Issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior
1906 – 1920
The Department of the Interior (DOI) issued badges to park rangers in 1898. It issued new badges in 1906, bearing an eagle and marked "National Park Service" a decade before the NPS was created. Many felt that rangers should look as ordinary as possible, to better apprehend law breakers. In 1908, DOI decided that a uniform was not necessary, as "the National Park Service badge furnished by this Department is sufficient means of distinction of National Park Service employees."
Nickel-plated metal. Dia 5.1, T 0.9 cm
NPS History Collection, HFCA 310