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Contact: Lorna Shuman, 760-367-5521
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, Twentynine Palms, California — Joshua Tree National Park will celebrate the 98th birthday of the National Park Service by offering free admission on Monday, August 25, 2014. "Birthdays are a time to celebrate and we want everyone to join the party," said Joshua Tree National Park Interim Superintendent Todd Suess. "National parks belong to all Americans and offer something for everyone. So visit the park. Wander a trail and take in the scenery. Enjoy all that Joshua Tree National Park and our surrounding communities have to offer." With the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the United States was the first country to set aside its most significant places as national parks so that they could be enjoyed by all. When President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation that created the National Park Service on Aug. 25, 1916, there were 37 national parks. Today, the National Park Service cares for 401 sites throughout the country—each one an important part of our collective identity. Some parks commemorate notable people and achievements, others conserve magnificent landscapes and natural wonders, and all provide a place to have fun and learn something. Plan your visit at www.nps.gov/findapark. "Joshua Tree National Park was established as a monument in 1936, and a park in 1996, to preserve desert vegetation and the namesake of the park, the Joshua trees," said Suess. "Today we proudly welcome around 1.4 million visitors every year who, in addition to enjoying all that the park has to offer, add to our local economy and support jobs in the area." The mission of the National Park Service extends beyond parks into communities across the country, where we work with partners to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities that revitalize neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life. To see what we do here in California, go to www.nps.gov/jotr. - NPS - For more information, see www.nps.gov/jotr, or follow us on Twitter @JoshuaTreeNP and on Facebook at Joshua Tree NP |
Last updated: January 31, 2017