Aloha to National Parks - Happy 100th Anniversary!

The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2016.   From Wikipedia (link),

National parks and national monuments in the United States were originally individually managed under the auspices of the Department of the Interior. The movement for an independent agency to oversee these federal lands was spearheaded by business magnate and conservationist Stephen Mather, as well as J. Horace McFarland. With the help of journalist Robert Sterling Yard, Mather ran a publicity campaign for the Department of the Interior. They wrote numerous articles that praised the scenic and historic qualities of the parks and their possibilities for educational, inspirational, and recreational benefits.  This campaign resulted in the creation of a National Park Service. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill that mandated the agency "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Mather became the first director of the newly formed NPS.

Everglades National Park
Public Domain (link)

National Parks have touched my life.  I grew up in Miami and enjoyed weekend getaways to the Everglades National Park (link).   I learned about our colonial history when I was assigned to Hanscom Air Force Base, outside Boston, by visiting the Minute Man National Historical Park (link).  In fact, my "farewell" plaque from Hanscom includes the famous Minute Man Statue.   Now that I live near Baltimore, my family takes pride in Fort McHenry, home of the Star Spangled Banner (link).    

The Minuteman guarding the North Bridge
Concord, MA

The Star Spangled Banner may be our National Anthem, but America the Beautiful is a song of our heart.  Yes, America is beautiful, especially in this Youtube Video (link) from the National Park Service - nature is our national treasure.

Next week I'll be away in Florida ... so I will share pictures from my favorite National Parks in another sunshine state, Hawaii!

Do you have a favorite national park, monument, or historical site?  Or one that you would like to visit?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 9, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 10.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Park ranges dress as WWI soldiers
at Fort McHenry

Aloha to Fort McHenry

Baltimore.org

Last weekend, we hosted distant cousins from England.  On Sunday, it was a clear crisp day to visit Fort McHenry.  From its website (link),

O! say can you see, by the dawn's early light, a large red, white and blue banner? 

Whose broad stripes and bright stars . . . were so gallantly streaming! 

Over the star-shaped Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. The valiant defense of the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Fort McHenry displays the cannon balls from the War of 1812.

The cannons date to the Civil War.

The guides dressed in WWI uniforms.

Notice the 48 stars from WWII flag ...

... demonstrating how Fort McHenry has been used since the War of 1812.

We bumped into a promotion celebration for Navy reservists.

The Baltimore Fire Department docks Fire Boat No. 2 at Fort McHenry.  It is named for former Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. 

Have you visited a coastal defense?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's posts wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, November 22, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, November 23.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City