Cape Cod National Seashore to Celebrate Founders Day on August 25

Date: August 21, 2013
Contact: Kat McCracken, 508-957-0701

This year marks the 97^th anniversary of the National Park Service, and Cape Cod National Seashore will join the 400 other units of the National Park System in celebration on August 25^th. Each year the National Park Service celebrates its birthday and everyone is invited to join the party! In 1916 the National Park Service was established to preserve and manage our nation's most significant places for all to enjoy. From the earliest parks, such as Yellowstone and Sequoia, today's National Park System has grown to encompass national parks, seashores, battlefields, monuments, rivers and trails, historic sites, and recreation areas.

On Sunday, August 25 the $15 entrance fee at the six Cape Cod National Seashore beaches will be waived. These beaches are Coast Guard and Nauset Light in Eastham; Marconi in Wellfleet; Head of the Meadow in Truro; and Race Point and Herring Cove in Provincetown.

In addition, there will be several interpretive activities and open houses at historic buildings on August 25 to help visitors understand the significance of some of Cape Cod National Seashore's resources.

Lighthouses:Highland (Cape Cod) Light in Truro will be open from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Operated by Highland Museum and Light, Inc., the fee is $4, and children must be 48" or taller to climb the light. Nauset Light in Eastham will be open from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. Volunteers from the Nauset Light Preservation Society lead these free tours. A tour of the Three Sisters Lights in Eastham will step off at 5:00 PM. The free tour begins at the northeast corner of the Nauset Light Beach parking area.

Ranger-Guided Canoe Trip:Experience the national seashore from the water on a Salt Pond Paddle canoe trip. The 1-1/2-hour, reservations-only program will start at 2:30 PM. The cost is $17 for adults and $12 per child (minimum age 6). Call [phone] x 18 to register and pay.

Ranger-Guided Dune Walk: Learn how the Province Lands area of Provincetown has always been public land, similar to national parks, during this free, 1 hour, 1 mile walk into the dunes and among wild cranberry bogs. Meet at the Province Lands Visitor Center at 10:00 AM. No reservations are required.

Old Harbor Life-Saving Station: This 1898 station was a hub of activity during the time that our oceans served as highways, and before the advent of modern navigation systems designed to prevent shipwrecks. Browse through the building between 2:00 and 4:00 PM to view rescue equipment and to see how the lifesaving crews lived. The station is located at Race Point Beach, Provincetown.

For more information about programs at Cape Cod National Seashore, visit www.nps.gov/caco.