-east corner of Section nine (9), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section thirty-three (33), said township; thence easterly to the south-west corner of Township forty-eight (48) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence northerly to the north-west corner of the south-west quarter of the north-west quarter of Section thirty-one (31), said township; thence easterly along the quar-ter-quarter section lines to the north-east corner of the south-west quarter of the north-east quarter of said section; thence southerly along the quarter-quarter section lines to the south-east corner of the south-west quarter of the south-east quarter of said section; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section six (6), Township forty-seven (47) North, Range one hundred and three (103) West; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section seven (7), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section thirteen (13), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of said section; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section twenty-one (21), Township forty-seven (47) North, Range one hundred and two (102) West; thence southerly along the section lines to the north-east corner of Section four (4), Township forty-five (45) North, Range one hundred and two (102) West; thence easterly to the north-east corner of said Township; thence southerly along the range line, allowing for the proper offset on the Eleventh (11th) Standard Parallel North, to its intersection with the northern boundary of the Wind River or Shoshone Indian Reservation; thence, in a general northwesterly and southwesterly direction, along the northern and western boundary of said reservation to its intersection with the township line between Townships forty-two (42) and forty-three (43) North; thence westerly along said township line to the north-east corner of Township forty-two (42) North, Range one hundred and nine (109) West; thence southerly along the range line to the south-east corner of Township forty-one (41) North, Range one hundred and nine (109) West; thence easterly along the Tenth (10th) Standard Parallel North to its intersection with the western boundary of the Wind River or Shoshone Indian Reservation; thence, in a south-easterly, southerly and easterly direction, along the western and southern boundary of said reservation to its intersection with the range line between Ranges one hundred and one (101) and one hundred and two (102) West; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Township thirty-three (33) North, Range one hundred and two (102) West; thence easterly along the Eighth (8th) Standard Parallel North to the north-west corner of Township thirty-two (32) North, Range one hundred (100) West; thence southerly to the north-west corner of Section nineteen (19), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section twenty-one (21), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section thirty-three (33), said township; thence easterly to the south-east corner of said township; thence southerly along the range line to the south-east corner of Township twenty-nine (29) North, Range one hundred (100) West; thence westerly to the south-west corner of said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section nineteen (19), said township; thence westerly along the section lines to the south-west corner of Section eighteen (18), Township twenty-nine (29) North, Range one hundred and two (102) West; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section nineteen (19), Township thirty (30) North, Range one hundred and two (102) West; thence westerly along the section lines to the south-west corner of Section fifteen(15), Township thirty (30) North, Range one hundred and four (104) West; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section three (3), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), Township thirty-one (31) North, Range one hundred and five (105) West; thence northerly to the south-west corner of Section fifteen (15), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section eighteen (18), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), Township thirty-two (32) North, Range one hundred and six (106) West; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section three (3), said township; thence westerly along the Eighth (8th) Standard Parallel North to the south-west corner of Township thirty-three (33) North, Range one hundred and seven (107) West; thence northerly to the north-west corner of said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), Township thirty-four (34) North, Range one hundred and nine (109) West; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section three (3), said township; thence westerly to the south-east corner of Township thirty-five (35) North, Range one hundred and ten (110) West; thence northerly to the north-east corner of said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), Township thirty-six (36) North, Range one hundred and ten (110) West; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section three (3), said township; thence westerly along the Ninth (9th) Standard Parallel North to the south-east corner of Township thirty-seven (37) North, Range one hundred and ten (110) West; thence northerly to the south-east corner of Section thirteen (13), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section eighteen (18), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Township thirty-seven (37) North, Range one hundred and eleven (111) West; thence westerly along the Ninth (9th) Standard Parallel North to the north-east corner of Section four (4), Township thirty-six (36) North, Range one hundred and twelve (112) West; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section thirty-three (33), said township; thence westerly to the north-east corner of Township thirty-five (35) North, Range one hundred and thirteen (113) West; thence southerly to the south-east corner of said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of said township; thence southerly along the range line to the south-east corner of Township thirty-three (33) North, Range one hundred and fourteen (114) West; thence westerly along the Eighth (8th) Standard Parallel North to the north-east corner of Township thirty-two (32) North, Range one hundred and fifteen (115) West; thence southerly along the range line to the south-east corner of Township twenty-nine (29) North, Range one hundred and fifteen (115) West; thence easterly along the Seventh (7th) Standard Parallel North to the north-east corner of Township twenty-eight (28) North, Range one hundred and fifteen (115) West; thence southerly along the range line to the south-east corner of Township twenty-five (25) North, Range one hundred and fifteen (115) West; thence westerly along the Sixth (6th) Standard Parallel North to the south-west corner of Township twenty-five (25) North, Range one hundred and seventeen (117) West; thence northerly along the surveyed and unsurveyed range line to the point for the north-west corner of Township twenty-eight (28) North, Range one hundred and seventeen (117) West; thence westerly along the Seventh (7th) Standard Parallel North to the south-east corner of Township twenty-nine (29) North, Range one hundred and eighteen (118) West; thence northerly to the north-east corner of said township; thence westerly to the south-east corner of the south-west quarter of Section thirty-three (33), Township thirty (30) North, Range one hundred and eighteen (118) West; thence northerly along the quarter-section lines to the north-east corner of the south-west quarter of Section sixteen (16), said township; thence westerly to the north-west corner of said quar-ter-section; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section five (5), said township; thence westerly to the north-west corner of said section; thence northerly to the north-east corner of the south-east quarter of Section thirty-one (31), Township thirty-one (31) North, Range one hundred and eighteen (118) West; thence westerly to the north-west corner of said quarter-section; thence northerly along the quarter-section lines to the point of intersection with the Eighth (8th) Standard Parallel North; thence easterly along said parallel to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), Township thirty-three (33) North, Range one hundred and eighteen (118) West; thence northerly along the section lines to the north-west corner of Section twenty-seven (27), Township thirty-four (34) North, Range one hundred and eighteen (118) West; thence westerly to the south-east corner of the south-west quarter of Section twenty-one (21), said township; thence northerly along the quarter-section lines to the north-east corner of the south-west quarter of Section nine (9), said township; thence westerly to the north-west corner of said quarter-section; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section eight (8), said township; thence westerly to the south-east corner of the south-west quarter of Section five (5), said township; thence northerly to the north-east corner of said quarter-section; thence westerly to the north-west corner of said quarter-section; thence northerly to the north-east corner of the south-east quarter of Section thirty-one (31), Township thirty-five (35) North, Range one hundred and eighteen (118) West; thence westerly to the north-west corner of the south-west quarter of said section; thence northerly along the range line to its intersection with the Ninth (9th) Standard Parallel North; thence westerly along said parallel to its intersection with the boundary line between the States of Wyoming and Idaho; thence northerly along said state boundary line to the point where it intersects the southern boundary of the Yellowstone National Park; thence, in an easterly, northerly and westerly direction, along the boundary of said park to the point where it intersects the range line between Ranges nine (9) and ten (10) East, Principal Meridian, Montana, the place of beginning; excepting and excluding from reservation all those certain tracts, pieces or parcels of land lying and being situate in the State of Wyoming and particularly described as follows, to wit:

Township forty (40) North, Range one hundred and sixteen (116) West; Townships forty-one (41) North, Ranges one hundred and fifteen (115) and one hundred and sixteen (116) West; and Townships forty-two (42) North, Ranges one hundred and fifteen (115) and one hundred and sixteen (116) West.

Excepting from the force and effect of this proclamation all lands which may have been, prior to the date hereof, embraced in any legal entry or covered by any lawful filing duly of record in the proper United States Land office, or upon which any valid settlement has been made pursuant to law, and the statutory period within which to make entry or filing of record has not expired: Provided, That this exception shall not continue to apply to any particular tract of land unless the entryman, settler or claimant continues to comply with the law under which the entry, filing or settlement was made.

Provided further , That nothing herein shall give any force or effect to any claim or right to any of the lands heretofore embraced within the reserves hereby consolidated which would not have been entitled to recognition if said reserves as heretofore established had been continued in force without being merged into a single reserve as herein before provided.

Warning is hereby expressly given to all persons not to make settlement upon the lands reserved by this proclamation.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington this 29th day of January, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-seventh.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

By the President:

JOHN HAY,

Secretary of State.