|
National Park Service
Badges and Uniform Ornamentation of the National Park Service |
|
BADGES
Metal
|
Although Congress authorized the use of Army troops to protect Yellowstone National Park in 1883, when they started patrolling in 1886 they were only empowered to escort the offenders out of the park, not arrest them. Here and in the California national parks that came into being after 1890, the troops sometimes employed ingenious methods of coping with those that would defile the parks, such as expelling offenders from one side, while driving their flocks or casting their weapons out the opposite side. But a more regular form of law enforcement was needed. For this duty civilian rangers, or scouts as they were known in Yellowstone, were hired. These early forest rangers, as they would later be called, displayed their authority in the form of a badge, usually from some local jurisdiction, or in the case of Yellowstone, the park. | |
| ||
|
The earliest known badge attributed to a national park is that of the "Yellowstone Park Scout." It probably came in after the 1894 Lacey Act, when scouts were hired to enforce the hunting prohibition in the national parks. It was silver, round, two inches in diameter, with YELLOWSTONE PARK SCOUT stamped around the perimeter. The middle was cut out in the shape of a star with a number stamped in the center. It was made by the J. P. Cook Company of Omaha, Nebraska. The chief scout's badge was sterling and cost $1.25. The other scouts wore badges of German silver and were charged 75 cents if they lost them, probably the replacement cost. [1] These badges were worn by rangers at Yellowstone National Park until after the separation of the Services in 1905, and new badges issued in 1906. (The Forest Service was transferred to the Department of Agriculture) Up until this time the men in both Services were considered "Forest Rangers". It is not known exactly what the badges issued to rangers in the other parks looked like. But from correspondence and photographs we know that they were being worn. There are three extant photographs of rangers in Sequoia National Park wearing two different badges, a round badge over one with a shield configuration. Two of these photographs are circa 1902; the other one, while undatable, shows one of the rangers from the other photographs, Lew Davis, wearing the same clothes. So it can be assumed that it was taken about the same time as the others. The two 1902 photographs are of the same four rangers, taken on the same day. The images are not very clear, but from the reflections on the round badges it can be determined that they are solid, without piercing.
| ||
There is a forest reserve ranger badge in a private collection that is stamped "Department of the Interior." This indicates its use before the 1905 separation, for Gifford Pinchot, chief of Agriculture's new Bureau of Forestry, immediately ordered new badges for his rangers when he obtained the forest reserves. A photograph in the Forest Service photo collection depicts William Watts Hooper wearing what appears to be this badge.
 Forest Reserve Ranger Badge, 1898-1906. This badge was probably issued to the rangers working in the national parks as well as those in the national forests, since both were known as Forest Rangers. Courtesy of Rick Howard |
The badge in the private collection was made by the John Robbins Manufacturing Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts. It is 2-inches in diameter, convex in shape and made of German or nickel-silver. It has US in inch-high letters in the center with FOREST RESERVE RANGER around it in 3/16-inch letters. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR is superimposed over the US in 1/8-inch letters. As was common practice with badges at the time, all the letters are stamped into the metal instead of being raised. The park rangers may have worn this badge or one stamped "park ranger" rather than "forest reserve ranger." If this was the case, though, it seems logical that they would have been known as park rangers instead of forest rangers.
 William Watts Hooper, c.1900. Hooper was appointed forester in the Kenosha Range country sometime after 1887 and remained with the Forest Service in the 1905 separation. He is shown wearing the 1898 Forest Reserve Ranger badge. Forest Service/477445 |
 Frank Liebig, Flathead Forest Reserve, c.1902. Liebig remained with the Forest Service when it was removed from the Department of the Interior in 1905. He is wearing his "shiny silver badge" that stated DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR/RANGER. There also appears to be a small badge under the large one. NPSHPC/GLAC-Neg#6288 |
This is probably the badge alluded to by Frank F. Liebig in an article he wrote in 1944 for the Forest Service. concerning his recollections as a ranger on the Flathead Forest Reserve in 1902. "The Supervisor gave me a notebook or two and a nice shiny silver badge," he recalled. "It said on it, 'Department of the Interior, Ranger.'" [2] No example of a "Department of the Interior/Ranger" badge from this era is known, so Liebig's recollection may have been faulty. The US and FOREST RESERVE are much larger than the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR and it seems likely that he would have remembered them if indeed, this was the style of badge issued to him. Yet such a badge may have been used before 1905 by the national parks while they and the forest reserves were both under Interior. "National park service" then denoted Interior's park function, not the future bureau. It's interesting to note that in an image of him taken around this time he also has what appears to be a second small badge under his ranger badge.
The origin of the bottom shield badge in the Sequoia photographs is unknown. These are most likely Deputy Marshal badges issued by some local jurisdiction to give the ranger added authority when arresting malefactors. To complicate matters further, the shield badge on Charlie Blossom is different from that of the other three rangers, but it has the most contrast of the group.
