 Frontier Fighters. Frontier Fighters. The triumphant march of those whose daring deeds of exploration and trail breaking save for posterity the glorious West. Among those who first saw the wonders of Yellowstone Park and tried to convince an unbelieving scoffing world were John Coulter and the famous scout Jim Bridger. As our story opens, the year is 1849. To the editor of a leading Western newspaper and a group of hangers on, Jim Bridger is saying, Bill, any man that'll print what I say about Yellowstone will go down in history. Well, Jim Bridger, I'll just sleep on some of that stuff you told me. Bridger, I'm a curious fellow. What I'm about to say ain't no slur on your veracity, but do you expect a full-grown man to believe your fist or anything? It's gospel that I hooked a trout in the lake, swung it around, let it fall in a pool of boiling water, and cooked it right on the line. Oh, I blame when you're done with the laugh. See in his believin'. But even if some of you yokers did see, you wouldn't believe anyway. He ain't got no imagination. That's all wrong with you. He ain't traveled like I have. Now, Jim, I have half a notion to believe what you say about waterfalls and geysers and petrified forests, and it comes with that fish story. Well, that fish story ain't the biggest whopper old Jim's told us. No, sir. Not by the long ways. It's about that hard-cliffered glass, so clear you can see clean throwin'. And the one about fourin' that creek and the horse's hoofs havin' shrunk in size by the time he got to the shore. Oh, now, chances. I think it gives the editor of this newspaper a little historical fact, but I reckon you ain't ready for the truth yet. Well, I guess it's time for me to be hittin' out for home. Guess I'd better not tell my old lady none of them bigans you told us, Jim, because she'd swear I'd imbibe too freely of fire. Don't you think you'd better scale down some of these whoppers a little? Well, no matter what I'd say about Yellowstone, wouldn't be gospel, even if I had my hand laid on a stack of eyeballs. Now, Jim, I've known you for a long time. You made a name for yourself as a scout and a guard and interpreter among the Redmen. But, Jim, just as one friend to another, you haven't had too much to drink, have you? Bill, I must sober as a judge. No, don't let this worry you none. Well, I am worried. What if some of this tall talk gets around? Oh, it won't do no harm. Americans ain't serious. Nobody's gonna run over to Wyoming to see if I'm tellin' the truth. Well, goodbye, Bill. Goodbye, Jim. When you get back to Yellowstone, why don't you send me a little item I can use sometime without gettin' laughed out of the country? He's young, too. Having his mind get a twist in it like that for tellin' whoppers. Jim Bridger told the truth in a day at age when people were poorly traveled. Then came the years 1869, 70, and 71. And two decades after Jim Bridger had failed to convince his generation, Yellowstone was discovered again. And this time the world knew that in the heart of Wyoming, nature had placed the wonderland of the world. An ardent champion of Yellowstone was Dr. F. V. Hayden, who in 1870 explored the country with Captain Barlow of the United States Army. Grilled with their discoveries, they were about to complete their chore when suddenly they came upon a miner's camp. Looks like some mighty rich diggin', man. Yeah. Don't give a hoot about all them wonders in nature. Well, we got it all to ourselves. Once the word gets out about a gold strike, they'll be a rush. That's my word. What are you men doing? Grievous told you to find out if people just smell gold. I'm the CEO, Mr. I'm Captain Barlow of the United States Army. All right, Captain. We'll be having some grub when the sun starts going down. You and your buddy can fall, too. Planning some extensive mining operations? Well, we're aiming to get what gold we can out of these hills. Of course, there's gonna be a bore. It'll be torn up with mine. Captain Barlow, I guess our work has come out for us. Ain't you putting on the feedback with us? Oh, thank you, no. Well, Captain Barlow, our report is completed. Desrecrating these glories of nature for a few handful of gold. Mining camps, dumps, scarred and blackened mountains. Well, out with these miners that we can. Such glories, as we have seen, must be preserved for posterity. We'll head for the nation's capital and call on Congressman Plaget and the famous lecturer, Mr. Langford, at once. Mr. Langford, I'm entirely in accord with your plan, but it gets such a bill written that would save Yellowstone, get fined for it. Well, I'll be for it. Mr. Plaget, once such a bill as that which we propose is even rumored about, it will excite the warmest