By Scott Vierick, Historian From the mangrove forests of Everglades National Park in Florida to the frozen tundra of Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska, the National Park Service (NPS) protects a vast variety of natural, cultural, and …
The Great American Outdoors Act: What is it, why do we need it, and what are the next steps?
By Scott Vierick, Historian Since its formation in 1916, the National Park Service has managed an ever-growing number of resources, from small historic sites to vast stretches of wilderness. Today, there are 419 distinct units in the NPS system, which …
What’s in a Name? How Place Names Reveal Our History
Builders have always laid claim to historical memory. Early settlers adopted variations of names coined by Native Americans; later generations took on the names of disappearing farms, fields, and mills. More recently, real estate developers have learned that place names …