National Park Service
Park Visitor Information - 2009
(Iowa to Maine)
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Event Lists by State (select from the state list or from the drop list below)
AL | AK | AS | AZ | AR | CA | CO | CT | DE | DC | FL | GA | GU | HI | ID | IL | IN | IA | KS
KY | LA | ME | MD | MA | MI | MN | MS | MO | MT | NE | NV | NH | NJ | NM | NY | NC
ND | OH | OK | OR | PA | PR | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VT | VI | VA | WA | WV | WI
Drop List of Events
Iowa
Effigy Mounds National Monument
During 2009 Effigy Mounds National Monument will celebrate its 60th anniversary through a series of events, programs, and exhibits that will highlight the theme "The Movement for a National Park in Iowa". In addition, the park offers a variety of programs and special events throughout the summer. For more information about these programs and special events, contact the park at (563) 873-3491orvisit t the park website at www.nps.gov/efmo/.
American Indian Heritage Celebration: July 10 and 11, 2009 - Weekend long activities will include Friday evening and Saturday live Indian dance and music
performances. Saturday will also feature Indian cultural exhibits, crafts, art demonstrators, and traditional American Indian foodstand, and storytelling.
Guided Bird Walks: Departing from the visitor center, one guided bird walk
will be held each month beginning May 9th International Migratory Bird Day; other walks are scheduled for the last Saturday of each month: June 27th, July 25th, and August 29th, 2009.
Teachers’ Workshops: June 13th and 27th, July 10th /11th, August 1st, 2009: Workshops are geared for teacher education about Native American moundbuilding cultures and related topics. By reservation only; check for information on the park website in March 2009.
American Indian Heritage Celebration: July 10 and 11, 2009 - Weekend long activities will include Friday evening and Saturday Indian dance and music performances. Saturday will also feature Indian cultural exhibits, crafts, art demonstrators, traditional American Indian food stand, and storytelling.
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Film Series: August 1-2, 2009 - Compliment your visit to Villa Louis Historic Site's "Lincoln's Frontier - 1825-1832" programs by watching films from various Lincoln sites within the national park system. Times and film
titles will be posted by June 1st in the park Visitor Center.
Moonlight Hike "Abraham Lincoln's Frontier - 1825-1832" August 8, 2009- Presented annually, this August will highlight historical characters detailing the events in the region during era of "Abraham Lincoln's Frontier - 1825-1832”. Moonlight Hike reservations are required and will be taken beginning on the preceding Monday (August 3). Call the visitor center for reservations at (563) 873-3491.
Kids Archeology Day: August 22, 2009 -Annual activity in celebration of the birthday of the National Park Service (August 25, 1916). Kids will learn about archeology through fun hands-on activities such as pottery, American Indian tools, and mock archeology digs.
National Park Service Fee Free Day: August 25, 2009 - Help celebrate the 93rd anniversary of Founders Day, the establishment of the National Park Service, August 25, 1916. Visit the park and enjoy a piece of birthday cake and refreshments. No entrance fees will be charged.
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Herbert Hoover NHS offers a variety of special programs throughout the summer months. For more information about these programs, contact the park at (319) 643-2541
or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/heho.
Summer Programs and Events: Check the park website or call for the most up-to-date information.
Living History: May 25, June 6, June 20, July 4, July 18, August 1, August 22, September 7, 2009 - From 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., join living history interpreters at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site for historic crafts, games, music, school teaching, and other activities and other demonstrations of life in 19th century West Branch.
Nature at Night: July 31, 2009 - Starting at 8:30 pm, a National Park ranger will lead a short walk into the prairie. Visitors can learn techniques for exploring nature at night and experience the different animals that come out after dark. At 9:30, star- and moon-gaze in the prairie and learn to identify objects in the night sky visitors. A telescope will be available or you can bring your own. Meet at the Presidential Library and museum. Dress for the weather, and wear comfortable shoes for walking about a half-mile on a mowed grass trail. Insect repellant is recommended.
Hooverfest: August 1, 2009 - Celebrate the birthday of Iowa's only president with music, crafts, food, and activities at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and in downtown West Branch, the hometown of our nation’s 31st president. Events begin at 10:00 a.m. Admission is free to all events. More information is available at www.hooverassociation.org. Hooverfest is produced by the Hoover Presidential Library Association and funded entirely by private donations.
Founders’ Day: August 22, 2009 - Celebrate the anniversary of the National Park Service’s establishment. The National Park Service manages 391 national parks, historic sites, and monuments across the United States. Although Congress created the first National Park, Yellowstone, in 1872, there was no real system of national parks until a federal bureau, the National Park Service, was created on August 25, 1916.
