Category: Places & Travel

. . . was authorized as a national battlefield site on this date in 1917.

The name Kennesaw is derived from the Cherokee Indian “Gah-nee-sah” meaning cemetery or burial ground.

Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield is a 2,923 acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. The battle was fought here from June 19, 1864 until July 2, 1864. Sherman’s army consisted of 100,000 men, 254 guns and 35,000 horses. Johnston’s army had 63,000 men and 187 guns. Over 67,000 soldiers were killed, wounded and captured during the Campaign.

There are 3 battlefield areas: In front of the Visitor Center, off Burnt Hickory Road and the main site is located at Cheatham Hill [then commonly known as the Dead Angle]. The visitor center provides introductory information about the Battlefield and the battle. While walking some of the 17.3 miles of interpretive walking trails you will see historic earthworks, cannon emplacements and various interpretive signs. There are 3 monuments representing states who fought here.
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. . . Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield was authorized for protection by the War Department in 1917 and was transferred to the Department of the Interior as a unit of the National Park System in 1933. The 2,923 acre Battlefield includes the site of some of the heaviest fighting of the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War. The Battlefield was set aside as an important cultural property dedicated to public inspiration and interpretation of the significant historic events that occurred here.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

… is celebrating its 96th anniversary today (1915).

Established on January 26, 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park is a living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. With elevations ranging from 8,000 feet in the wet, grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the weather-ravaged top of Long’s Peak, a visitor to the park has opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures.

Elk, mule deer, moose, bighorn sheep, black bears, coyotes, cougars, eagles, hawks and scores of smaller animals delight wildlife-watchers of all ages. Wildflower-lovers are never disappointed in June and July when the meadows and hillsides are splashed with botanical color. Autumn visitors can relax among the golden aspens or enjoy the rowdier antics of the elk rut (mating season).

National Park Service

“The oldest person to summit Long’s Peak was Rev. William Butler, who climbed it on September 2, 1926, his 85th birthday. In 1932, Clerin ‘Zumie’ Zumwalt summited Long’s Peak 53 times.”

… was established on this date in 1923.

Around 1100 A.D. ancient peoples embarked on an ambitious building project along the Animas River in northwestern New Mexico. Work gangs excavated, filled, and leveled more than two and a half acres of land. Masons laid out sandstone blocks in intricate patterns to form massive stone walls. Wood-workers cut and carried heavy log beams from mountain forests tens of miles away. In less than three decades they built a monumental “great house” three-stories high, longer than a football field, with perhaps 500-rooms including a ceremonial “great kiva” over 41-feet in diameter.

A short trail winds through this massive site offering a surprisingly intimate experience. Along the way visitors discover roofs built 880 years ago, original plaster walls, a reed mat left by the inhabitants, intriguing “T” shaped doorways, provocative north-facing corner doors, and more. The trail culminates with the reconstructed great kiva, a building that inherently inspires contemplation, wonder, and an ancient sense of sacredness.

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Photo taken by Jill, March 30, 2010.

… was established on this date in 1930.

Located in the Northern Neck of Virginia, 38 miles east of Fredericksburg on Virginia Route 3, George Washington Birthplace National Monument preserves the heart of Augustine Washington’s plantation, the 17th century homesite of the immigrant John Washington, and the Washington Family Burial Ground.

George Washington’s Birthplace contains a Memorial House and dependencies constructed in 1931 near the site of the original Washington home. Here, in the peace and beauty of this place untouched by time, the staunch character of our hero comes to the imagination.

George Washington Birthplace National Monument

… was first proclaimed a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt under the Antiquities Act 104 years ago today. It became a national park in 1962.

With one of the world’s largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, multi-hued badlands of the Painted Desert, historic structures, archeological sites, and displays of 225 million year old fossils, this is a surprising land of scenic wonders and fascinating science.

Petrified Forest National Park

. . . was established on this date in 1999.

The Cold War lives on at Minuteman Missile NHS! Minuteman missiles held the power to destroy civilization. Yet the same destructive force acted as a nuclear deterrent which kept the peace for three decades. At Minuteman Missile it is possible to learn how the threat of nuclear war came to haunt the world.

Launch Control Facility Delta-01

This building functioned as topside support for the underground launch control center. It acted as a multi purpose facility to help personnel perform their mission.

Its primary purpose was to assist the missileers stationed underground in carrying out their mission. Mechanical implements such as a backup generator for auxiliary power and environmental control equipment provided backup support in the event of an emergency. The building contained a security control center where all security activities were coordinated from and personnel would be processed when coming on site.

