White Sands National Monument history · History of White Sands National Monument
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
History of White Sands National Monument
History of White Sands National Monument
White Sands became a national monument on January 18, 1933 by order of President Herbert Hoover. Efforts to preserve the area's brilliant gypsum dunes had begun in the late 1800's, but it was the enthusiasm of local booster Tom Charles that finally led to the park's creation. In his words "gypsum may be divided into two classes - Commercial and Inspirational. The former everybody has, but as for recreational gypsum, we have it all. No place else in the world do you find these alabaster dunes with the beauty and splendor of the Great White Sands".
The park's creation coincided with the Great Depression, which was in some ways fortuitous due to the Roosevelt administration's focus on public works. WPA funds were used to improve many park areas and White Sands benefited by achieving a full measure of development within just a few years of opening. In its first year the park attracted 12,000 people, and today as many as 600,000 people visit the park annually.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about White Sands National Monument
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in White Sands National Monument - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount White Sands National Monument hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
White Sands National Monument Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.