The first national monument in the United States was Devils Tower, established in Wyoming on September 24, 1906. President Theodore Roosevelt used the authority granted to him by the newly enacted Antiquities Act of 1906 to protect this striking igneous rock formation, which rises 1,267 feet above the surrounding Belle Fourche River. The monument holds immense cultural and spiritual significance for several Plains tribes, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Kiowa, who have various sacred stories and names for the site, such as "Bear Lodge." The designation was a landmark moment in American conservation history, as it proved the executive branch could move quickly to protect scientific and historical landmarks from destruction or commercial exploitation. Today, Devils Tower remains a premier destination for rock climbers and tourists alike, serving as a symbol of the enduring power of the Antiquities Act, which has since been used by numerous presidents to protect hundreds of millions of acres of American land and water.