Prairie Heritage Day: September 7, 2009 - Celebrate Prairie Heritage Day on Monday, Labor Day, September 7 at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Guided walks of the 81-acre tallgrass prairie start at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Park rangers will introduce families to the plants and animals of Iowa’s tallgrass prairies and discuss how the National Park Service is restoring this endangered habitat. The walk is one half-mile and lasts about one hour. Bring water, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and insect repellent are also recommended.
Kansas
Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
Special Exhibit: Desegregation and Civil Rights Political Cartoons by Herb Block,
June 1 to June 30, 2009, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Free: It is said that Herb Block is a thoughtful journalist and gifted cartoonist who through his political cartoons has been thinking about "the other guy" throughout his career. For more than seventy years, cartoon after cartoon, day after day, he has chronicled the best America has to offer and the worst, from the depths of the Great Depression into a new millennium. No editorial cartoonist in American history has made a more lasting impression on the nation than Herb Block.
This exhibition celebrates the gift of the Herb Block Foundation to the Library of Congress and features a selection of original cartoons spanning the artist's remarkable career. He published his first political cartoon for a major U.S. daily newspaper shortly before the stock market crash in 1929, and drew his last in August 2001. The exhibit will feature editorial cartoons from Herb Block's series of desegregation and civil rights cartoons.
For more information about this special exhibit or about the park, contact the park at (785) 354-4273 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/brvb/.
Bookstore: Justice for All Books: Explore the role of African Americans in art, literature and film by checking out these great titles at Justice for All Books:
Quilting African American Women's History by Carolyn L. Mazloomi. (Paper Moon Publishing, $40.00) The accompanying catalog to the exhibit, this beautiful book includes images of the quilts.
Stitched from the Soul: Slave Quilts from the Antebellum South by Gladys-Marie Fry. (University of North Carolina Press, $27.50) Filled with dozens of color photos, this book examines quilts and quilters from the era of slavery.
Let's Quilt Our African American heritage & Stuff It Topographically by Carole Marsh. (Gallopade International, $7.95) An excellent book aimed at teaching quilting to children.
Fort Larned National Historic Site
As Fort Larned approaches its 150th anniversary in October 2009, park staff and community leaders are planning a series of special events focusing on celebrating Fort Larned’s history throughout the summer months and year. As the best preserved Indian Wars military post on Santa Fe Trail, Fort Larned is one of our Nation’s most compelling places to tell about that turbulent era of two cultures fighting for control of the West. For the Plains Indians, it is a story of fighting for homelands in the face of overwhelming numbers and superior weapons. For the military, it is a tale of hard fought battles and skirmishes, some won and others lost, eventually leading to “Winning the West”. For more information about the planned events, contact the park at (620) 285-6911or visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/fols/.
Summer Events:
Custer on the Plains: May 23 thru May 25, 2009 - This largest living history event in Kansas focuses on the “Hancock Expedition”, a military campaign intended to “shock and awe” the Plains Indians into peace with a show of overwhelming military force. Although lead by General Hancock, that dashing young Civil War hero General Custer was a major actor in this major expedition into Plains Indians homelands.
May 23- See Fort Larned much as General Custer saw it. Activities at Fort Larned include artillery, cavalry and infantry encampments and demonstrations. Dinner and period dance. Visit the soldiers in the barracks, the blacksmith, officer’s wives and many more in the Fort. General Custer himself will be on hand for a presentation.
May 24- Emphasis shifts to the “Indian Village on Pawnee Fork”, where Custer first met Plains Indians, Presentations and demonstrations focus on Indian village life and military and Indian Agency relations with Indians. Limited living history continues into the morning of May 25th.
Volunteers on the Plains 1859 to 2009: July 3 & 4, 2009 - This special event honors volunteer units manning Fort Larned during the Indian Wars and 21st Century heroes. Special ceremonies and living history memorialize contributions by volunteer state militia replacing regular army troops redeployed east to fight in the Civil War. 21st Century military and civilian emergency responders will demonstrate equipment and field operations. A special dedication of a Medal of Honor replica recognizing Medal of Honor recipients from Fort Larned’s past and Kansans will be conducted.
Labor Day Celebration: This event continues living history presentations of daily life at Fort Larned, including Buffalo Soldier cavalry. A dinner theater and presentations on “Galvanized Yankees” are also planned.