There is another interesting badge with a "C" scroll strap border, in a private collection. It contains the words SEQUOIA NAT'L PARK in two lines in the center, FOREST RANGER in a curved bar at the top and CALIFORNIA at the bottom. Since men working in the parks were considered "Park Rangers" after 1905. this badge most likely pre-dates that period. But without documentary or pictorial evidence to substantiate its use in the park, it has been relegated to the park associated badges section.
To clarify the narrative from here on, the badges have been arbitrarily assigned numbers based on their dates of introduction. Supplementary letters are used when more than one badge was introduced in a given year. The next badge to be worn by rangers in the parks was introduced in 1906. A contract was let with Lamb & Tilden, Washington, DC, in June of that year for 25 badges to be delivered the following month. A memo in the Sequoia National Park Archives states that these badges are to be for "Park Rangers, Scouts and others in National Park service of the Department, the die to be completed in 3 weeks, and 25 badges. in German silver, one week later." [3] Lamb & Tilden wasn't the only company to offer these badges. An old, undated product sheet shows that C.H. Hanson of Chicago, Illinois was also marketing them. It's possible there were others, but this is unlikely due to the small number of badges required. So far these are the only companies that have come to light. There is no stipulation in the original contract that the die become the property of the Department. as in later contacts, so, it's possible that Lamb & Tilden furnished all the park ranger badge requirements until the company's demise in 1916, at which time Hanson may have taken over. But this is pure speculation. It's possible they both were supplying badges at the same time. | ||
|
There were several sterling and at least one gold example made at Tiffany & Company, New York. It is not known how many sterling badges were produced, but Horace M. Albright and Jesse Nusbaum are known to have received them. The gold one belonged to Stephen T. Mather. These were undoubtably made after Mather became director of the fledgling National Park Service in 1917. Albright's was stolen from his coat, but Jesse Nusbaum carried his around in his pocket for many years afterward. [4] An example in the National Park Service History Collection is nickel silver, two inches in diameter. with a variation of the Interior Department's eagle seal used until 1913 (actually a cross between Interior's eagle and the Army breastplate eagle of Civil War vintage). There is a rope edge around the badge, with NATIONAL PARK SERVICE around the top inside the rope edge, and DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR around the bottom. On the back is a pin, without safety catch, for fastening the badge. Yellowstone has another example of this badge in its collection. The first "National Park Service" buttons, obtained in 1912, were made utilizing this design. [5] | |
Apparently there was another badge issued in some of the parks around 1917 or 1918. There is evidence that Yosemite and Yellowstone received them, but whether or not any of the other parks did is not known. There are photographs showing rangers in these two parks wearing a small badge approximately 1-1/4 inches in diameter, about the size of the 1921B superintendent's badge. Replying to the uniform committee's questionnaire of December 2, 1922, Chief Ranger Sam T. Woodring, at Yellowstone, answered question 5b by saying: "The present badge is a great deal larger than necessary. I believe that the small round badge issued prior to the one now used should be re-adopted." [6] It has been suggested that this badge was applied to a shield to make the 1920 park ranger badge. This is highly speculative, and it is inconceivable that there would not be some reference in the official correspondence to the fact that the new director's and superintendent's badges, when they were inaugurated in 1921, were the same as the old ranger badges. Even more unimaginable would be the issuance of superintendents badges to temporary rangers as attested by several photographs from Yellowstone taken in 1922. One possible answer may lie in a badge that was issued by the Interior Department in 1919. That year the department adopted a design for a new field service badge that was available for the use of all its bureaus. This design consisted of an adaptation of the departmental seal, with US over the buffalo and a blank space under the feet of the animal in which the name of the particular field service could be inserted. [7] If this is the case, then the 1917 date on the photograph is wrong. There are a number of photographs from Yellowstone that fit this time frame. One, taken in 1919, shows a group of rangers on motorcycles. While not uniformed, Eivid Scoyen's small badge can be seen protruding below his pocket flap. Another photograph is of E. Burket. taken in 1922. At first glance this image would appear to have been taken prior to 1918. He is wearing a uniform with a military cut which was not to be purchased after 1918. Ranger Burket is also wearing a small round badge. The answer is quite simple. Burket was hired as a temporary ranger in 1921. Rangers had to pay their own expenses and due to their low salary, temporary rangers, for the most part, did not want to spend money for a uniform that they would probably only be wearing for one summer. Consequently, they were allowed to wear whatever they wished. Many, like Burket, purchased surplus Army uniforms to wear. Superintendent Albright changed this in the summer of 1922 by requiring the purchase of a regulation uniform as a condition of employment. However, the best image showing a ranger wearing this badge is of Forrest Townsley, taken at Grand Canyon National Park in 1919. Townsley was chief ranger at Yosemite National Park, but was on detached duty to the Canyon. This image is the only one to show any contrast on the surface of the badge, but unfortunately, not enough to determine what it displayed. There are no known examples of a badge fitting this description. There must not have been enough of the small round badges for all park personnel because photographs show that some retained the larger 1906 badge, notably temporary rangers like Claire Hodges, one of the first women to be hired by the Service. Apparently, with the issuance of the 1920 badges, the 1906 badges were not redistributed to the parks to cover the shortage. Instead, the parks retained the badges previously used. In the case of Yellowstone and Yosemite. this was the small round badge. | |||
