The National Park System truly began with the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Several other areas had been set aside earlier by the U.S. government to ensure their preservation, including Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1832 and Yosemite Valley, which was ceded to the state of California in 1864. In the 1930s, Congress began recognizing significant historic sites, giving them such designations as National Historic Site, National Battlefield or National Historical Park. Somewhat later, other designations were used to establish additional areas. These included National Recreation Area, National Lakeshores and National Seashores. National Parks are widely diverse special places, and all of them make important contributions to the National Park family.