Portfolio of Badges Used by the National Park Service

The following badges are from the National Park Service History Collection (NPSHC), located at the Harpers Ferry Center, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, unless otherwise noted. The only exceptions are the chief and assistant chief ranger badges, which, since they are one of a kind, are carried by the respective holders of those positions.

Findings (pins) are often a method of identifying the age of a badge, but not always. Usually, though, the simple pin and hook are pre-20th century, with the sprung pin coming into general use after the turn of the century. Safety catches came in use in the 1930's. Safety catches come in a variety of designs, from the simple ring, as drawn, to a ball with a rotating ring. Most modern badges use a combination of the safety catch with a spring loading as in detail B.