Although, for some unknown reason, badges were omitted from the 1920 uniform regulations, there was a new badge designed and passed for the use of the National Park Service. This badge was first issued in June 1920. [8] It is a flat, two-piece badge, with a coined center the size of a fifty cent piece featuring an eagle facing forward, with outswept wings, its head looking to the left, mounted on a shield with U.S. PARK RANGER across the top. The coined center is an exact copy of a drawing that appears on the back of the cover paper of the National Park Portfolio published in 1916. This drawing may have been a proposed seal for the infant bureau since it doesn't appear elsewhere. All subsequent editions of the portfolio used the Department of the Interior seal. There was only one style of badge and it was intended that all qualified employees, officers and rangers, were to wear it. The base metal is unknown, but the whole was nickel plated. Apparently the nickel plating was of an inferior quality, because on January 7, 1921, Engineer George E. Goodwin complained that "the present badges are not satisfactorily plated, in that they are beginning to turn yellow and do not retain their original silver color." [9]
The 1906 badges were to be turned in to Park Service headquarters upon receipt of the new 1920 badges, but because the demand for the new badges was greater than the quantity initially produced, the parks were authorized to retain some of the old badges for their temporary rangers. [10] There is a photograph taken at Yosemite in 1926 of six nature guides still wearing these badges. There was also much dissatisfaction over the fact that the officers (all permanent employees other than rangers) were required to wear the same badge as the rangers. It was suggested that the 1906 badge be retained for the officers, and that to differentiate between the chief and assistant chief rangers and the park and temporary rangers, the former two have gold-plated badges. [11] Service headquarters agreed that the badges of the officers should be different from those of the rangers. So when the 1921 regulations were drawn up, they specified that the officers would have a round badge (1921B), actually the coined center portion of the standard ranger badge. The ranger badge design remained the same as the 1920. The regulations authorized the following: Director and assistant director—gold-plated round badge (1921A)
| ||||
Even though the 1921 regulations prescribed that the park ranger badge be the same as the 1920, the specifications sent with the contract called for it to be German silver. [12] The chief and assistant chief ranger badges were the same as the ranger, except for the gold plating. There is also evidence that although the regulations called for the superintendent's badge to be nickel plated, at least some of them were sterling. [13] The 1921 badges were furnished by F.J. Heiberger & Son, Inc., of Washington. D.C., but since they are unmarked the manufacturer is unknown. In early April 1921, exception was taken to all of the officers wearing the same badge. Acting Director Arno Bertholt Cammerer considered the badge to be an emblem of authority and felt that only those in positions of command should wear them. About this time a request came in from a superintendent for badges for his clerks, per the regulations. This prompted Director Mather, on April 13 192l, to amend the new regulations to read that the only officers authorized to wear badges were superintendents, assistant superintendents, and custodians. [14] | ||
|
The 1921 uniform regulations were amended on June 13, 1922, to specify that "the service badge, that had previously been issued to employees without charge. would now require a $5 deposit." [15] When the badge was lost previously, the replacement cost of eighty cents was levied. Cammerer explained the rationale for the higher deposit: "Without questioning the honesty of any individual or group of employees we have best reasons to believe that a number of badges are kept or given to friends by employees for souvenirs after paying the small amount to cover cost. These badges are issued to indicate Federal authority and every precaution must be taken to prevent them from falling into the hands of unauthorized persons." [16] If a ranger "lost" his badge, the deposit was forfeit, and another five dollars was required before he could be issued a new one. No charge was made for replacing broken badges. If the ranger could prove to his superintendent that the badge had been lost through no negligence on his part, the superintendent had the authority to issue another without additional charge. [17] This arrangement remained in effect until June 15, 1938, when Office Order No. 350 rescinded the five-dollar deposit requirement. It declared instead that "Each temporary ranger and/or fire guard . . . must be informed that unless the badge and collar ornaments are returned in good condition, a deduction of $5.00 will be made for each badge which may be lost." When the regulations were being revised in 1928, it was questioned whether badges were necessary for the director and assistant director. It was decided that since these officials did not have direct command responsibility in the field, they weren't necessary, and subsequently were eliminated from the new regulations. The other badges, though, remained the same. |
| |
|
At the 1929 superintendents' conference, it was decided to design a new ranger badge. This task was assigned to Chief Architect Thomas C. Vint of the Landscape Division. A number of designs were submitted, but none of them met the approval of the Washington office. It was thought that it would be advantageous to have a number on the face of the badge, but with all the information that was required by the department, this did not lend itself to a pleasing image. Horace Albright suggested that the committee consider using the departmental buffalo. Even though a drawing was made to this effect, it apparently died from lack of interest. Because a new badge design could not be agreed upon when new badges were purchased in June 1930, the current design was retained. They remained flat with a clasp on the back, but since a change was being considered, the badges were now stamped in one piece instead of two, probably as a cost-cutting measure. Regulations called for them to be numbered, but the wording is somewhat ambiguous. Unlike the later fire guard badges, which were to be consecutively numbered, it is not clear whether they were to be numbered at the factory, at Service headquarters before issue to the field, or in the parks. There are several specimens in the NPS collection, two of which have numbers crudely engraved on their backs, the others being blank. There are other examples in private collections displaying this same feature. From these it may be assumed