Correspondence on the National Monuments of These United State

To the Gentle Reader,

Having crossed prairies wide and rivers winding, slept beneath starlight and watched the sun cradle mountain peaks in golden fire, I have grown resolute in the belief that the land itself holds memory and meaning beyond the mere measure of miles. And so I commit this account to paper, concerning those places deemed of great import—our National Monuments—those sacred grounds which bear testament to nature’s grandeur or mankind’s solemn history.

🌲 What Is a National Monument?

A national monument, good reader, is a tract of land or structure preserved by authority of the United States for its historical, cultural, or natural significance. Unlike the noble parks protected by act of Congress, national monuments may be brought into being by swift declaration, specifically by the President of the United States through a power vested by the Antiquities Act of 1906.

✍️ Who Decides?

• The President may, at their discretion, declare federal land a national monument to protect it from damage or development.

• Congress, too, may designate a site as a national monument via legislation.

• These sites are administered by various agencies, including:

  • The National Park Service

  • The Forest Service

  • The Bureau of Land Management

  • The Fish and Wildlife Service

In this, a president may act swifter than Congress and protect lands before they fade under the weight of industry or neglect.

 A Solemn Tribute: The Floyd Monument

Among all the monuments that dot this vast republic, none bears such personal weight as the Sergeant Floyd Monument, erected in honor of Charles Floyd, the only member of our Corps of Discovery to perish during the expedition.

On the 20th day of August, 1804, Sergeant Floyd succumbed to a sudden and violent illness—likely a rupture of the appendix, though such afflictions were beyond the healing arts of the time. Captain Clark recorded his passing with sorrow, noting Floyd’s composure and final request: “I am going away. I want you to write me a letter.”

We buried him atop a bluff overlooking the Missouri River, with full military honors. That bluff, and the nearby stream, were named Floyd’s Bluff and Floyd’s River in his memory.

🏛 The Monument Itself

• In 1901, a 100-foot Egyptian-style obelisk of Kettle River sandstone was raised upon that bluff in Sioux City, Iowa.

• It stands within a 23-acre park, marking Floyd’s final resting place.

• The monument was designated the first National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior on June 30, 1960.

This is no mere stone pillar—it is a sentinel of sacrifice, a reminder that exploration bears cost, and that honor must be paid to those who gave their all.

🏔 The First Monument: Devils Tower

Among the first to receive such honor was a most peculiar protrusion of rock called Devils Tower, located in the Wyoming Territory. President Theodore Roosevelt, a man of action and reflection alike, declared it the first national monument on September 24th, 1906, mere months after the Antiquities Act took hold.

📜 Why Was It Chosen?

Devils Tower, known to Indigenous nations as Bear Lodge or Tree Rock, rises as a sentinel over the Black Hills, a column of volcanic origin wrapped in parallel grooves. It holds sacred meaning for tribes such as the Lakota and Kiowa and stands as a geological marvel.

The act of naming it a monument served dual purpose:

• Preserving the land from exploitation

• Honoring its cultural and geological significance

It was not merely stone, but story.

🗺 Notable National Monuments Through the Ages

Permit me to list others that deserve your learned attention:

🏜 Canyon de Chelly – Arizona

With sandstone walls that cradle ancient cliff dwellings, it remains a living home to the Navajo people.

🏕 Bears Ears – Utah

Rich in archaeological heritage and natural splendor, this monument was championed by Native American tribes seeking protection of their ancestral land.

🐚 Papahānaumokuākea – Hawaii

A sprawling marine reserve honoring cultural and ecological legacy in the Pacific Ocean.

⛪ Statue of Liberty – New York

Though often thought a mere monument, the Lady Liberty is formally a national monument since 1924, symbolizing hope and freedom to those arriving upon distant shores.

🧱 Casa Grande Ruins – Arizona

Ancient Sonoran architecture preserved under roof and reverence.

🧭 Closing Reflections from the Wilderness

These monuments are not mere declarations; they are gestures of gratitude. They whisper tales of those who walked before us and offer quiet counsel to those who may follow. It is not the stone alone, nor the tree, nor the ruin, but the meaning that hovers about them like mist on the morning prairie.

Let every citizen who reads this take heart—that even in swift ages of progress, there remain corners of Earth deemed too meaningful to forget.