<Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Big Bend </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> National Park </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> The Rio Grande runs through Cañón de Santa Elena - Mexico on the left and Big Bend National Park, U.S. on the right </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Country </Th> <Td> United States </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> State </Th> <Td> Texas </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Region </Th> <Td> Chihuahuan Desert </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> City </Th> <Td> Alpine (nearest) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> River </Th> <Td> Rio Grande </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Location </Th> <Td> Brewster County, Texas </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> - coordinates </Td> <Td> 29 ° 15 ′ 0" N 103 ° 15 ′ 0" W ﻿ / ﻿ 29.25000 ° N 103.25000 ° W ﻿ / 29.25000; - 103.25000 Coordinates: 29 ° 15 ′ 0" N 103 ° 15 ′ 0" W ﻿ / ﻿ 29.25000 ° N 103.25000 ° W ﻿ / 29.25000; - 103.25000 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Highest point </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> - location </Td> <Td> Emory Peak, Chisos Mountains </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> - elevation </Td> <Td> 7,832 ft (2,387 m) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Lowest point </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> - location </Td> <Td> Rio Grande </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> - elevation </Td> <Td> 1,800 ft (549 m) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Area </Th> <Td> 801,163 acres (324,219 ha) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Founded </Th> <Td> June 12, 1944 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Management </Th> <Td> National Park Service </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Visitation </Th> <Td> 388,290 (2016) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> IUCN category </Th> <Td> II - National Park </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Show map of Texas Show map of the US Show all </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website: Big Bend National Park </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Big Bend </Td> </Tr>

When did big bend became a national park