July and Summer Events in our National Parks, Memorials, etc.
Explore the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
(Washington) — Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle is showing an exhibit to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, an event that gathered together exhibits from around the world, celebrated the economic strength of the Pacific Northwest and focused national attention on the city of Seattle. The exhibit features photographs, postcards and souvenirs from the Exposition and illustrates how memories of the Klondike Gold Rush influenced the formation of the Exposition.
http://www.magazineusa.com/us/cityguide/show.aspx?state=wa&unit=seattle&doc=28&dsc=Klondike_Goldrush_National_Historic_Park
Yosemite exhibit features works by artists-in-residence
(California) — The Yosemite Museum Gallery is featuring an exhibit through November 8 that showcases work from seven professional artists, all part of the Yosemite National Park’s Artists-in-Residence program. The exhibit includes paintings, prints, drawings, fabric art and sculptures by John Barnett, Jane Culp, Tom Killion, Bruce Klein, Hearne Pardee, Bonnie Peterson and Gina Werfel. The residence program, coordinated by Yosemite Renaissance, allows professional artists to live in Yosemite for up to one month. If you are visiting Yosemite we encourage you to stop by the Yosemite Museum Gallery to see these accomplished artists’ interpretations of the beauty that is Yosemite.
Acadia celebrates International Year of Astronomy
(Maine) — In honor of the International Year of Astronomy, Acadia National Park will host biweekly Stars Over Sand Beach programs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting at 9:30 pm in July and 9 pm in August. Visitors are invited to join a ranger to discover the wonders of Acadia’s night sky.
Stars Over Sand Beach will be joined by the Night Sky Scoping program on weekends, August 8-30.
http://www.nps.gov/acad/
Acadia adventures: Family Fun Day
(Maine) — Acadia National Park and Friends of Acadia will hold the fourth annual Family Fun Day from 2 to 5 pm on July 12 at Sieur de Monts Spring in the park. This event includes activities for families with children aged 2–12. Park rangers and volunteers will present a wide range of activities, including storytelling, nature walks, GPS and fly-fishing demos, arts and crafts, and more. Wild Gardens of Acadia and the Abbe Museum are hosting the event with individual activities sponsored by local organizations. For more information, please visit www.friendsofacadia.org/
Out and about: A day at Catoctin Mountain with park rangers
(Maryland) — Rangers at Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park invite children ages 6-12 to join them as they take care of the great outdoors. Participants will see what rangers do, hike with rangers, enjoy a Scales & Tales activity and learn about stream health. These events, each scheduled from 10 am to 2:30 pm rain or shine, will take place July 15 at Owen`s Creek Picnic Area in Catoctin Mountain Park; July 22 at the Manor Area of Cunningham Falls State Park; and July 29 at William Houck Picnic Area in Cunningham Falls State Park. Register for any or all three of these free events at 301/663-9388. Limit 24 participants.
Monocacy museum program recognized
(Maryland) — The Tourism Council of Frederick County, Maryland recently recognized Monocacy National Battlefield with the Joy Reese Derr Award for exceptional advancement in the public dimension of museum work. Monocacy has become one of the most active and productive participants in the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium. With expanded services and programs since the new Visitor Center opened in 2007, it has become one of Frederick County’s most highly visited attractions.
http://www.nps.gov/mono/
Monocacy commemorates the Battle that saved Washington
(Maryland) — The 145th anniversary of the “Battle that Saved Washington”
will be commemorated through living history demonstrations and ranger-led battlefield hikes on July 11 and 12 at Monocacy National Battlefield. For event details call 301/662-3515.
Historic cabin camp tours
(Virginia) — The five cabin camps in Prince William Forest Park tell stories of struggle and triumph during the Great Depression and valor and bravery during World War II. Tour Cabin Camp 3 to learn about the architectural design and social history of these cabins. These one-mile tours are schedule at 10:30 am on July 4 and July 18. Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and good walking shoes. Details are listed at http://www.nps.gov/prwi/planyourvisit/events.htm.
