Stephen Tyng Mather led a full active life of 63 years, from 1867 to
1930. The years spanning the turn of the century saw vast changes in
the country's demographics, as well as the development of modern forms
of transportation and communication, and increased leisure time. Mather
was able to capitalize on these trends in his marketing efforts at the
Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company, which made him a millionaire, and in
his public life as the first director of the National Park Service.
During his life, Mather was an active member of numerous organizations,
including his college fraternity Sigma Chi, the Sun Alumni Association,
the Chicago City Club and Municipal Voter's League, and the Sierra Club.
He was always a strong supporter of the University of California at
Berkeley. Mather was physically active, pursuing hiking and
mountaineering, often squeezed into a frenzied travel schedule related
to his business and the parks. His work, travel, and tremendous
physical energy exacted a heavy toll and contributed to his untimely
death.
Mather recognized magnificent scenery as the primary criterion for
establishment of national parks. He was very careful to evaluate
choices for parks, wishing the parks to stand as a collection of unique
monuments. He felt those areas which were duplicates might best be
managed by others. Within the framework of "scenery," his preservation
ethic covered such issues as the locations of park developments,
provision of vistas along roadways, and the perpetuation of the natural
scene. Mather always wished to have the parks supported by avid users,
who would then communicate their support to their elected
representatives. His grasp of a grassroots support system encouraged
the rise of "nature study" and modern interpretation, as well as other
park services, and was followed by increases in NPS appropriations.
Mather was the first park professional to clearly articulate the policy
which allowed the establishment of park concessioners to provide basic
visitor comforts and services in the then undeveloped parks. His
provision of creature comforts connected with park developments
encouraged a curious and supportive public to visit the national
parks.
His life is well summarized on a series of bronze markers
which were posthumously cast in his honor and distributed through many
parks:
"He laid the foundation of the National Park Service, defining and
establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and
conserved, unimpaired for future generations. There will never come an
end to the good he has done . . ."