that the numbering was to take place in the field. Ranger naturalists were now authorized to wear this badge also. Designs for new badges were periodically drawn up, but none of these were satisfactory. Finally, at the Twelfth National Park Conference held at Hot Springs National Park in April 1932, the uniform regulations committee recommended that "there be no change in the design for the Rangers. [18] Consequently, the 1930 badges, along with any 1920 or 1921 badges still in good repair, continued in use until 1936, and possibly until a new badge was designed and issued in 1946. Separate badges were authorized for the fire guards in the 1932 uniform regulations. These badges were in the shape of a shield (different from the ranger shield) and made of bronze. They were to be consecutively numbered for controllability. Until that time, fire guards were issued standard park ranger badges whenever the need arose. At some point it was decided to nickel-plate the German-silver badges, undoubtably to keep them bright and shiny since the base metal had a tendency to become dull. Sometime in 1935 or early 1936, the subject of the superintendent's badge arose. There is a dearth of correspondence from this period, which makes it difficult to substantiate, but there was probably the usual request for input from the field. There is at least one drawing of a proposed superintendent's badge from this period. | ||
|
On April 13, 1936, Office Order No. 324 reinstated the small round gold-plated badge for use by superintendents and custodians. This badge had formerly been used by the directors but had been idle since 1928. The assistant superintendents still retained the nickel-plated round badge.
|
| ||
In addition, a new badge was authorized for the park guards. It was the same as the one assigned to rangers but the word "GUARD" was at the top in place of "RANGER". Park Naturalists could be issued ranger badges now when they were required to enforce Park regulations. Also that year it appears that the ranger badges began to be curved, or dapped to use the period vernacular. It is not known if this was at the instigation of the Service or the badge manufacturer. There is no reference to this feature in either the official correspondence or the uniform regulations (as in the 1946 uniform regulations) but it is amply demonstrated by extant examples documented to have been worn by rangers during that period. The curving of the badge caused it to lay closer to the uniform, thus making a more pleasing appearance. The design and nickel plating of these badges remained the same as the Model 1930. For the first time the location of the badge was stipulated. The regulation specified that "Superintendents, Custodians, rangers, and fire guards shall wear thier(sic) badges on thier(sic) uniforms at all times,(sic) The badge shall be worn over the left pleat of the left breast pocket,(sic) Immediately below the button on coats and fatigue jackets,(sic) It shall be worn displayed on approximately the same position on field shirts and overcoats." | |||
The 1940 uniform regulations called for another badge to be added to the cadre. This one was to be used by the junior park wardens. This badge was to be the same curved design as those of the rangers with the substitution of "WARDEN" for "RANGER". The plating on the example of the "warden" badge examined is starting to peel off revealing the base metal to be nickel-silver. With the establishment of guide positions at Carlsbad Caverns and Mammoth Cave National Parks in the middle of 1941, the need for a guide badge arose. Acting Director Hillory A. Tolson wrote to the Uniform Committee chairman, Superintendent John C. Preston of Lassen Volcanic National Park: "The Uniform Regulations do not now provide for a badge for guides, although they do cover badges of similar design for "park ranger", "park warden" and "park guard". It is believed that we should have a badge with the words "Park Guide" included in the Uniform Regulations." [19] The Uniform Committee took this suggestion under advisement and recommended "that a badge of similar design with the words "Park Guide" be included in the Uniform Regulations." [20] There are no known examples of the Model 1941 Park guide badge, so it is not known whether these badges were ever made and issued, or whether the events of World War II simply overtook them. By 1941, the National Park Service had grown to the point that it was no longer feasible to have the usual two or three-man Uniform Committee. Consequently, the Uniform Committee was expanded to include two representatives from each of the four NPS regions. Lemuel A. Garrison, superintendent of Hopewell Village National Historic Site, and Benjamin L. Hadley, assistant superintendent of Acadia National Park, were selected from Region One. In reply to the customary uniform change suggestion request, several suggestions related to badges, a couple of them somewhat prophetic. One thought that all of the uniformed personnel should wear the same badge. Another suggested that the badges be reduced to two, one for rangers, the other to have "National Park Service" across the top for all others required to wear a badge. The war precluded any changes at that time. After hostilities ceased, new badges were obtained by the NPS in 1946. There were five different badges in this series: chief and assistant chief ranger, park ranger, park guard, park warden, and park guide. These were of the same basic design as the 1936 issue. The chief and assistant chief ranger badges remained the same as the park ranger badge, only gold plated as before. Although the regulations called for the other badges to be nickel plated, all the examples in the NPSHC are silver-plated brass with an oxidized finish. The plating was evidently thin, for the majority of these specimens show considerable wear. The superintendents and assistant superintendents still wore the small round badges in gold and silver, respectively. The majority of these badges appear to have been made by the American Emblem Company of Utica, New York. (A.E. Co., Utica, N.Y. backstamp) although some came from GEMSCO, the General Embroidery & Military Supply Company, New York, NY (GEM Co. Back stamp). There are no examples of badges with back stamps prior to the Model 1946, so it is impossible to identify the manufacturer. | |||
|
Also at this time, new badges were authorized for the fire guards, now called Fire Control Aids. The initial order for these badges spelled "AIDE" with an "E". but all subsequent orders changed the spelling on the badge to "Fire Control Aid." While not covered in the uniform regulations, there are a number of silver-plated fire control aid badges extant that are purported to have been issued to supervisors.
