Thursday, September 3, 1964: Wilderness Act

President Johnson today signed into law the wilderness conservation bill -- a gift from the present generation to the future of 9 million acres of woodland recreation areas. In a White House bill-signing ceremony, Johnson termed the event "a very happy and history occasion for all who love the out of doors, and that includes me." Under the wilderness bill, 61 million acres of woodland eventually could be preserved in the same state as when Indians roamed the land. Most of the 9 million acres immediately covered is in the Western states.

     -- United Press International (story: @)

* Text: @

* "Johnson Signs Wilderness and Recreation Bills" (Associated Press): @

* Johnson's remarks (The American Presidency Project): @
* Summary (The Wilderness Society): @

* Summary (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service): @
* Summary (U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division): @

* Locations (www.wilderness.net): @
* "America's Public Lands: From Yellowstone to Smokey Bear and Beyond" (Randall K. Wilson, 2014): @ 

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