Fort Leavenworth Memorial Service: A memorial service honoring the 65 soldiers reinterred from Fort Larned to Fort Leavenworth in 1888 will be conducted in the Fort Leavenworth cemetery. Activities to include an infantry firing salute, chaplain, guest speaker, color guard and more.
Organizations and individuals wanting to join in this year of special celebrations can contact Superintendent Kevin McMurry at (620) 285-6911 or by visiting the park website at fols_superintendent@nps.gov. Or, write to: Superintendent, Fort Larned National Historic Site, 1767 KS Highway 156, Larned, Kansas 67550.
Fort Scott National Historic Site
The park offers a variety of summer programs and events. For more information about these programs and events, contact the park at (620) 223-0310 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/fosc
2009 Schedule of Events
Civil War Encampment: April 18-19, 2009 - Enjoy a weekend of Civil War history as the Union Army reoccupies Fort Scott.
Highlights in History: May 23-25, July 4-5, September 4-6, 2009 - Celebrate the summer holidays with your family by traveling back to the 19th century and learn what life was like at Fort Scott 150 years ago. Special Tours offered on Memorial Day and Labor Day
Good Ol’ Days: June 6-7, 2009 - Event will highlight the leisure activities of soldiers, particularly hunting and fishing.
Evening Tours: June 20, July 18, August 15
Trailblazer Program: August 3–7, 2009
There is an entrance fee of $3.00 per person for 16 and above.
15 and under are free.
Kentucky
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Independence Day Programs: July 4, 2009, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm - Costumed interpreters from the Frazier International History Museum, Louisville, KY will present two special hour long programs, "Young Abe" at 11:00 a.m. and "Day in a Soldiers Life: the American Civil War" at 2:00 p.m. In addition there will be a living history program with demonstrations about military life during the Civil War. Demonstrations will be from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. (ET).
Labor Day Programs 2009: September 7, 2009, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Costumed interpreters from the Frazier International History Museum will present two hour long programs, "Young Abe" at 11:00 a.m. and a new program, "Mary Chestnut: Life for a Woman from the South during the American Civil War" at 2:00 p.m. All times are Eastern Time. No fees. Contact Steve Brown at (270) 358-3137.
A Walk through Lincoln’s Life: September 9 & 10, 2009, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm – A Walk through Lincoln’s Life is a curriculum-based educational event scheduled to take place at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NHS, south of Hodgenville, KY. This year the program has been expanded to two days to accommodate more school groups. The program this year will be on Wednesday and Thursday, September 9 and 10, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. (ET). Farming, weaving, blacksmithing, period re-enactors, basket making, yarn spinning, and rail-splitting are just a few of the planned activities that will captivate and educate students. Military encampments were familiar sights when Abraham Lincoln and his family were living in Kentucky, and there will be living history demonstrations by soldiers in period dress. Farm animals will be on site for viewing.
Bookstore: Books and Gifts can be purchased from the Eastern National sales area in the Birthplace Unit's Visitor Center. If you are looking for information and educational items about Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War or America's Presidents check out the bookstore in the Birthplace Unit's Visitor Center. The bookstore is operated by Eastern National, a non-profit cooperating association founded in 1947 and authorized by Congress to work with America’s National Parks and other public trusts. The mission of Eastern National is to provide quality educational and interpretive products to the visiting public.
Any item you see in our bookstore can be ordered by mail, by telephone or by visiting the National Parks' Store. If ordering by mail, you may use a personal check made payable to “Eastern National” or you may use a credit or debit card when ordering by phone.
Call (270) 358-0016 or write to Eastern National Bookstore, 2995 Lincoln Farm Road, Hodgenville, KY 42748.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
The park offers a wide variety of ranger led programs and special events during the summer months. For more information about these programs and events, contact the park at (606)248-2817 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/cuga/
Summer Events
Evening Around the Campfire: May 30 - September 5, 2009 - Around the glowing embers of a campfire, tales of long ago begin to emerge. Lean about the lives of the early
settlers traveling the Wilderness Road. Hear intriguing stories of Civil War soldiers during Morgan’s retreat. Listen to the saga of women on the frontier. Learn intriguing tidbits about animals that live in the forest. Every Saturday night at the Wilderness Road
Campground amphitheater at 8:00 p.m.
Life On The Frontier: June 6, July 25, and August 1, 2009 - Whispers of yesteryear emerge as you come face to face with people from the 18th century. Witness their trials and triumphs as they go about their daily lives on the frontier. Smell the aroma of
homemade stew or discover the art of making bullets. Visitor center cabin 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Junior Ranger Peddle-Rama: June 6, 2009 - Bring your bicycles and join the fun on a leisurely bike ride along the Covered Bridge bike trail. Along the way, take a close look … small and wondrous critters are waiting to be discovered. Bike helmets are required.