| ||
|
In 1955 the Service considered changing the badge and memos were sent out soliciting suggestions from the men in the field. The NPSHC has two, possibly three, of these "proposed" badges. The first two, developed by Frank F. Kowski, had the Service's new arrowhead emblem supplanting the eagle in the center. A number of these were struck, including at least one gold-plated example, but the idea did not catch on and it was dropped. It was also suggested that an enameled badge of the arrowhead be used, but this brought forth vigorous protestations from the field. [21] The other possible 1955 candidate has a more obscure history. It was purchased on the outside and donated to the National Park Service History Collection. It is assembled from parts of a park ranger badge and an assistant superintendent badge. The badge parts are stamped in unplated brass, using what appears to be the "National Park Ranger" badge die. A piece of brass was cut to match the shape of the shield of the badge, only 1/8-inch larger all around. The center was then cut out to accommodate the ranger badge. Two parallel lines are engraved around the 1/8-inch border. The top of the shield, with fine "U.S. PARK RANGER," along with a short section of the two center stripes, was then separated from the badge. This was soldered inside the top of the brass border. A short section of the bottom of the two center stripes was also cut out and soldered to the bottom of the border. A 1-1/4-inch brass circle was then soldered as a bridge between the top and bottom sections of the center stripes. On top of this brass circle is mounted a silver-plated assistant superintendent's badge. The rest of the badge is unplated brass. | |||
|
| ||
|
When new uniform regulations were issued in October, 1956, the current badge design remained in effect, but the gold plated ranger badge was now authorized to be worn by the chief park naturalist, chief park historian and chief park archaeologists as well as the chief park ranger. At the same time the permanent and seasonal assistant chief park rangers were relegated to wearing the silver badge of the rangers. In addition to the above, the "park guide" badge was discontinued, it is not known at this time what badge, if any, the guides wore in performing their duties. Apparently none of the designs submitted for the new badge were satisfactory because on March 8, 1957, Assistant Director Hillory A. Tolson stated in an amendment to the uniform regulations that "As the result of a survey conducted by this Office, it has been determined that there shall be no change made at this time in the design of the badges worn by Service uniformed personnel..." | |||
In December 1959, new uniform regulations were released, to become effective on January 1, 1961. These regulations called for the number of different badges worn by uniformed personnel to be reduced to three. The small round gold and silver badges of the superintendents and assistant superintendents were discontinued. In their place they both were to wear a "gold rolled fill" badge with NATIONAL PARK RANGER on the top. All park rangers were to wear the same badge, but made of sterling silver and oxidized. This change in material was no doubt to eliminate the unsightly appearance created when the plating wore off the previous badges. All other uniformed personnel (tour leaders, guards, etc.) requiring a badge would wear one like the ranger badge but with NATIONAL PARK SERVICE at the top. These new badges were supplied by V.H. Blackinton & Company of Attleboro Falls, Massachusetts. While at first glance the badges appear to be of the same design as the previous ones, there are a couple of differences. The eagle now faces to the right, and the circle surrounding the eagle contains UNITED STATES DE PARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR instead of NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. These badges are dapped like the earlier ones.
