Category: National Parks

… was authorized November 28, 1990.

An oasis in the desert, Amistad National Recreation Area is located on the US portion of the International Amistad Reservoir. Amistad, whose name comes from the Spanish word meaning friendship is best known for excellent water-based recreation, camping, hiking, rock art viewing and its rich cultural history. Amistad is also home to a wide variety of plant and animal life above and below the water.

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People use Amistad Reservoir year round. In contrast, some animals utilize the area only during seasonal migrations. In the fall, thousands of Monarch butterflies roost on park lands before continuing their journey south to wintering sites in Mexico. Many waterfowl species spend the winter on the lake before returning north in the spring. Even endangered and threatened species, such as the Interior least tern, use the lake to nest and raise young.

The National Park Service and state agencies have implemented several projects in order to monitor the natural resources of the lake and surrounding areas. Extensive inventories of flora and fauna, yearly Monarch butterfly tagging, and monthly water quality testing provide invaluable data. By monitoring changes, park staff can quickly take measures to conserve the natural resources and beauty of Amistad National Recreation Area.

Amistad National Recreation Area

… was designated 45 years ago today (1967). It is the only home Eisenhower ever owned.

Eisenhower National Historic Site is the home and farm of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Located adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield, the farm served the President as a weekend retreat and a meeting place for world leaders. With its peaceful setting and view of South Mountain, it was a much needed respite from Washington and a backdrop for efforts to reduce Cold War tensions.

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Eisenhower National Historic Site comprises 690 acres and includes four farms, three of which were used by President Eisenhower for his show herd of black Angus cattle. Today the farm is maintained as it was during the Eisenhower years and the President’s home retains nearly all its original furnishings. You are invited to tour the home and grounds, and take a walk to the cattle barns and skeet range.

Eisenhower National Historic Site

… was proclaimed such by President Coolidge 87 years ago today (1925).

Lava Beds National Monument is a land of turmoil, both geological and historical. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features. More than 700 caves, Native American rock art sites, historic battlefields and campsites, and a high desert wilderness experience await you!

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Like most National Park Service sites during the Depression, newly established Lava Beds National Monument benefited from the work of a Civilian Conservation Corps crew. Between 1935 and 1942, hundreds of “CCC boys” constructed all of the original infrastructure of the monument, much of which you can still drive on, walk on, and enjoy during a visit more than sixty years later.

Lava Beds National Monument

… … was established on this date in 1919.

Located in Washington, Iron, and Kane Counties in southwestern Utah, Zion National Park encompasses some of the most scenic canyon country in the United States. Within its 229 square miles are high plateaus, a maze of narrow, deep, sandstone canyons, and the Virgin River and its tributaries. Zion also has 2,000-foot Navajo Sandstone cliffs, pine- and juniper-clad slopes, and seeps, springs, and waterfalls supporting lush and colorful hanging gardens.

With an elevation change of about 5,000 feet-from the highest point at Horse Ranch Mountain (at 8,726 feet) to the lowest point at Coal Pits Wash (at 3,666 feet), Zion’s diverse topography leads to a diversity of habitats and species. Desert, riparian (river bank), pinyon-juniper, and conifer woodland communities all contribute to Zion’s diversity. Neighboring ecosystems-the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Rocky Mountains-are also contributors to Zion’s abundance.

Zion National Park

Originally Zion was proclaimed Mukuntuweap National Monument (July 31, 1909); Mukuntuweap was incorporated into Zion National Monument (March 18, 1918); Zion National Monument became Zion National Park.

… was designated such on this date in 1988.

Come journey through five Pennsylvania counties bursting with heritage and brimming with outdoor adventure. You will find something for everyone. Follow a history trail marked with stories about hearty lumberjacks, coal miners, lock tenders, and railroaders. Explore quiet canal paths, challenging bike trails and the rippling waters of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.

Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor

… was established 24 years ago today (1988).

In the middle of a bustling urban setting, this 72 mile river park offers quiet stretches for fishing, boating and canoeing. Other spots are excellent for birdwatching, bicycling and hiking. And there are plenty of visitor centers that highlight the history and science of the Mississippi River. If you are interested in the Mississippi, this is a great place to start.

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

… was authorized on November 18, 1988.

Known mostly for its fossils from the late Pliocene epoch it contains one of the world’s richest known deposits of fossil horses, Equus simplicidens, thought to be a link between prehistoric and modern horses.

In 1988, the Hagerman horse became Idaho’s state fossil and Hagerman Fossil Beds became a national monument. The Monument contains the Hagerman Horse Quarry, a national natural landmark, recognized as one of the six most important sites in the world regarding the fossil history of horses.

