My Park Story: Sarah Scruggs

Malak Ghazal

Meet Sarah Scruggs, a historic preservationist at Channel Islands National Park.

“I've always had a deep connection and appreciation for history, particularly where stories have been obscured. I don't think I really understood the gravity of that connection until I was in college. In my first historic preservation class we were discussing architectural styles and the examples used were of buildings my enslaved ancestors had built. Personally, preservation has always held a deep meaning because I recognize the unpaid labor and huge debt owed to those who provided that labor--especially the ones within my own family tree.

I got into preservation because of my interest in learning about and interacting with history and historic resources. I finished my degree in Historic Preservation and joined the historic preservation corps with Student Conservation Association. This experience was life changing and had a significant impact on my career. Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

It's an interesting position because our day-to-day, hands-on work contributes to the nation's narrative and can speak to what stories we prioritize. It's an exciting time to be doing this work now that there's been a significant movement towards recognizing the entire history of the land we occupy. I'm happy to see a shift to prioritize and uplift the cultures and people that have previously been disregarded and making positive progress in this field and within the National Park Service.”

You can share your story by using the hashtags #YourParkStory and #MyParkStory.