History
Touren Pope poses for a photo with the fossilized turtle he discovered on BLM with a blue sky

11-year-old Touren Pope discovers ancient turtle fossil on BLM land in Wyoming

Last fall, a routine day of rockhounding on Bureau of Land Management–managed public land in southwest Wyoming turned into an extraordinary discovery. While exploring public lands overseen by the BLM Wyoming Rock Springs Field Office, 11-year-old Touren Pope spotted what would later be identified as a fossilized turtle dating back nearly 48 million years.
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Looking down on a river flowing through a canyon. Many types of plants are in the foreground including large saguaro and spiky ocotillo.

Agua Fria National Monument: A desert oasis with a rich history and a vital present

The Agua Fria National Monument celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025. While the monument is young, the landscape includes a rich history across centuries of human habitation as well as rich natural communities.
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Group photo of Junior Ranger Day BLM participants

A peek inside second annual junior ranger day at local elementary school

Bureau of Land Management’s Monticello Field Office partnered with Montezuma Creek Elementary School to host its second annual Junior Ranger Day.
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An Old West mining town with wooden building in the foreground and a hill in the distance.

A former boomtown’s second life as storyteller in New Mexico

At an off-the-beaten-path ghost town in New Mexico, you can learn about life in an 1800s mining town whose riches were as intense and brief as the fire that destroyed it.
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Image shows President Harry S. Truman standing at a desk and announcing the surrender of Japan to a group of reporters.

The beginning of BLM: How 486 words created the nation’s largest land manager

Today is an important one in the history of the BLM. On May 16, 1946—78 years ago—the agency was conceived on paper, when President Harry S. Truman submitted to Congress “Reorganization Plan 3.”
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Image of James P. Beckwourth standing with rifle.

Honoring Black Heritage: The Trailblazing Journey of James Beckwourth and the African American Influence on Utah's Public Lands

This Black History Month, the BLM Utah recognizes the enduring and diverse contributions of African Americans throughout American history, from the exploration and settlement of the American West to their significant roles in shaping our nation's past and present across all aspects of society.
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