Hagerman Fossil Beds is nationally and internationally significant for its world-class paleontological resources. It includes the world’s richest fossil deposits, in quality, quantity, and diversity from the late Pliocene epoch. Many of its fossils represent the last vestiges of species that existed before the last Ice Age, the Pleistocene, and the earliest ‘modern’ flora and fauna.

The Monument’s paleontological resources are contained in a continuous, undisturbed stratigraphic record spanning at least 500,000 years. The fossils deposited here appear to represent an entire paleontological ecosystem with a variety of habitats such as wetland, riparian, and grassland savanna.

The Monument is also one of four National Park system units containing a portion of the Oregon Trail National Historic Trail.

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

… was authorized on November 18th, 24 years ago today (1988). It is one of five National Park Service sites in Idaho (not counting Yellowstone).

City of Rocks, an extraordinary encirclement of granite rising out of the gently rolling sagebrush country in south-central Idaho, has attracted and intrigued people since they first entered this region. The Shoshone camped here as did the emigrants traveling along the California Trail. One of the reserve’s most notable qualities is its large degree of biological diversity concentrated in a relatively small area. The great variety of textures, colors and shapes in the natural landscape contributes considerably to the reserve’s scenic quality.

City of Rocks was designated a national natural landmark in recognition of the nationally significant geological and scenic values of its rock formations. The landscape of City of Rocks has been sculpted from granite that was intruded into the crust during two widely spaced times. The granite that composes most of the spires is part of the 28 million year old Almo pluton. However, some of the spires are made of granite that is part of the 2.5 billion year old Green Creek Complex that contains some of the oldest rocks in the United States. The granite has eroded into a fascinating assortment of shapes and sizes.

City of Rocks National Reserve

… was designated on November 17th, 70 years ago today. It is located in Philadelphia.

Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Episcopal Church in South Philadelphia is the oldest church building in Pennsylvania, and among the oldest in the country. The attractive building, constructed of Flemish bond, and black header brick, was built between 1698 and 1700 for Swedish settlers. After serving as the Swedish Lutheran Church for almost 150 years, Gloria Dei became part of the Episcopal Church in 1845.

Gloria Dei Church was designated as a National Historical Site in 1942, six years before Independence Hall. The Gloria Dei congregation owns and maintains the church and the related buildings, its ministry and the grounds. The National Park Service has provided the church with additional land to create an appropriate setting against the enroaching urban environment.

Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site

… was proclaimed a national monument 105 years ago today by President Theodore Roosevelt (1907).

Explore the world of ancestors of Puebloan people who lived in the Mogollon area over 700 years ago. Enter the village they built within five of the natural caves of Cliff Dweller Canyon. Become inspired by the remaining architecture. Admire the spectacular views from inside these ancient dwellings.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

… was redesignated from national monument to national park on November 12th, 1971.

For there is a cloud on my horizon. A small dark cloud no bigger than my hand. Its name is Progress.

The ease and relative freedom of this lovely job at Arches follow from the comparative absence of the motorized tourists, who stay away by the millions. And they stay away because of the unpaved entrance road, the unflushable toilets in the campgrounds, and the fact that most of them have never even heard of Arches National Monument.
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The Master Plan has been fulfilled. Where once a few adventurous people came on weekends to camp for a night or two and enjoy a taste of the primitive and remote, you will now find serpentine streams of baroque automobiles pouring in and out, all through the spring and summer, in numbers that would have seemed fantastic when I worked there: from 3,000 to 30,000 to 300,000 per year, the “visitation,” as they call it, mounts ever upward [1,040,758 recreation visitors in 2011].
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Progress has come at last to Arches, after a million years of neglect. Industrial Tourism has arrived.

— Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire (1968)

… was a great day for the National Park Service and, of course, for us.

On that date President Jimmy Carter signed Public Law 95-625, the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978. The bill authorized $1.2 billion for more than 100 parks, rivers and historic sites and trails.

Among the National Park Service units that associate this date with their authorization, enhancement or re-designation are:

• Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Texas
• Antietam National Battlefield, Maryland

• Badlands National Park, South Dakota
• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, Canada-Mexico
• Delaware National Scenic River, Pennsylvania-New Jersey-New York
• Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, Washington
• Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site, Pennsylvania

• Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Pennsylvania
• Iditarod National Historic Trail, Alaska
• Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Louisiana

• Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii
• Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Missouri to Oregon
• Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, Virginia
• Middle Delaware National Scenic River, Pennsylvania-New Jersey
• Missouri National Recreation River, Nebraska-South Dakota
• Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, Illinois to Utah

• New River Gorge National River, West Virginia
• Oregon National Historic Trail, Missouri to Oregon
• Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site, Texas
• New Jersey Pinelands National Preserve, New Jersey

• Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, Hawaii
• Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, Texas
• Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site, New York

• San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Texas
• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
• Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Maryland
• Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreation River, New York-Pennsylvania
• Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Massachusetts-Rhode Island

… was authorized 12 years ago today.

