July 2009

Parktips is a monthly compilation of newsworthy items and story ideas from the National Park Service. A new edition is posted on the first week of each month on our Internet site: http://www.nps.gov/news -- Just click on the Story Leads link to access Parktips. You can view past issues of Parktips ... You can also receive a personal copy of Parktips, via e-mail or fax, by registering at our World Wide Web site.

Volunteers invited to join Manzanar archeological digs
(California) -- From July 3 to July 7, July 31 to August 4, and August 28 to September 2, National Park Service archeologist Jeff Burton will supervise a crew of archeologists and volunteers in uncovering and stabilizing features at Manzanar National Historic Site. Projects at Manzanar’s Chicken Farm, Camouflage Net Factory and Merritt Park will preserve important cultural resources and offer opportunities to learn about the experiences of Japanese Americans at Manzanar during World War II. For more information, please contact Alisa Lynch or Carrie Andrese at 760/878-2194 ext. 2711 or ext. 2714.

Of the Student, By the Student, For the Student
(West Virginia) – Students of Harpers Ferry Middle School conceived and created six videos (vodcasts) for a Service Learning Project that interpret the history of the John Brown Raid from their perspectives. The presentations will be used by the National Park Service and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership (JTHGP) to help educate visitors to the region about the significance of the John Brown Raid. The project, supported by the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the JTHGP, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is a model intended to spur service learning at other federal, state, tribal, community, and local historic properties across the nation. The student presentations can be viewed or downloaded at http://www.harpersferryhistory.org/johnbrown/videocasts.htm. For more information, please contact Dennis Frye at 304/535-6158.

Explore the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
(Washington) -- Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle is showing an exhibit to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, an event that gathered together exhibits from around the world, celebrated the economic strength of the Pacific Northwest and focused national attention on the city of Seattle. The exhibit features photographs, postcards and souvenirs from the Exposition and illustrates how memories of the Klondike Gold Rush influenced the formation of the Exposition. For more information, please contact Sean O'Meara at 206/220-4234.

Yosemite exhibit features works by artists-in-residence
(California) -- The Yosemite Museum Gallery is featuring an exhibit through November 8 that showcases work from seven professional artists, all part of the Yosemite National Park’s Artists-in-Residence program. The exhibit includes paintings, prints, drawings, fabric art and sculptures by John Barnett, Jane Culp, Tom Killion, Bruce Klein, Hearne Pardee, Bonnie Peterson and Gina Werfel. The residence program, coordinated by Yosemite Renaissance, allows professional artists to live in Yosemite for up to one month. If you are visiting Yosemite we encourage you to stop by the Yosemite Museum Gallery to see these accomplished artists’ interpretations of the beauty that is Yosemite. For more information, please contact Barbara Beroza at 209/372-0297 or Robert Woolard at 209/372- 4946.

Ambassadors for Wilderness program reaches out to area youth
(Colorado) -- Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is engaging local high school students from the San Luis Valley of Colorado in experiential outdoor learning with its "Ambassadors for Wilderness" summer program. Students from all 14 SLV high schools were invited to participate in this free program, taught by Park Rangers and Teacher-Ranger-Teachers. The Ambassadors for Wilderness program teaches outdoor and leadership skills which the students use on an extended wilderness hike, and introduces them to a variety of National Park Service professionals and careers. For more information, please contact Carol Sperling at 719/378-6341.

Acadia celebrates International Year of Astronomy
(Maine) -- In honor of the International Year of Astronomy, Acadia National Park will host biweekly Stars Over Sand Beach programs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting at 9:30 pm in July and 9 pm in August. Visitors are invited to join a ranger to discover the wonders of Acadia’s night sky. Stars Over Sand Beach will be joined by the Night Sky Scoping program on weekends, August 8-30. For more information, please contact Sonya Berger at 207/288-8803.

