Boy Scout Troop 325
Scoutmaster Minute
Pinnacles National Monument
October 2, 2007
Larry Polyak, Scoutmaster

Did you know that only the President of the United States can declare a site to be a National Monument?

In the early 1900's, most people still thought of the western United States to be a vast open land free for the taking. But President Theodore Roosevelt was a conservationist and a forward thinker of his time. In 1908, President Roosevelt declared the Pinnacles to be a National Monument, thereby preserving it for many generations to come. In 2000, President Bill Clinton expanded the area by 8,000 acres to better protect the spire-like rock formations that rise up to 1200 feet tall.

We are truly lucky to have such a natural wonder in our own back yard. It is a coincidence and appropriate that we have been re-familiarizing ourselves with Scouting's Outdoor Code lately. If Presidents, starting 100 years ago, recognized the fact that the Pinnacles is an area to be preserved, surely we can do our part. Please remember to abserve the Outdoor Code on our outing to the Pinnacles National Monument this weekend.

Thanks for listening.