On November 29, 1864, Colonel John M. Chivington led approximately 700 U.S. volunteer soldiers to a village of about 500 Cheyenne and Arapaho people camped along the banks of Big Sandy Creek in southeastern Colorado. Although the Cheyenne and Arapaho people believed they were under the protection of the U.S. Army, Chivington’s troops attacked and killed about 150 people, mainly women, children, and the elderly.

National Park Service

You think autumns in New England are the greatest of them all
But give me sweet Virginia for the fireworks of Fall
The prettiest October, in all the 50 states
Just drive up to the Skyline, park the car and wait

“Old Dominion”
Eddie from Ohio

… was authorized 46 years ago today (1966). It is one of just three National Park Service sites in Indiana.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a treasure of diverse natural resources located within an urban setting. The national lakeshore features communities that have both scientific and historic significance to the field of ecology. In addition, four National Natural Landmarks and one National Historical Landmark are located within its boundaries.

The park is comprised of over 15,000 acres of dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests. It contains 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline spanning the distance from Gary to Michigan City. Lake Michigan is part of the largest complex of freshwater lakes in the world. The national lakeshore’s beaches are the park’s most significant recreational resource.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Yesterday was the 62nd anniversary of the enlargement of Grand Teton National Park from the original much smaller national park established in 1929 (which included just the Tetons and the lakes) and the Jackson Hole National Monument established in 1943. I should have included some photos from my recent trip (and perhaps I shall), but for now I liked this little story. Photo taken August 19th.

… was proclaimed a national monument 104 years ago today. It was redisignated a national historical park in 1990.

Tumacácori NHP protects three Spanish colonial mission ruins in southern Arizona: Tumacácori, Guevavi, and Calabazas. The adobe structures are on three sites, with a visitor center at Tumacácori. These missions are among more than twenty established in the Pimería Alta by Father Kino and other Jesuits, and later expanded upon by Franciscan missionaries.

Tumacácori National Historical Park

Padre Eusebio Kino was active in present-day Sonora and Arizona from 1687 until he died in 1711. He first visited Tumacácori in 1691.

Kino was a prolific author and mapmaker and has been called the primo vaquero (first cowboy). His is one of the two statues representing Arizona in the National Statuary Hall collection in the U.S. Capitol.

… was designated a national historical site on this date in 1951. It was redesignated a national monument in 1958.

For over 400 years Ojibwe families of Grand Portage have tapped maples every spring on a ridge located just off Lake Superior. During the summer, Ojibwe fishermen harvest in the same areas their forefathers have. Before the United States and Canada existed, the trading of furs, ideas and genes between the Ojibwe and French and English fur traders flourished. From 1778 until 1802, welcomed by the Grand Portage Ojibwe, the North West Company located their headquarters and western supply depot here for business and a summer rendezvous. Today, Grand Portage National Monument and Indian Reservation form a bridge between people, time and culture.

— Grand Portage National Monument

Grand Portage specifically is the 9 mile path around waterfalls and rapids on the last 20 miles of the Pigeon River before it reaches Lake Superior.

The Pigeon River (Rivière aux Tourtes) is the international boundary immediately west of Lake Superior.

… was formed 62 years ago today by combining the much smaller national park established in 1929 (which included just the Tetons and the lakes) and the Jackson Hole National Monument established in 1943. Today the park includes nearly 310,000 acres.

Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park protects stunning mountain scenery and a diverse array of wildlife. The central feature of the park is the Teton Range — an active, fault-block, 40-mile-long mountain front. The range includes eight peaks over 12,000 feet (3,658 m), including the Grand Teton at 13,770 feet (4,198 m). Seven morainal lakes run along the base of the range, and more than 100 alpine lakes can be found in the backcountry.

Elk, moose, pronghorn, mule deer, and bison are commonly seen in the park. Black bears are common in forested areas, while grizzlies are occasionally observed in the northern part of the park. More than 300 species of birds can be observed, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons.

Grand Teton National Park

… was established 50 years ago today (September 13, 1962).

Point Reyes National Seashore contains unique elements of biological and historical interest in a spectacularly scenic panorama of thunderous ocean breakers, open grasslands, bushy hillsides and forested ridges. Native land mammals number about 37 species and marine mammals augment this total by another dozen species. The biological diversity stems from a favorable location in the middle of California and the natural occurrence of many distinct habitats. Nearly 20% of the State’s flowering plant species are represented on the peninsula and over 45% of the bird species in North America have been sighted.

National Park Service