Out and about: A day at Catoctin Mountain with park rangers
(Maryland) -- Rangers at Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park invite children ages 6-12 to join them as they take care of the great outdoors. Participants will see what rangers do, hike with rangers, enjoy a Scales & Tales activity and learn about stream health. These events, each scheduled from 10 am to 2:30 pm rain or shine, will take place July 15 at Owen`s Creek Picnic Area in Catoctin Mountain Park; July 22 at the Manor Area of Cunningham Falls State Park; and July 29 at William Houck Picnic Area in Cunningham Falls State Park. Register for any or all three of these free events at 301/663-9388. Limit 24 participants. For more information, please contact Christopher Elbich at 301/663-9388.

Monocacy museum program recognized
(Maryland) -- The Tourism Council of Frederick County, Maryland recently recognized Monocacy National Battlefield with the Joy Reese Derr Award for exceptional advancement in the public dimension of museum work. Monocacy has become one of the most active and productive participants in the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium. With expanded services and programs since the new Visitor Center opened in 2007, it has become one of Frederick County’s most highly visited attractions. For more information, please contact Cathy Beeler at 301/662-3515 ext.26.

Gettysburg Battle Anniversary programs
(Pennsylvania) -- To commemorate the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1-3, Rangers will present special anniversary battle walks and “Real-Time” programs to explore key events during the three day battle. These guided walks cover grounds that have recently been returned to their 1863 appearance as a result of battlefield rehabilitation efforts. For details visit http://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/gettdivsprograms.htm. For more information, please contact Katie Lawhon at 717/334-1124 x3121.

Celebrating Independence in your National Parks
(Nationwide) – National Park Service sites across the nation are planning special programs during the week surrounding July 4 to commemorate the birth of the United States and American Independence. The National Park Service has developed a website to assist visitors as they make plans to visit national parks this Independence Day. To learn more, visit http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/inde/celebrate.htm. For more information, please contact Gerry Gaumer at 202/208-6843.

Campfire talks - "Little house on the fall line"
(Virginia) --Join Ranger Mary to learn about life on the fall line in the 19th century. Learn how to make butter and corn husk dolls at 8 pm on July 4 at the Oak Ridge Campground Amphitheater. The fall line, which runs through Prince William Forest Park, is the meeting place of the Coastal Plain and Piedmont geophysical zones where many colonial and 19th century farmers settled. For more information, please contact Laura Cohen at 703/221-7181.

Historic cabin camp tours
(Virginia) -- The five cabin camps in Prince William Forest Park tell stories of struggle and triumph during the Great Depression and valor and bravery during World War II. Tour Cabin Camp 3 to learn about the architectural design and social history of these cabins. These one-mile tours are schedule at 10:30 am on July 4 and July 18. Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and good walking shoes. Details are listed at http://www.nps.gov/prwi/planyourvisit/events.htm . For more information, please contact Laura Cohen at 703/221-7181.

Sagamore Hill presents summer Sunday programs
(New York) -- Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, home of Theodore Roosevelt in Oyster Bay, Long Island, will present free programs on Sundays at 2 pm during July and August. These programs include music, arts and crafts, storytelling, and horse and carriage demonstrations. The series kicks of July 5 with professional storyteller Jonathon Kruk. For details about these programs, visit www.nps.gov/sahi or call 516/922-4788. For more information, please contact Scott Gurney at 516/922-4788.

Battlefield ecology at Saratoga National Historical Park
(New York) -- Explore the wild-side of a battlefield! It's no wonder Saratoga was at the heart of struggles for dominance - its natural resources are among the most valuable in the nation. The battlefield is a haven for wildlife and a blast to explore. Discover nature's secrets through hands-on experiments with a park ranger. These free one-hour programs start at 6:30 pm on July 7 and July 14. Meet at the flag pole in the parking lot, bring water, insect repellant and be prepared to walk in wild fields. For event details call 518/664-9821 ext. 224. For more information, please contact Gina Johnson at 518/664-9821 ext. 227.

Tour the Pell’s Point Battlefield with St. Paul’s Church
(New York) – On July 8, join the staff of St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site at 10:30 am for a walking tour of portions of the Split Rock Golf Course, in Pelham Bay Park, site of the Revolutionary War battle of Pell's Point. Advance reservations are required as space is limited; call 914/667-4116 for details. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212/668-2208.