Although the regulations were not to take effect until 1961, the new badges were probably purchased and issued, if a new badge was required, in 1960. The 1961 regulations are some what ambiguous concerning the use of badges by women. As originally written in 1959. they specifically excluded women from wearing the badge. Under the general heading of "Badge" they state: "The "National Park Service" Badge. All uniformed employees except women [italics added], boat officers and boat crews, lifeguards, nurses, and fire control aids will wear the shield badge." Yet under the heading of "Women's Uniform" they state: "Badge to be worn on coat and optional on shirt." However, this was amended in June 1960 prior to the regulations becoming effective on January 1, 1961, to allow women to wear the "National Park Service" badge. The amendment further states that this badge was to be worn by "tour leaders, guards, and other positions designated by the superintendent". This could be interpreted to mean that women came under "other positions" since there were then no female park rangers. It was suggested at the time that women wear a smaller badge, but this did not happen. [22] Lifeguards and fire control aids had their own badges. | |||
Even though the smaller badge idea was dropped. in January 1962 the wearing of a small silver arrowhead pin was authorized for women "in lieu of a badge". [23] This was unpopular among the women, and justifiably so, for the absence of a badge suggested a lack of authority. Some women were so incensed at this that they refused to wear the arrowhead. In some parks, superintendents issued them standard badges. Mary Bradford relates the experience of when she received her pin, she was very unhappy about it. Visitors did not consider her having any authority and would by-pass her to talk to the "ranger with the badge". So she refused to wear it and requested a badge from her supervisor. He agreed with her and issued her a regular ranger badge. Unfortunately, when she pinned it on her uniform it proved to be too heavy for the material. But, exercising that "old ranger know-how", she stuck the pin through her jacket and fastened it to her bra strap. The arrowhead "badge" issued to Betty Otto when she joined the Service in 1963 resembled the standard ranger tie tack except for having a raised edge, as if it had been made to be enameled in the center, and a pin fastening device. It was also nickel plated rather than sterling, like men's badges. The pins were poorly fashioned and were constantly in need of repair. | |||
|
An Interior Department graphic change came in 1968, during Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall's last year in office. The buffalo seal was replaced by one containing a small circle. symbolizing the sun, over two triangles, symbolizing mountains, over nine small triangles, symbolizing water, all framed by a stylized pair of hands and encircled by "U.S. Department of the Interior." The National Park Service, being a bureau of Interior, followed suit and changed the badge design to reflect the new departmental seal. Chermayeff & Geismar Associates, the designers of the new Department seal, had also designed a set of insignia for Director Hartzog's new agenda titled PARKSCAPE U.S.A. (See Arrowhead Patch section for more details) One of the items was a new round badge, but it was opted to remain with the shield format. This time there were only two badges made. The superintendents' and assistant superintendents' badges were gold, while all others were sterling silver. Both badges were identical in de sign. The shield remained the same, with only the departmental seal replacing the eagle. These badges were furnished by V.H. Blackinton & Company.
| |||
|
The "good hands", or "Allstate" [24] emblem as it was derisively known, met with a great deal of opposition in the Park Service and the Department as a whole—so much so that the seal, and the badge, were changed again in less than two years. Secretary Walter J. Hickel, Udall's successor, restored the buffalo to the Interior seal in 1969. The National Park Service again followed suit, using the buffalo this time instead of the eagle previously used. There was only one badge, and all uniformed personnel were to wear it. It was gold and consisted of the standard shield, with the Department of the Interior seal in the center. This comprises a buffalo, facing to the left, standing on grass in front of mountains with a rising sun background, encircled by a band with the words U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR/MARCH 3, 1849.
The first order, numbered 1 to 4000, was delivered by the V.H. Blackinton & Company, on 18 September, 1970. They cost $7.75 each and were made out of Karat-Clad (heavy gold electroplate) brass. Subsequent orders for the 1970 badge have been shared with the G.R. Davis Company of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, depending on which company had been awarded that years contract, with the majority being furnished by Blackinton. With the exception of the size being increased approximately 1/16" in the early part of 1990, this is the same badge worn by Park Rangers today. [25] In the early 1970's the problem of the standard badge being too heavy for the cotton blouses worn by women surfaced again. Some of the parks, notably Mesa Verde and Nez Perce, took matters into their own hands and ordered a small version of the standard National Park Ranger badge from Blackinton. [26] The badges came without numbers, but those at Mesa Verde were engraved for accountability. This practice was not followed at Nez Perce. The experiment was short lived. The small badge looked more like a trinket, or child's toy, than a symbol of authority. Visitors were prone to making comments like, "Isn't it cute," etc., which didn't endear it to those women wearing it. Apparently, Washington did not like the idea of a miniature badge either, and requested their use be discontinued. Consequently, they were recalled and removed from the park's property lists. The disposition of the badges is unknown, although some of them no doubt became souvenirs. | ||||
|
| |||
|
There was a movement afoot in 1994 to change the badge worn by law enforcement rangers from the buffalo to the more common Federal design with an eagle on top, but this was rejected. It was felt the eagle design would give the bearer more authority in the eyes of the public. It was implemented, however, as a concealed badge in their credential case. There are seven (7) shields, as these are called, in this series. These new "shields" are for park ranger, special agent, criminal investigator, chief park ranger, regional chief ranger, chief ranger, and assistant chief ranger.
