On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating the National Park Service.

The national parks are a uniquely American idea – they've been called “America's best idea.” The creation of an agency to preserve and interpret those places was equally novel, and the park service has been a model for similar agencies around the world.

National parks are celebrating the centennial in 2016 with special events. Big Bend National Park – Texas' first national park – marks the occasion with new exhibits and events, including a fair Saturday, March 26, at Rio Grande Village.

The creation of a national park is a political achievement. But at the center of the hist...