Iron Furnace Parking area at 10:00 a.m.
Full Moon Hike: June 6, 2009 - As night falls, the forest becomes elusive yet inviting. In
the quietness, nocturnal animals awaken from their slumber. Imagine long ago when a Native American slipped silently through the Gap. Listen carefully … is that a footstep … or just the wind? Thomas Walker parking area at 8:30 p.m.
Foot Stomping Time: June 13, 2009 - Who can resist an evening of pickin’ and grinnin’ that makes the heart sing, the feet stomp and the hands clap with delight! Join rangers for an evening of fun with the bluegrass style of Town Branch Bluegrass. Wilderness Road Campground amphitheater at 8:00 p.m.
Beach to Bluegrass: Places to Brake on Virginia’s Longest Road: June 27, 2009 - Author Joe Tennis unlocks the treasures to be discovered along Hwy 58, Virginia’s long and winding road that links the sandy shores of the Atlantic to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. Visitor center auditorium at 2:00 p.m.
Stringing Along: June 27, 2009 - Bring the family and join in the fun. Listen to the
unique harmonies and wonderful blend of strings as Reel World String Band takes the stage with gusto. Sing along to the old-time music of Appalachia. Wilderness Road Campground amphitheater at 8:00 p.m.
Golden Anniversary Dedication Celebration: July 4, 2009 - The July 4th, 1959 weekend was a buzz as local residents and dignitaries celebrated the dedication of the new Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. 50 years later, the excitement continues with the purchase of lands surrounding Fern Lake and the recently restored Wilderness Road Trail. Festivities galore will mark this day. Activities will be at the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park visitor center.
Junior Ranger Outdoor Skills Adventure: July 18, 2009 - Excitement awaits while learning the skills of outdoor camping. Learn how to build a fire safely. Discover plants
that must be left alone. Learn how to find shelter in a storm. Wilderness Road Campground amphitheater at 10:00 a.m.
Daniel Boone’s Birthday Bash: August 7, 2009 - Join us for a celebration of the 275th anniversary of Boone’s birth. Walk through the Gap with Daniel Boone as he retraces his footsteps that helped transform the colonies into a nation. At the end of the journey, share in his gigantic birthday cake complete with 275 candles. Daniel Boone parking lot at 7:30 p.m.
Junior Ranger Bike Peddle-Thon: August 8, 2009 - Join the fun for a bike excursion along the Wilderness Road Trail. Enjoy the mountain air and watch for critters along the way. Just what lies ahead at the trail’s end? Bike helmets are required. Gibson Station Rails to Trails parking area at 10:00 a.m.
Shooting Star Extravaganza: August 14, 2009 - Summer night skies on Brush Mountain are amazing. Witness one of nature’s most spectacular events. Gaze upward as meteors flash across the moonless sky. Caravan with park rangers to Hensley Settlement and observe the extraordinary Perseid meteor shower. Vehicles must be front- or 4-wheel drive. Meet at the visitor center at 5:30 p.m.
Bugle Blows at The Gap: August 22, 2009 - Hear tales of Civil War soldiers stationed at Cumberland Gap. Tap your toes to the sensational strings of the hammered dulcimer. Listen as Jim Taylor sings haunting ballads of Billy Yank and Johnny Reb. Wilderness Road Campground amphitheater at 8:00 p.m.
From Ireland to America: September 7, 2009 - Catch the rhythmic beat of the banjo. Feel the stir in your heart as Ted Olson sings an Irish folk song. Come…hear stories of early settlers and their music. Visitor center auditorium at 2:00 p.m.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park offers hiking, biking, horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, camping, picnicking, and plenty of caving experiences. Two parks in one – on the surface side you’ll find lush hardwood forests over steep hills and hollows; underground is the longest known cave system in the world.
Introduction to Caving tour: Want to really go caving? Not sure if spelunking is for you? Try Mammoth Cave’s Introduction to Caving tour. This small-group caving challenge allows participants to discover things about the cave and themselves! Caving gone family-style, this trip is for ages 10 and up. Must wear lace-up, over-the-ankle boots with lug soles. 3 ½ hours, 1 mile, limit 20 visitors. Offered daily during summer June-August; check tour times. Purchase tickets online at www.recreation.gov.