Sagamore Hill presents summer Sunday programs (New York) — Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, home of Theodore Roosevelt in Oyster Bay, Long Island, will present free programs on Sundays at 2 pm during July and August. These programs include music, arts and crafts, storytelling, and horse and carriage demonstrations. The series kicks of July 5 with professional storyteller Jonathon Kruk. For details about these programs, visit www.nps.gov/sahi.
Battlefield ecology at Saratoga National Historical Park (New York) — Explore the wild-side of a battlefield! It’s no wonder Saratoga was at the heart of struggles for dominance – its natural resources are among the most valuable in the nation. The battlefield is a haven for wildlife and a blast to explore. Discover nature’s secrets through hands-on experiments with a park ranger. These free one-hour programs start at 6:30 pm on July 7 and July 14. Meet at the flag pole in the parking lot, bring water, insect repellant and be prepared to walk in wild fields. For event details call 518/664-9821 ext. 224.
Tour the Pell’s Point Battlefield with St. Paul’s Church (New York) – On July 8, join the staff of St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site at 10:30 am for a walking tour of portions of the Split Rock Golf Course, in Pelham Bay Park, site of the Revolutionary War battle of Pell’s Point. Advance reservations are required as space is limited; call 914/667-4116 for details.
Ceremony to honor Mary McLeod Bethune
(Washington, DC) — The National Park Service and the National Council of Negro Women will commemorate the 134th birthday celebration of Mary McLeod Bethune with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Bethune Memorial Statue on July 10. Bethune founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial School for Negro Girls in 1904, and she worked tirelessly to influence legislation affecting African Americans and women. She continued to be an important voice for human rights until her death in 1955 at the age of 79. Those wishing to attend should gather in Lincoln Park at the 12-foot tall Bethune Statue.
For event details call 202/673-2402.
American Indian Heritage Celebration at Effigy Mounds
(Iowa) – Effigy Mounds National Monument’s 60th Anniversary year will be highlighted by a Native American Heritage Celebration of American Indian arts and culture on July 10-11. Music and dance performances will take place at 7 pm on Friday and again on Saturday at 10 am and 4 pm. Saturday will also feature cultural exhibits, crafts, art demonstrators, traditional American Indian food and storytelling. Details are posted at www.nps.gov/efmo/planyourvisit/specialevents.htm. Effigy Mounds is a sacred Native American site affiliated with 12 federally recognized tribes.
In Search of Westchester’s Paul Revere with St. Paul’s Church (New York) – At 2 p.m. on July 11, historical speaker Vin Dacquino will recount the inspiring story of a teenager who helped summon local militia to halt a British invasion in 1777. He will also share his interesting search for the story of the youngster’s life. Also planned are a performance of American Revolution songs, a demonstration about the use of the church as a wartime field hospital and a tour of the historic cemetery.
Philadelphia’s Presidential residence reopens
(Pennsylvania) — The Germantown White House (Deshler-Morris House), the oldest surviving presidential residence in the United States, is re-opening on July 11, after extensive renovation. Washington came here in 1793 seeking a refuge from the yellow fever epidemic and returned with his family and household in the summer of 1794. The house hosted cabinet meetings and family gatherings. This project included an extensive restoration, a geothermal heating/cooling system and new interactive exhibits. A public grand Re-Opening Ceremony will take place on July 10, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm at 5507 Germantown Avenue, the Impacting Your World Christian Center on Market Square. The Germantown White House will be open to the public, free of charge, Wednesdays through Sundays, noon to 4 pm.
http://www.nps.gov/demo/
Jousting in July: Horse-ing Around at Hampton
(Maryland) — See Maryland’s State Sport in action at Hampton National Historic Site! On July 12 at 1 pm and 2 pm, jousters on the North Lawn of the mansion will display the skilled sport by catching small hoops on their lances while racing across the green. Victorian games such as town ball will be played on the North Lawn. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/hamp.
Golden Rose award winner presented
(Massachusetts) — Charles Simic, Poet Laureate of the United States from 2007-2008, will receive the 2009 Golden Rose Award from the New England Poetry Club and will read from his work at 4 pm on July 12. Simic has published over 20 volumes of poetry, including his collection The World Doesn’t End: Prose Poems, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1990.
He has received numerous awards, including those from the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. He has also served as the Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.
