After viewing the Grand Canyon, President Theodore Roosevelt was so struck by its natural beauty, he wanted to keep the area in perfect shape so that people could continue to enjoy it. However, previous bills to make the area a national park were repeatedly defeated. He noted that the Antiquities Act made it possible to create national monuments, similar to national parks but without all of the red tape. On this day, Jan. 11, 1908, Roosevelt declared the Grand Canyon a National Monument. It wasn’t until 1932 when Congress named the Grand Canyon National Monument as a National Park. Pictured is the view from Mather Point. (Kevin Hutson/Courtesy)