We hold these truths to be self-evident …
(New York) -- Join National Park Service Rangers at Federal Hall National Memorial on July 9 for a day-long celebration of the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in New York City (July 1776) with lectures and interactive programs. Also participating with a Document Discovery Day will be representatives of the National Archives and Records Administration. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212/668-2208.

12th National Trails System Conference
(Montana) -- The National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and the Partnership for the National Trails System are sponsoring the 12th Conference on National Scenic and Historic Trails on July 10-15 in Missoula, with field trips on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Lewis & Clark and Nez Perce National Historic Trails. Rick Potts, NPS Chief of Conservation and Outdoor Recreation, will be the opening keynote speaker. A new feature this year is scholarships for young adults (ages 18-35) involved with the trails -- so far 35 have applied and available funding will ensure that almost all applicants can participate. Details are posted at http://www.nationaltrailspartnership.org/. For more information, please contact Steve Elkinton at 202/354-6938; during the week of the conference please contact Wendy Raney at 575/447-4685.

Ceremony to honor Mary McLeod Bethune
(Washington, DC) -- The National Park Service and the National Council of Negro Women will commemorate the 134th birthday celebration of Mary McLeod Bethune with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Bethune Memorial Statue on July 10. Bethune founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial School for Negro Girls in 1904, and she worked tirelessly to influence legislation affecting African Americans and women. She continued to be an important voice for human rights until her death in 1955 at the age of 79. Those wishing to attend should gather in Lincoln Park at the 12-foot tall Bethune Statue. For event details call 202/673-2402. For more information, please contact Janet Braxton at 202/692-6033.

Cultural Festival Celebrates Pele
(Hawaii) -- E Ho‘omau i ka Po‘ohala …carry on the virtues, arts, and skills of the family at Hawai‘i Volcanoes' 29th Annual Cultural Festival set for Saturday, July 11 from 10 am to 3 pm. This year's theme is E Ola ka Wahine o Halema‘uma‘u, Pele lives. For many Native Hawaiians, Halema‘uma‘u crater, which has been in eruption since March 2008, is the sacred home of Pele, deity of volcanoes. Festival visitors can taste traditional area foods such as kalua pig, taro, sweet potato, poi, sugar cane, and breadfruit. Skilled practitioners will demonstrate numerous trades, including wood carving, canoe building, and do lomilomi massage. Visitors can try their skill at traditional crafts such as making leis, wood fishhooks, lauhala bracelets and coconut baskets. For more information, please contact Mardie Lane at 808/985-6018.

Summer Stewardship Day at Indiana Dunes
(Indiana) -- Join a ranger and lend a hand to help improve a neighborhood national park on July 11 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Meet at the Indian Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center and car-pool to the site. For more information, please contact Lynda Lancaster at 219/395-1682.

American Indian Heritage Celebration at Effigy Mounds
(Iowa) – Effigy Mounds National Monument’s 60th Anniversary year will be highlighted by a Native American Heritage Celebration of American Indian arts and culture on July 10-11. Music and dance performances will take place at 7 pm on Friday and again on Saturday at 10 am and 4 pm. Saturday will also feature cultural exhibits, crafts, art demonstrators, traditional American Indian food and storytelling. Details are posted at http://www.nps.gov/efmo/planyourvisit/specialevents.htm. Effigy Mounds is a sacred Native American site affiliated with 12 federally recognized tribes. For more information, please contact Kenneth Block at 563/873-3491.

Outdoor Sports Expo at Catoctin Mountain
(Maryland) -- Catoctin Mountain Park will host an Outdoor Sports Expo on July 11. The event begins at 2:30 pm at the Visitor Center with a book signing of The Best in Tent Camping - Maryland by author Evan Balkan. Clyde Hicks, proprietor of the Trail House in Frederick, Maryland will showcase innovative and traditional hiking and camping equipment at the Owens Creek Campground Amphitheater from 6 to 8 pm. Evan Balkan will join Mr. Hicks to share information about tent camping locations in Maryland. For more information, please contact Debra Mills at 301/663-9388.