Summer lecture series at Governors Island (New York) – Governors Island National Monument is hosting a summer lecture series that takes place most weekends in July and beyond. Presentations will be in Pershing Hall unless otherwise indicated. This month’s events start on July 12, with members of the Long Island Writers’ Guild reading of original works. See the full schedule at http://www.nps.gov/gois/.
Defend Wall Street: The Draft Riots of 1863 (New York) – On July 13, rangers at Federal Hall National Memorial will present Defend Wall Street – The Draft Riots of 1863. Throughout the day, NPS staff in period clothing and uniforms discuss the Draft Riots and the defense of the building by the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines and NY Police Department. There will be a moment of silence at noon to commemorate those who died defending New York’s citizens.
See also: www.magazineusa.com/us/cityguide/show.aspx?state=ny&unit=newyork&doc=701&dsc=Federal-Hall-New-York
Bayonets, Musket Ball & Ship’s Bread at St. Paul’s Church (New York) –Witness a costumed demonstration about the life of a Revolutionary War soldier at 12:15 p.m. on July 15 at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site. Beverages will be provided and there will be activities for children before the program. For more information, visit: http://www.nps.gov/sapa
Four nights of peace, love & music: A Castle Clinton tribute to Woodstock (New York) – Castle Clinton National Monument will host a concert series as part of the River to River Festival in New York City. The free Thursday night concerts will take place at 7 p.m. Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra plays music of Sly & the Family Stone “It’s a Family Affair” on July 16.; Richie Havens will perform on July 23; Arlo Guthrie on July 30; and John Kelly sings The Joni Mitchell Songbook: “Songs for a Shiny Hot Night” on August 6. For more information, please visit: www.nps.gov/cacl/
Stellar views at Fort Pickens
(Florida) — Gulf Islands National Seashore will offer free stargazing programs on Fridays, July 17, August 14, September 18 and October 16 from sunset to 10 p.m. at the Battery Worth Picnic Area of Fort Pickens Area.
Weather permitting, volunteers from the Escambia Amateur Astronomers’
Association will set up several telescopes for public viewing. There is an
$8 entrance fee to the Fort Pickens Area. For details, call the Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center at 850/934-2600 or visit www.nps.gov/guis.
Fee free weekend: July 18-19
(Nationwide) — National Park Service sites that charge entrance fees will waive these fees on July 18-19. Many park partners including tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops and other vendors will offer additional discounts and special promotions during this weekend. The waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors -such as fees charged for camping, reservations, tours and use of concessions.
Information on the fees and discounts is posted at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.
Commemoration of the First Battle of Manassas
(Virginia) — The commemoration of the First Battle of Manassas (or Bull
Run) will be observed on July 18 with Union and Confederate living history encampments, and musketry and artillery demonstrations on Henry Hill.
Ranger-guided tours will cover major phases of the battle at Matthews Hill, Henry Hill, and Chinn Ridge. The day’s events will conclude with an evening concert at 6 pm by the musical duo, Evergreen Shade, in the Visitor Center auditorium.
Grand Tetons look to the stars
(Wyoming) — On July 19 Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole Astronomy Club will celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. Bob Hoyle, astronomy expert and park ranger naturalist, will give an evening program, at 9:30 p.m. at the Gros Ventre campground amphitheater, focusing on American Indian mythology and the use of the sky and its celestial bodies in cultural history. Following the program large telescopes will be set up for night sky viewing. Visitors should dress warmly as evening temperatures in Grand Teton can be quite chilly, even during summer. For details, call 307/739-3594. For information on the International Year of Astronomy, visit www.astronomy2009.org.
Pinhook Bog Open House
(Indiana) — Rangers along the boardwalk trail at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore will reveal the insect eating monsters of this true quaking bog between noon and 3 pm on July 25. Start no later than 2 pm at the Pinhook Bog parking lot and take as much time as you like on this self-guiding hike.
http://www.nps.gov/indu/
Summer Stewardship Day at Indiana Dunes
(Indiana) — Join a ranger and lend a hand to help improve a neighborhood national park on July 11 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Meet at the Indian Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center and car-pool to the site.
http://www.nps.gov/indu/
Tags: National Park