Celebrating "America's Best Idea"

Like many national parks, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park will be celebrating the premier of the new Ken Burn's documentary, "America's Best Idea- The National Parks"

C&O Canal NHP will be showing several 45- minute sneak previews of the twelve hour presentation throughout the park and local communities.

• City of Williamsport, 8/22/2009 4:00p.m.
• City of Brunswick, 9/3/2009, 7:30p.m.
• Carderock Pavillion, 9/4/2009, 7:30p.m.
• Shepherd University, 9/10/2009, 7:30p.m.
• Town of Poolesville, 9/11/2009, 7:30p.m.
• Great Falls Tavern, 9/12/2009, 7:30p.m.
• Town of Hancock, 9/19/2009, 7:00p.m.
• City of Hagerstown, 9/23/2009, 7:30p.m.
• City of Frederick, 9/24/2009, 7:30p.m.
• City of Cumberland, 9/26/2009, 3:00p.m.

Please call 301-739-4200 for locations and more information.

Click here to learn more about "America's Best Idea".

At each of these programs, park representatives will discuss current and upcoming projects as well as how to get more involved in the park.

As part of the "America's Best Idea" celebration, C&O Canal NHP will also sponsor a volunteer project on Servicewide Volunteer Day/National Public Lands Day on September 26, 2009. Volunteers will be organized to work hand-in-hand with park rangers on trail rehabilitation throughtout the Carderock Recreational Area. In partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Climbers, the Access Fund, and the U.S. Navy, about one hundred volunteers will be spreading mulch throughout the Carderock trail system. 

Servicewide Volunteer Day/ National Public Lands Day on September 26 is an annual event designed to encourage everyone to get outside and visit places such as national parks. All National Park Service entrance fees will be waived to encourage visitation.

National Public Lands Day is also a national volunteer effort to give back to the very lands we use to hike, bike, climb, swim, explore, picnic, or just plain relax. It is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy.

National Public Lands Day began in 1994 with three federal agencies and 700 volunteers. Last year 120,000 volunteers worked in over 1,800 locations and in every state. Now, eight federal agencies and many state and local lands participate in this annual day of caring for shared lands.

National Public Lands Day keeps the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "tree army" that worked from 1933-42 to preserve and protect America's natural heritage.

Visit the C&O Canal NHP on Saturday, September 26, 2009 for the 16th Annual National Public Lands Day and help us care for our land.

For more general information about Servicewide Volunteer Day/ National Public Lands Day please click here.