Monocacy commemorates the Battle that saved Washington
(Maryland) -- The 145th anniversary of the “Battle that Saved Washington” will be commemorated through living history demonstrations and ranger-led battlefield hikes on July 11 and 12 at Monocacy National Battlefield. For event details call 301/662-3515. For more information, please contact Cathy Beeler at 301/662-3515 ext.26.

In Search of Westchester’s Paul Revere with St. Paul’s Church
(New York) – At 2 p.m. on July 11, historical speaker Vin Dacquino will recount the inspiring story of a teenager who helped summon local militia to halt a British invasion in 1777. He will also share his interesting search for the story of the youngster’s life. Also planned are a performance of American Revolution songs, a demonstration about the use of the church as a wartime field hospital and a tour of the historic cemetery. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212/668-2208.

Philadelphia’s Presidential residence reopens
(Pennsylvania) -- The Germantown White House (Deshler-Morris House), the oldest surviving presidential residence in the United States, is re-opening on July 11, after extensive renovation. Washington came here in 1793 seeking a refuge from the yellow fever epidemic and returned with his family and household in the summer of 1794. The house hosted cabinet meetings and family gatherings. This project included an extensive restoration, a geothermal heating/cooling system and new interactive exhibits. A public grand Re-Opening Ceremony will take place on July 10, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm at 5507 Germantown Avenue, the Impacting Your World Christian Center on Market Square. The Germantown White House will be open to the public, free of charge, Wednesdays through Sundays, noon to 4 pm. For more information, please contact Ann Dadura at 215/597-7130.

Acadia adventures: Family Fun Day
(Maine) -- Acadia National Park and Friends of Acadia will hold the fourth annual Family Fun Day from 2 to 5 pm on July 12 at Sieur de Monts Spring in the park. This event includes activities for families with children aged 2–12. Park rangers and volunteers will present a wide range of activities, including storytelling, nature walks, GPS and fly-fishing demos, arts and crafts, and more. Wild Gardens of Acadia and the Abbe Museum are hosting the event with individual activities sponsored by local organizations. For more information, please visit www.friendsofacadia.org/or contact Kate Petrie at 207/288-8808.

Jousting in July: Horse-ing Around at Hampton
( Maryland) -- See Maryland’s State Sport in action at Hampton National Historic Site ! On July 12 at 1 pm and 2 pm, j ousters on the North Lawn of the mansion will display the skilled sport by catching small hoops on their lances while racing across the green. Victorian games such as town ball will be played on the North Lawn. For more information, please contact Kirby Shedlowski at 410/823-1309 ext.237 or visit www.nps.gov/hamp.

Golden Rose award winner presented
(Massachusetts) -- Charles Simic, Poet Laureate of the United States from 2007-2008, will receive the 2009 Golden Rose Award from the New England Poetry Club and will read from his work at 4 pm on July 12. Simic has published over 20 volumes of poetry, including his collection The World Doesn’t End: Prose Poems, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1990. He has received numerous awards, including those from the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. He has also served as the Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. For more information, please contact Nancy Jones at 617/876-4491.

Summer lecture series at Governors Island
(New York) – Governors Island National Monument is hosting a summer lecture series that takes place most weekends in July and beyond. Presentations will be in Pershing Hall unless otherwise indicated. This month’s events start on July 12, with members of the Long Island Writers’ Guild reading of original works. See the full schedule at http://www.nps.gov/gois/. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212/668-2208.

Defend Wall Street: The Draft Riots of 1863
(New York) – On July 13, rangers at Federal Hall National Memorial will present Defend Wall Street – The Draft Riots of 1863. Throughout the day, NPS staff in period clothing and uniforms discuss the Draft Riots and the defense of the building by the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines and NY Police Department. There will be a moment of silence at noon to commemorate those who died defending New York’s citizens. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212/668-2208.