The structure also included living quarters, a day room, dining area and recreational room that Air Force personnel used during three day duty shifts.

Launch Facility missile silo Delta-09

There is no better place to witness the Minuteman’s role in the Cold War then at Launch Facility Delta-09. From 1963 until 1991 Delta-09 contained a fully operational Minuteman Missile. The Delta-09 silo was one of 150 spread across western South Dakota. In total there were 1,000 Minuteman’s deployed at the height of the Cold War. These nuclear sentinels waited silent and deadly to perform their destructive duty at a moment’s notice.

Above from Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.

. . . was authorized on this date in 1990.

Amistad NRA is the United States portion of International Amistad Reservoir, formed on the Rio Grande along the border of the US and Mexico. Amistad is known for excellent water-based recreation, camping and is surrounded by a landscape rich in prehistoric rock art, a vibrant border culture, along with a wide variety of plant and animal life.

Amistad National Recreation Area

. . . was authorized as a national park ten years ago today, pending land acquisition. The land was acquired and Great Sand Dunes became America’s 58th national park September 24, 2004. It had been a national monument since 1932.

The tallest in North America, these dunes developed as southwesterly winds blew ancient alluvial sediments from the San Luis Valley toward the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The preserve, containing the entire surface watershed and primary topographic features interacting with the Great Sand Dunes, ranges in elevation from 8,000 to over 13,000 feet and includes life zones from desert to alpine tundra.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

National Parks Traveler tells us that Great Sand Dunes is one of the quietest places in the U.S. I can attest it also one of the darkest, with an incredible star-filled sky on clear, moonless nights.

. . . was proclaimed such by President Coolidge 85 years ago today.

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! 

Lava Beds National Monument

. . . was established 91 years ago today (1919).

Zion is an ancient Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge or sanctuary. Protected within the park’s 229 square miles is a dramatic landscape of sculptured canyons and soaring cliffs. Zion is located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert provinces. This unique geography and the variety of life zones within the park make Zion significant as a place of unusual plant and animal diversity.

Zion National Park

NewMexiKen photo, 2005

. . . was authorized on this date in 1988.

Largest concentration of Hagerman Horse (Equus simplicidens) fossils in North America – 30 complete horse fossils and portions of 200 individual horses.

Internationally significant Monument protects world’s richest late Pliocene epoch (3 – 4 mya) fossil deposits: over 220 species of plants and animals!

Glimpse life before the last Ice Age and view earliest appearance of modern flora and fauna.

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

This monument is currently closed as a result of a wild fire in August.

. . . 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 authorized on this date in 1988.

This unique geologic area became a landmark in 1843 for California-bound emigrants. They left wagon ruts across the landscape and their signatures in axle grease on Register Rock, Camp Rock and many others.

A few granite pinnacles and monoliths are in excess of sixty stories tall and 2.5 billion years old. The smooth granite faces offer exceptional rock climbing. Today, over 500 climbing routes have been identified.

 The Reserve is managed by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service.

City of Rocks National Reserve

… was proclaimed a national monument 103 years ago today by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse of the homes and lives of the people of the Mogollon culture who lived in the Gila Wilderness from the 1280s through the early 1300s. The surroundings probably look today very much like they did when the cliff dwellings were inhabited.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

. . . was authorized on this date in 1996. It is one of three National Park Service sites in Oklahoma.

The park commemorates the November 27, 1868, attack where the 7th U.S. Cavalry under Lt. Col. George A. Custer destroyed Peace Chief Black Kettle’s Cheyenne village. Black Kettle and over 100 Cheyenne were captured or killed. The controversial attack has been described as both a battle and a massacre.

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

… was redesignated from national monument to national park on this date in 1971.

Arches National Park preserves over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, like the world-famous Delicate Arch, as well as many other unusual rock formations. In some areas, the forces of nature have exposed millions of years of geologic history. The extraordinary features of the park create a landscape of contrasting colors, landforms and textures that is unlike any other in the world.

Arches National Park

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.
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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)

There were 860,181 visitors in 2007. Arches is magnificent and should be on any list of must-see national parks.

NewMexiKen photo, 2010

… was established on this date in 1978.

Established in 1978 for the preservation, protection and interpretation of traditional native Hawaiian activities and culture, Kaloko-Honokohau NHP is an 1160 acre park full of incredible cultural and historical significance. It is the site of an ancient Hawaiian settlement which encompasses portions of four different ahupua’a, or traditional sea to mountain land divisions. Resources include fishponds, kahua (house site platforms), ki’i pohaku (petroglyphs), holua (stone slide), and heiau (religious site).

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park