Since the enactment of the one-page Antiquities Act of 1906, 16 presidents have designated 157 national monuments under its authority. These monuments range from a few acres to millions of acres in size preserving federal lands and cultural and historical sites for the benefit of the American public. These sites include well-known landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon to lesser-known monuments such as the Lewis and Clark Caverns and the Crow Flies High Overlook.

As one commentator expressed, “never has so much been preserved for so many with so little statutory text.” The act has drawn controversy in recent years because of its vigorous use by presidents in the waning days of office. President Bill Clinton, for instance, made 18 of his 19 national monument designations in his final year of office.