Bayonets, Musket Ball & Ship’s Bread at St. Paul’s Church
(New York) –Witness a costumed demonstration about the life of a Revolutionary War soldier at 12:15 p.m. on July 15 at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site. Beverages will be provided and there will be activities for children before the program. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212/668-2208.

Four nights of peace, love & music: A Castle Clinton tribute to Woodstock
(New York) – Castle Clinton National Monument will host a concert series as part of the River to River Festival in New York City. The free Thursday night concerts will take place at 7 p.m. Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra plays music of Sly & the Family Stone "It's a Family Affair" on July 16.; Richie Havens will perform on July 23; Arlo Guthrie on July 30; and John Kelly sings The Joni Mitchell Songbook: "Songs for a Shiny Hot Night" on August 6. For more information, please contact Mindi Rambo at 212/668-2208.

Stellar views at Fort Pickens
(Florida) -- Gulf Islands National Seashore will offer free stargazing programs on Fridays, July 17, August 14, September 18 and October 16 from sunset to 10 p.m. at the Battery Worth Picnic Area of Fort Pickens Area. Weather permitting, volunteers from the Escambia Amateur Astronomers' Association will set up several telescopes for public viewing. There is an $8 entrance fee to the Fort Pickens Area. For details, call the Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center at 850/934-2600 or visit www.nps.gov/guis. For more information, please contact Gail Bishop at 850/934-2618 or Stanley Lawhead at 850/934-2629.

Fee free weekend: July 18-19
(Nationwide) -- National Park Service sites that charge entrance fees will waive these fees on July 18-19. Many park partners including tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops and other vendors will offer additional discounts and special promotions during this weekend. The waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors -such as fees charged for camping, reservations, tours and use of concessions. Information on the fees and discounts is posted at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm. For more information, please contact Kathy Kupper at 202/208-6843.

Movies under the stars at the LBJ Ranch
(Texas) -- "The Green Berets", a 1968 movie directed and starring John Wayne will be shown outdoors at the LBJ Ranch near the historic airplane hangar on July 18. The movie starts approximately 9 pm, LBJ Ranch gates open at 7:30 pm. For details, call 830/868-7128 ext. 244. For more information, please contact Liz Lindig at 830/868-7128, ext. 231. 

Commemoration of the First Battle of Manassas
(Virginia) -- The commemoration of the First Battle of Manassas (or Bull Run) will be observed on July 18 with Union and Confederate living history encampments, and musketry and artillery demonstrations on Henry Hill. Ranger-guided tours will cover major phases of the battle at Matthews Hill, Henry Hill, and Chinn Ridge. The day's events will conclude with an evening concert at 6 pm by the musical duo, Evergreen Shade, in the Visitor Center auditorium. For more information, please contact Ray Brown at 703/361-1339 ext. 1203.

Grand Tetons look to the stars
(Wyoming) -- On July 19 Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole Astronomy Club will celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. Bob Hoyle, astronomy expert and park ranger naturalist, will give an evening program, at 9:30 p.m. at the Gros Ventre campground amphitheater, focusing on American Indian mythology and the use of the sky and its celestial bodies in cultural history. Following the program large telescopes will be set up for night sky viewing. Visitors should dress warmly as evening temperatures in Grand Teton can be quite chilly, even during summer. For details, call 307/739-3594. For information on the International Year of Astronomy, visit www.astronomy2009.org . For more information, please contact Jackie Skaggs at 307/739-3393.

Pinhook Bog Open House
(Indiana) -- Rangers along the boardwalk trail at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore will reveal the insect eating monsters of this true quaking bog between noon and 3 pm on July 25. Start no later than 2 pm at the Pinhook Bog parking lot and take as much time as you like on this self-guiding hike. For more information, please contact Lynda Lancaster at 219/395-1682.

For the latest news and press information from NPS, visit http://www.nps.gov/news.

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Last Update July 1, 2009 - 03:54 p.m.
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