The event was held on Sunday, September 28th, at the Leland Stanford Mansion in Sacramento, California, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the proclamation accepting the Yosemite Grant signed by then California Governor Frederick Low.The event was coordinated by the California state anniversary committee, which has been working closely with Yosemite on events and activities surrounding the 150th Anniversary
Don Neubacher, the park’s superintendent, spoke about the importance of the Yosemite Grant and how it paved the way for national parks across the country. He also spoke about the shared heritage with California State Parks, the importance of parks and protected areas, and the excellent cooperation between the park and California State Parks throughout the anniversary commemorations.
Other speakers included Mike Lynch and Donna Pozzi, co-chairs of the anniversary committee for California State Parks, Aaron Robertson, chief deputy director for California State Parks, and Ernest Chung, chairman of the California State Park and Recreation Commission. An actor portrayed Governor Low and he accepted the proclamation on behalf of the State of California.
The event also featured costumed docents from the Capital District of California State Parks, live music, a quilt show, and a special cancellation for stamps and letters from the U.S. Postal Service, Many California state park rangers wore vintage uniforms, and an antique state park ranger vehicle was on display. The event concluded with a time capsule dedication and birthday cake. About 150 people attended the event.
From fall 2013 through the end of this year, the park will have participated in over 200 events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Yosemite Grant. The park hosted several events on June 30th, the day the bill was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. However, most of the events have been conducted in Yosemite's gateway communities, around the region, and nationwide. The wide range of events included film festivals, museum displays, festivals, storytelling festivals, and art contests.
Submitted by Scott Gediman, Public Affairs Officer