The shield is the standard federal variety featuring an eagle on top with down swept wings. In a bar under the eagle, are the enamel-filled letters "US". The Department of the Interior seal is in the center of the shield encircled by an enamel ring containing "DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR•NATIONAL PARK SERVICE". Under the seal is an enameled bar with the shield holder's designation. Shield is gold plated throughout with all enamel being blue. All of these shields were made by V.H. Blackinton and although of the same basic design, there are four styles. The only shield in the first style is the "Park Ranger". It was intended as a replacement for the current "buffalo badge and consequently was designed to be worn on the coat or shirt. This shield is a curved one-piece stamping with a pin clasp on the back. Under the designation bar at the bottom is another bar on which the shield number is located, also in blue enamel. The second style covers the "Special Agent" and "Criminal Investigator" shields. Unlike the first, these are flat with the seal and bottom bar attached as separate pieces. These are also sequentially numbered in blue enamel under the designation bar same as the ranger. There is a half-inch wide clip on the back. All of the shields, with the exception of the Park Ranger, are made to be carried in a credential case along with the employees identification card. Since the duties of these two positions are usually performed in mufti, the Criminal Investigator shields come as a set of two identical badges; one for the credential case and the other to be worn exposed on the belt to indicate the wearer is on official business. The third style is for the "Chief Park Ranger" and the "Regional Chief Ranger". These are the same as the second style except the bottom bar is larger. It was intended that the park or regional name be inserted in this location. Unfortunately, some of the park names were too long to fit the space allotted, so in order to be uniform throughout the Service, this space was left blank. This was also the period when the National Park Service was going through the pangs of "streamlining" with the resulting elimination of the "Regional Chief Ranger" position. With the elimination of these positions, these shields were recalled and are now dormant. They are being held, however, to be reissued, if and when in the ebb and flow of the Service restructuring process, this position is ever reconstituted. Chief Ranger and Assistant Chief Ranger make up the fourth style. Since these positions are Service-wide, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE is included in blue enamel under their respective designations. And since these positions are unique, there is only one of each. | ||
Portfolio of Badges Used by the National Park Service
The following badges are from the National Park Service History Collection (NPSHC), located at the Harpers Ferry Center, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, unless otherwise noted. The only exceptions are the chief and assistant chief ranger badges, which, since they are one of a kind, are carried by the respective holders of those positions.
Findings (pins) are often a method of identifying the age of a badge, but not always. Usually, though, the simple pin and hook are pre-20th century, with the sprung pin coming into general use after the turn of the century. Safety catches came in use in the 1930's. Safety catches come in a variety of designs, from the simple ring, as drawn, to a ball with a rotating ring. Most modern badges use a combination of the safety catch with a spring loading as in detail B.
|
|
|
|
1894-1906 Chief scouts — sterling silver | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1898-1906 All forest rangers (park & reserve), except Yellowstone National Park | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1906-1920 All National Park Service Personnel | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1917?-1920 documentation incomplete Description: round | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1920-1930 1920-1930 Permanent and temporary rangers | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1921-1928 and 1936-1960 1921-1928 Director and assistant directors | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1921-1960 1921-1936 Superintendents | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1921-1930 Description: Flat; two-piece, gold-plated German silver; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1930-1936 Description: Flat; one-piece; gold plated German silver;
D style pin on back (regulations specified badges be numbered; however,
most surviving examples lack serial numbers) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1930-1936 Description: Flat; one-piece; nickel plated German silver;
D style pin on back (regulations specify badges be numbered, however,
most surviving examples lack serial numbers) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1936-1946 Description: Dapped; one-piece; gold plated German silver; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1936-1946 Description: Dapped; one-piece; nickel plated German silver; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1936-1946 Description: dapped; one-piece; nickel plated German silver; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1936-1946 Description: dapped; one-piece; nickel plated German silver; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
| |||||||
|
1946-1960
Description: dapped, gold-plated brass; D style pin on back | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
| |
|
1946-1960
Description: dapped; one-piece; silver-plated brass, oxidized; C style pin on back | ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
1946-1960 Description: dapped; one-piece; silver plated brass, oxidized; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1946-1960 Description: dapped; one-piece; silver plated brass, oxidized; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1946-1956 Description: dapped; one-piece; silver plated brass, oxidized; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1960-1968 Description: dapped; one-piece; gold filled sterling silver; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1960-1968 Description: dapped; one-piece; sterling silver, oxidized; numbered on back; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1960-1968 Description: dapped; one-piece; sterling silver, oxidized; numbered on back; _ style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1968-1970 Description: dapped, one-piece; gold filled sterling silver; numbered on back; BD style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1968-1970 Description: dapped, one-piece; sterling silver, oxidized; BD style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1970-PRESENT Description: dapped; one-piece; gold plated brass; numbered on back; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1972-1973 Description: flat; one-piece; gold plated brass; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-PRESENT shield made to be worn on coat or shirt, but carried in credential case | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-PRESENT made to be carried in credential case | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-PRESENT made to be carried in credential case | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-PRESENT made to be carried in credential case | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-PRESENT made to be carried in credential case | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-PRESENT made to be carried in credential case | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-PRESENT made to be carried in credential case | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1932-1946 Before this badge was issued, fire guards used a standard
ranger badge when one was needed | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1946 This badge was only issued this year. AIDE was changed to AID in 1947. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1947-1978 Description: dapped; silver plated bronze; numbered on back; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1947-1978 Description: dapped; bronze, oxidized; numbered on back; D style pin on back | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1955 Design submitted by Frank F. Kowski. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1955 Design submitted by Frank F. Kowski. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UNKNOWN Donated to the NPS Badge Collection by Michael Mastrangelo | |
|
|
Cloth
|
In addition to the metal badges, the National Park Service has authorized several cloth badges over the years. Some people think of these as patches, but because they were designed to denote the authority of the wearer they are properly considered badges. Two of these were issued to lifeguards. The first cloth badge (1937) was made out of olive green gabardine, with U.S. PARK LIFE GUARD and an eagle and other symbols embroidered in yellow. Under the eagle is a yellow bar with NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/DEPT OF THE INTERIOR embroidered in white. This badge was to be worn on the lower right side of the bathing suit. There are no known photographs of lifeguards wearing this badge.