Focus on Frozen Niagara: Try your hand at cave photography on the Focus on Frozen Niagara cave tour at Mammoth Cave. This is the only tour at Mammoth Cave where visitors are allowed to their tripods and camera bags into the underground. Extra time is built into this evening tour for camera buffs to find a spot, set their shot and snap it. 1 ¾ hours, ¼ mile, limit 30 visitors. Offered Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 20-August 9, and September 5-6. Purchase tickets online at www.recreation.gov.
Mammoth Cave RR Bike & Hike Trail: This wide, graveled trail follows the remaining portions of the old berm of the Mammoth Cave Railroad, from Park City to Sloan’s Crossing, across Doyel Valley to the park headquarters area near the Mammoth Cave Hotel. It is designed for family biking and hiking. The total length is nine miles, with several entry points so that users may choose to cover the entire length, or opt for shorter segments; two sections detour from the RR route and have steep grades. The park trail connects to the one-mile Park City bike trail, terminating at historic Bell’s Tavern.
Louisiana
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
The six sites of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve offer something for everyone, from history to culture to outdoor adventure. During the summer months there are ranger programs and special events at each of the sites. For outdoor activities in a Louisiana wetland, visit the Barataria Preserve in Marrero. For talks and tours at the site of the War of 1812's Battle of New Orleans, visit Chalmette Battlefield in Chalmette. For a look at the influences that shaped one of America's great cities, visit the French Quarter Visitor Center in New Orleans. For the history of the Acadian (Cajun) people who settled southeast Louisiana, bayou boat tours, and craft demonstrations, visit the Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette. For the prairie Acadian story, cooking and craft demonstrations, and Saturday night at the "Cajun Grand Ole Opry," visit the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice. For bayou boat tours, free jam sessions with local musicians, and the history of Louisiana's bayou country, visit the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux. For more information about these sites and the programs offered, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/jela/.
Summer Camps: Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve will offer camps at many of its six sites in summer 2009. Through games, crafts, mini-workshops with local artisans, hikes, and hands-on activities, campers will explore the cultural diversity that influences life in south Louisiana as well as local land and ecology. Visit the park website to learn more about these camps and how to sign up for one of them.
Cultural Camp at the Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette - campers will learn to make old-time toys, take a boat tour of Bayou Vermilion, make coiled clay pots like the American Indians, enjoy programs by master artisans, and explore Louisiana wildlife, folklore, storytelling, Cajun and zydeco music, and more. Camp registration is going on now and is limited to 24 campers per session on a first-come, first-served basis. Camper registration is not guaranteed until application and fee are received. For more information and application go to www.nps.gov/jela/ or call (337) 232-0789 ext. 17.
Junior Ranger Camp at the Barataria Preserve in Marrero - campers can become Junior Rangers while exploring south Louisiana's nature, culture, and history through games, hikes, hands-on activities, experiments, crafts, music, and more. Presented in partnership with the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Camp registration is going on now. Camp application can be found at www.nps.gov/jela/ or by calling (504) 589-2330 ext. 10 for information.
Summer Culture Fun Days at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice - activities include games, films, storytelling, spinning and weaving, and master musician Hadley Castille's "Evolution of the Fiddle." Campers will also enjoy a field trip to Camp Coushatta in Elton, where young tribal members will share Coushatta Indian traditions. Registration is going on now. For more information and reservations call the center at (337) 457-7700. The center is open Tuesday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Summer Day in the Vieux Carre at the French Quarter Visitor Center in New Orleans - campers will visit historic sites in the French Quarter, ride the steamboat Natchez, enjoy arts and crafts, and experience a day of music at New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Registration begins March 1. Camp registration information is available at www.nps.gov/jela/ or by calling (504) 589-2636 ext. 1.
Wetlands Camp at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux - camps are funded in part by the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program and feature outdoor activities, nature crafts, hands-on experiments, music, games, and cultural explorations. Registration is underway. Call (985) 448-1375 or stop by the center at 314 St. Mary Street to register or for information.
Maine
Acadia National Park
The park offers a variety of ranger-led programs from mid-May through mid-October. Whether you are feeling adventurous and want to explore the park on foot or would rather sit back and relax while you learn, you can find a ranger-led program to suit your interests. Park rangers offer walks, talks, hikes, boat tours, amphitheater programs, and more. For more information about these programs or the opportunities below, contact the park at (207) 288-3338 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/acad.
