All Executive Orders
Superseded
Preservation of American Antiquities
Federal & State Law Editorial TeamLast reviewed: April 2026
Theodore Roosevelt
September 24, 1906
Summary
Under the Antiquities Act of 1906, Roosevelt used executive authority to designate Devils Tower as the first national monument. He would go on to create 18 national monuments, establishing a precedent for presidential conservation that endures today.
Topics
conservationnational monumentsAntiquities Actpublic lands
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