admiration hundreds of friends will rush to the defense of it. Dr. Hayden, you speak of Yellowstone as though it were a beautiful, defenseless woman about to be abducted by a band of marauding Indians. The fate of Yellowstone would be worse than that. It's one thing to be abducted, another to be desecrated. Can you picture this wonderland of the west with scarred mountainsides swarming with men who have lost their love of nature in their greedy search for gold? You're very persuasive, too, Mr. Langford. I'm all for such a plan, but, you know, it's often years before you can arouse the country to the need of such legislation. But the Congress sits in Washington. We're in Washington. The Theater of Action is here. It's all true, all true. But Congress is much more affected by what it hears outside of the hours of debate than during them. However, I'll start the ball rolling. I'll see the Secretary of the Interior tomorrow. Oh, wait. Langford, I've just had a brainstorm. Another, Mr. Hayden? If Congress is affected by what it hears outside of the hours of debate, it shall hear plenty. Oh, and you have a plan of action for yourself, Dr. Hayden. Oh, no, for Mr. Langford. For me? Yes. You're one of the most famous lecturers in the country. From this moment on, you have a new theme, Yellowstone National Park. Dr. Hayden, that's a very good piece of political strategy. That's such short notice. I don't know what kind of bookings I can get, either on Lyceum or Redpath Circuit. You won't have to put foot out of Washington. Tees, luncheons, after dinner, Sunday salons. But what interest possible can women have in Yellowstone as a national park? Women have a greater interest than you think, Mr. Langford. And anything that interests them, interests their husbands, be they representatives, senators, chief justices, or even presidents. Presidents? Langford, didn't you say you knew Mrs. Grant? Yes, but it's purely a social contact. Well, it's too bad I don't know the wife of the chief executive that well. Yes, I know. I'm sure that Mrs. Grant would be most happy to have you speak at a White House so long. Informally, of course. But I couldn't possibly suggest that she speak to the president. To the president? You won't have to. You give the talk, introduce me to the First Lady, and I'll do the rest. Yes, yes, my dear, I know, but I can't possibly present a bill to Congress. That's the duty of congressman. But, Ulysses, you as president when such a bill comes can sign it. I've signed more than my share of bills this session. Besides, I doubt if it will even get to a committee this year. The bill to make Yellowstone a national park is being talked about by everyone. Including the wife of the president. Well, I suppose if something is so ardently supported by you, it must have merit. Oh, I can think of nothing finer on the part of any president of the United States than to be remembered for having saved such a paradise to future generations. You will have me do something for posterity yet. Oh, Ulysses, all that any nation has is its natural resources. It's scenic wonders. It becomes our duty to guard and treasure these things. Guard and treasure our natural resources. Hmm, that sounds like congressman Claggett. Why, it sounds like anyone, doesn't it, who loves America? You couldn't just by the smallest chance have invited Claggett to your salon. Well, I did invite Mr. Langston. And Dr. Hayden and Claggett came along with him. Julia, the place to lobby is not in the living room of the White House. However, we'll see. We'll see. Oh, Ulysses, it isn't that I want it for myself. It's for the country, for Wyoming. The people of this territory would be so proud. Julia, as soon as this bill is introduced and passes both houses, I'll sign such a bill and make it a law. An act to set apart a certain tract of land lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone River as a public park. Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress Assembly. At the tract of land. March 1st, 1872. Signed by James G. Blaine, Speaker of the House, Schuyler Colfax, Vice President of the United States. And so, through the discoveries of Jim Bridger, that grand old man of the trails, the patriotic idealism and the wonderful energy of Congressman Claggett, Dr. Hayden and N.P. Langford, who can visit Wyoming today without realizing that in her vast embracing arms lies indeed one of the great scenic wonders of the world. Other lovers of nature and frontier fighters brought into the fold of government parks, such famous natural wonders as Yosemite in California, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. And so we bring to a close another episode in the lives of men who fought for an ideal and won.