Remembering Stephen T. MatherJust Minutes Away: Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Dry

Tortugas National Park, Everglades National Park

By Bryan Palacio,Greening Youth

Intern at EvergladesNational Park

When Gerriet ArthurJanssen walks into a

National Park, he immediate-ly seeks out the oldest Rangeron duty to ask them about the

Stephen Mather plaque. Thisrequest sometimes garners befuddled

looks, but not at the Everglades. In Everglades National Park, entombed in lime-

stone, you will find a plaque honoring Stephen T.Mather just outside the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. But

just as instrumental as Coe was for the Everglades, Mather was for the NationalPark Service. Who then is Stephen Mather and why would someone ask about this

plaque that is often overlooked by many visitors?“It is a vacation that got a little out of hand you might say,” said Janssen whenasked why he is on a mission to see every Stephen Mather plaque in the country.

Born in 1867, Mather was a self-made millionaire, an avid outdoorsman, a mem-ber of the Sierra Club, and a friend to the widely renowned John Muir. After a visitto Yosemite National Park, Mather became disgusted with the poor infrastructureand maintenance of our National Parks. Soon thereafter he campaigned for the cre-ation of a national agency to oversee all the national parks at the time. In 1916 hisdream became a reality through the establishment of the National Park Service- anagency that would run our National Parks. Stephen Mather’s zest and passion forour National Parks also earned him the honor of being appointed as the firstDirector of the National Park Service in 1917. He held this title until 1929 when hestepped down after suffering a stroke. During his tenure he managed 24 national

parks and 33 nationalmonuments.

Scripted on hisplaques are the fol-lowing words: “Helaid the foundation ofthe National ParkService, defining andestablishing the poli-cies under which itsareas shall be devel-oped and conservedunimpaired for future

generations. There will never come an end to the good that he has done.”The plaque at Everglades National Park is not the only one of its kind. Designed

by a world class sculptor named Bryant Baker in the 1930’s, today there are over50 of these plaques in national parks across our country from Yellowstone to GrandCanyon and Acadia to Blue Ridge Parkway.

The National Park Service has a goal of making connections with history; be ithuman or Earth history. It does an intricate job of highlighting those who wereessential to the rise of the parks and honors them each in their own special way.This goal is not just for visitors but for employees as well. And although the list ofheroes who have been essential to the development Park Service is undoubtedlylong, his story is as important as any.

“To me, history is often stranger than fiction and lots more interesting,” saidJanssen.Janssen has felt a connection to Mather ever since he spent four summers workingfor the National Park Service in the 60’s, while attending college for his Bachelor’sand Graduate degree. During this time he was a backcountry fire fighter, packer,crew foreman, and ranger. He would go on to become a Clinical Anesthesiologistbut his connection with the Park Service was deep and would eventually set himalong another journey in his life, one much less difficult than becoming a doctorbut requiring many years of tedious work nonetheless.

Janssen’s mission of tracking down all the plaques at numerous locations has notbeen an easy one. It turns out not all the plaques are on display and some are justplain missing!Jenssen has spentmany hours pes-tering parkemployees tosearch recordbooks and ware-houses, and evencalling upon thoseat the WashingtonD.C. headquartersto find them.

“In all this, visit-ing Parks, talkingwith people, andenjoying theincredible parksystem we have—that has been thereal fun for me,”said Janssen.“This wonderfuljourney has givenme a deeper appreciation for the history of our parks, the people that made thingshappen, and the folks who take care of them today.”

With the Centennial of the National Park Service looming around the corner, nowis a great time to ask: if Mather was such an essential piece, why is it that few seemto know about him.A plaque is a great way to remember someone. But keeping alive their story is aneven better way to honor them. According to Park Ranger Sabrina Diaz, that’swhere her staff come into play.

“One of our primary roles as interpretive park rangers, is to bring the stories ofthe Everglades, and the National Park Service to life. It’s our job to not only keepthe legacy of people like Stephen Mather alive, but to encourage the Americanpeople regardless of their age or background to be modern day “Stephen Mather’s”or “Marjory Stoneman Douglas’”! We want our history to inspire today’s genera-tion to take care of these special places.” said Diaz.

“Each Park has a person or small group of zealots who went to the ends of theearth to have their pet project protected,” said Janssen. “It’s a great job. Great placeto work. And a worthy task.”

4A SOUTH DADE NEWS LEADER MARCH 20, 2015

The Mather plaque located on the Southern rim of the Grand Canyon. NPS Photo

A look inside the SEKI warehouse.

Stephen T. Mather

The plaque memorializing Mather.