Children's Programs (June through August): During the summer, families can join park rangers on programs designed for children of all ages. Get a frog’s-eye view of the pond habitat, hike Acadia's trails, read the landscape for its geologic past, and more as you explore the park with a ranger on these fun, free family programs. Children must be accompanied by at least one adult.
Junior Ranger Program (mid-May through mid-October): Kids of all ages can take part in the Junior Ranger Program to learn more about the fascinating world of Acadia National Park. Complete fun activities, participate in ranger-led programs, and take the junior ranger pledge to earn a signed certificate and an embroidered junior ranger patch. Content and number of activities vary based on age. The young at heart can take part, too, with the Senior Ranger Program designed for ages 18 and older.
Special Events
Acadia National Park/Friends of Acadia Events
For more information about the events listed below, co-sponsored by park partner Friends of Acadia, visit the Friends of Acadia website at www.friendsofacadia.org/events.shtml.
Acadia Quest: April 25–November 7, 2009 - Acadia Quest is a series of family-oriented experiences in Acadia National Park that encourage youth to explore, learn, and protect national parks and other conserved lands. Families, friends, relatives, or mentors create a team and complete activities in the park. Locations vary.
National Trails Day and the First-Time Hiker Program: June 6, 2009, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. - Are you unfamiliar with the park or looking for a way to get your kids outdoors? Join a ranger on a short guided walk while learning how to Leave No Trace and be prepared with the 10 essentials in your daypack—or participate in a spring clean-up on the carriage roads. Park headquarters.
Acadia Adventures - Family Fun Day: July 12, 2009, 2–5 p.m. - Celebrate summer in Acadia! Join Friends of Acadia and park rangers for special field-day activities designed to help kids connect with nature and develop a sense of stewardship for Acadia National Park. Sieur de Monts Spring.
Take Pride in Acadia Day: November 7, 2009, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. - Leaf rakers wanted! Join park staff and Friends of Acadia to clear drainages along the carriage roads in preparation for winter. This valuable volunteer event reduces erosion from rain, ice, and thawing during winter and spring. Park headquarters.
International Year of Astronomy - Join Acadia National Park and local communities to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. The park will celebrate all things celestial through a series of family-friendly night sky programs throughout the summer, culminating in the Acadia Night Sky Festival on September 17–20, 2009. Locations vary.
Bookstore: Eastern National bookstores in the park carry a wide variety of educational items, including books, maps, videos, notecards, and more. Eastern National bookstores are located at Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Sieur de Monts Nature Center, Park Headquarters Information Center, Blackwoods and Seawall Campgrounds, and the Islesford Historical Museum. Eastern National is a nonprofit agency that provides quality educational products and services to America’s national parks and other public trusts. Eastern National’s contributions have benefited parks and visitors by supporting research, educational, and interpretive projects. For more information about the bookstore, visit www.nps.gov/acad/supportyourpark/bookstore.htm.
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
The park offers a small selection of ranger-led programs from mid-June through mid-September. Stroll the mainland interpretive trail on your own, or join a ranger for a more in-depth learning experience; either option is available to suit your interests. Park rangers offer talks, walks, and basket-weaving demonstrations. For more information about these programs or the opportunities below, contact the park at (207) 454-3871 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/sacr.
Special Events: June 27, 2009 – Join park staff for a day of activities to commemorate 405 years since the French attempted a permanent settlement on Saint Croix Island. Talk to Pierre Dugua Sieur de Mons (national park costumed interpreter), the leader of the 1604 French expedition. Participate in ranger-led programs designed to introduce you to the significance of the site. Meet members of Maine’s Passamaquoddy Tribe, whose ancestors were present when the French first arrived. Meet and listen to Passamaquoddy drummers during an opening ceremony. Try your hand at weaving a few rows of a Passamaquoddy basket following a short demonstration and explanation of basket-weaving techniques.
Junior Ranger Program (mid-June through mid-October): Kids of all ages can take part in the Junior Ranger Program to learn more about the fascinating history of Saint Croix Island. Complete fun activities, talk to a ranger, and take the junior ranger pledge to earn a signed certificate and an embroidered junior ranger patch. Content and number of activities vary based on age. This program is free of charge.
Bookstore: The Eastern National bookstore located in the park’s ranger station carries a variety of educational items, including books, bilingual maps (French-English), music CDs, and more. Eastern National is a nonprofit agency that provides quality educational products and services to America’s national parks and other public trusts. Eastern National’s contributions have benefited parks and visitors by supporting research, educational, and interpretive projects. For more information about the bookstore, visit www.nps.gov/acad/supportyourpark/bookstore.htm.