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The Empire Of Grandeur (1915-1919)

Season 1 Episode 3 | 1hr 50m 32s

In the early 20th century, America has a dozen national parks, but they are a haphazard patchwork of special places under the supervision of different federal agencies. The conservation movement, after failing to stop the Hetch Hetchy dam, pushes the government to establish one unified agency to oversee all the parks, leading to the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916.

Aired: 04/24/16
Major funding is provided by General Motors, Evelyn & Walter Haas,Jr. Fund, CPB; Bank of America; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Park Foundation, Inc; PBS; National Park Foundation; The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts.
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A coronation designed for Kings, presented some problems for the first Queen.
Lucy investigates Queen Mary I - was she really as bloody as history suggests?
Father and son bond on an ambitious 350-mile bike ride in this portrait of familial love.
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse.
A filmmaker learns her architect father’s iconic design in São Paulo is occupied by unhoused people.
Eliza faces a conflict of interests when looking into the personal life of Commissioner Fitzroy.
A team of scientists and filmmakers explore the Antarctic waters to learn more about killer whales.
Following her brother's death, a filmmaker returns home to reflect on fronterizo life in Texas.
Eliza explores the cut-throat world of Victorian theater.
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Learn about the changes to the national parks during the Great Depression and WWII.
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Examine the radical idea of creating national parks for the enjoyment of everyone.
Investigate the efforts of Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir and others to protect the land.
Encounter the growing numbers of visitors to the parks.