My Park Story: Henry Curletti

The City of Boston behind Henry

Henry Curletti

1. Where are you from?

I grew up in the small town of West Stockbridge, in Berkshire County Massachusetts.


2. What interested you in the National Park Service?

I’ve always enjoyed spending time outdoors. As a child and young adult, I spent most of my free time, fishing, hunting, hiking and biking the numerous trails throughout Berkshire County. Working for the National Park Service allows me to contribute to the preservation and protection of some of the most beautiful places in the natural world.

Henry on a bike in Boston

Henry Curletti

3. Do you remember the first park you visited?
My family has always vacationed on Cape Cod, MA. I have so many wonderful memories of spending whole days playing with my four older brothers on the beaches of Cape Cod National Seashore. I also have a great memory of when I was around twelve years old, and my family hiked down the Grand Canyon and stayed two nights at the Phantom Ranch. To this day it’s still one of the most exhilarating and memorable adventures I’ve ever experienced.

4. What is your background, college, study?
I received my Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Studies with a minor in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It was through the continuing education department at UMASS that I attended the Conservation Law Enforcement Academy, which provided me with the initial training needed to become a seasonal US Park Ranger.

Henry at Saratoga NHP

Henry Curletti

5. What has been your path in the NPS? Other parks worked in?
While working on my degree at UMASS, I spent three summers as a seasonal Park Ranger at CACO. After graduating, I accepted a permanent Park Ranger position at Boston National Historical Park, where I worked for the next eight years. From BOST I went to Saratoga National Historical Park. Then just last year I took the opportunity to lateral down here to ROVA. I completed my LE field training at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and have worked temporary details for Lowell National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and here at ROVA.

6. What is your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part of the job is being outside in the Park, whether patrolling trails on foot, bike paths on bike, or the backcountry by ATV or snowmobile. I take a great deal of pride in helping to protect and preserve so many beautiful and historically important places. I also really love meeting and talking with visitors from all around the world and from all walks of life.

Henry fishing.

Henry Curletti

7. Any favorite or funny memories of the job?
I can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t so funny at the time. It was my first or second day on the job at BOST. I was in the process of conducting a vehicle stop for a minor traffic violation, when I somehow managed to lock myself out of my patrol vehicle. Of course, I immediately let the person go with a verbal warning, and then was forced to stand on the side of a busy city street for about fifteen minutes while one of my coworkers brought me an extra set of keys. Deservedly, I received weeks of good-natured ribbing from the crew for that one.

8. Do you have any hobbies outside of the job?
I still spend most of my free time outside, hiking, fishing, riding dirt bikes, skiing, etc. Now I get to do all those fun things with my wife and two children. We also have a six-year-old lab rescue named Toula and a rescue tuxedo cat named Findus. My brothers and I still try to meet up out on the Cape for a week in the summer with our families (only now there’s around thirty of us). Life is good.