A closer look
When Yellowstone was established as the first US National Park, the concept of conservation was practically nonexistent. Early Victorian tourists treated the park like an interactive amusement park. Instead of respectfully admiring the geothermal wonders, they would literally hook a live fish from Yellowstone Lake and swing it directly into a boiling hot spring to cook it on the line. It took decades for the government to step in and stop people from treating nature like an apocalyptic kitchen appliance.