In 1953, in keeping with the Service's attempt to associate all its activities and locations with its new emblem, the 1937 badge was replaced with one incorporating a variation of the arrowhead. The new badge consisted of a light brown arrowhead with a dark brown border. At the top was NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, and below was DEPT OF THE INTERIOR, both embroidered in black. In the center was embroidered LIFE GUARD in white letters. With slight variations in size and style. this badge was worn until the swim suits were changed from orange to red in 1983.
| |||||||||
|
| ||||||||
|
After 1983, the badge was silk-screened in a golden yellow onto the wind breaker and walking shorts. Later this was expanded to include the swim suits. This practice continues today, although there is some discussion about revamping this custom in the near future. | |||||||||
|
All of the other cloth badges are based on the 1970 ranger badge and, with the exception of the one issued in 1991, were unofficial and made primarily for the use of law enforcement rangers. Initially these were designed and issued by some parks and regions "to provide a non reflective badge to be worn, for officer survival reasons, on the SET camouflage uniform during high risk tactical operations". These were worn for identification on the flight suits and tactical vests used by rangers in performing their duties when apprehending drug (primarily marijuana) and poaching violators. The first one of these cloth badges was issued in the Western Region for it's Park Ranger Special Events. Apparently it was only used for one season and just in the Western Region. It consists of a medium gray gabardine shield measuring 2-1/2" x 3-0" with the design of the present gold badge outlined in yellow. The background of the buffalo seal is worked in an iridescent copper color.
The next cloth badge was supplied in 1984 by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) at Glynco, Georgia. It was distributed throughout the Service to the law enforcement elements in the regions for their vests. It was issued in conjunction with a large patch for the back of the vest which stated "U.S. RANGER FEDERAL OFFICER". This combination was in use until supplanted by the official 1991 cloth badge. This badge also measures 2-1/2" x 3-0". However the shield is a golden yellow with the design of the 1970 badge outlined in black. In addition, the circle of the buffalo seal is white with the seal itself embroidered in a variety of colors, (turquoise, brown, green, red and yellow). This badge was the out-growth of a program started the year before when the graduating class was given green jackets with this combination of emblems silk-screened on them.
The next two cloth badges were utilized at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in 1990. The two are identical except one says "PARK RANGER" and the other "INVESTIGATOR". They were worn on the camouflage clothing utilized by the law enforcement rangers while conducting various types of woodland surveillance or posing as hunters while performing wildlife protection assignments. Their purpose was to make the ranger as inconspicuous as possible. Unfortunately, the rangers were too inconspicuous resulting in some of the perpetrators pleading they didn't recognize the rangers as being officials and being released by the courts. Consequently the badges were discontinued. The shield is forest green with the design of the 1970 badge stitched in black. They measure 2-1/2" x 2-7/8".
The latest cloth badge, or "BADGE PATCH", as it is called, was authorized in 1991. The general statement, prepared by John Townsend, in the 1990 uniform committee recommendations regarding situations in which this badge patch should be worn best defines its use: "The badge patch is to be worn on special purpose outerwear not normally part of the uniform where identification of the wearer as an NPS employee is essential to the performance of the employee's mission and where the employee would wear a regular gold badge if dressed in a standard uniform." This badge patch has the design of the current badge outlined in forest green thread on a 2-5/8" x 3-1/8" shield of golden yellow. Specific applications for this badge are "raid" vests, snow machine suits, flight suits, survival suits, and tactical vests.
This is the official Badge Patch, but as with most patches, small variations often appear between manufacturers and parks add to the mix by occasionally making minor alterations of their own, creating mutations too numerous to treat in detail here. Colors range from lemon yellow to a rich gold; borders are different shades and even colors; and shield details stitched in black instead of green contribute to the potpourri, along with some, no doubt, contrived to feed the collector market. | |||||||||||||||||||||
National Park Service Associated
|
There is a final group of badges known as "National Park Service Associated Badges". These are usually a dual purpose badge, incorporating "Deputy Marshal", or some other law enforcement agency, along with a variation of "National Park Service" or "National Park Ranger", and occasionally the park name. Though not officially authorized by the National Park Service, badges of this nature were often purchased by the individual park, or the ranger himself for added authority. Since there is no reference to these dual purpose badges in the official correspondence, nor manufacturer's marks on the back of those examined, it cannot be determined where, or when, they were made, or in most cases, used. Dating is equally difficult. Style is not a true indicator since the purchaser could have selected an old badge blank to have his new information applied. Most, though. appear to date from the earlier decades of the century.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| <<< Previous | <<< Contents>>> | Next >>> |
nps-uniforms/1b/sec1.htm
Last Updated: 01-Apr-2016