Although
NOAA was formed in 1970, the agencies that came together
at that time are among the oldest in the Federal Government. The agencies
included the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey formed in 1807,
the Weather Bureau formed in 1870, and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries
formed in 1871. Individually these organizations were America's first
physical science agency, America's first agency dedicated specifically
to the atmospheric sciences, and America's first conservation agency.
Much of America's scientific heritage resides in these agencies. They
brought their cultures of scientific accuracy and precision, stewardship
of resources, and protection of life and property to the newly formed
agency.
The documents in this section include information on the history of
the formation of NOAA, institutional histories of its predecessor
organizations, and pertinent laws, executive orders, and studies.
