Find Your Park and Celebrate the 99th Birthday of the National Park Service

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Date: August 24, 2015
Contact: Sarah Olson, 845-229-9115 x2033

The National Park Service is turning 99 years old on August 25 and the Roosevelt –Vanderbilt National Historic Sites want to give you a present –free admission! They are also marking the event by breaking ground for the restoration of the Roosevelt Home Garden by tilling the two-acre garden site.This garden restoration is supported by the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt Conservancy, a partner of the NPS which is working to raise funds and assist with launching the project. The Conservancy's outreach activities and financial support will ensure that the project can reach its full potential. People can contact the Conservancy at info@consevancy.org to help support the project. The tilling will take place throughout the late morning and afternoon on Tuesday, weather permitting.

The Roosevelt vegetable or Home Garden was central to family life.FDR grew up playing in the garden and savoring its bounty.His memories of the garden and the surrounding fields and forests helped shape his values, sense of identity, and deep connection to his Hudson Valley home.The large garden will provide fertile ground for exploring both Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's ties to the land and their deep interests in ensuring an ample food supply for the nation.The NPS envisions the garden operation as involving extensive support from volunteers.Educational activities for all ages, still in the planning stage, will accompany the project.

But the Home Garden will be only one of six gardens located throughout the three Historic Sites -- the FDR Home, Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill and the Vanderbilt Mansion.In keeping with the Find Your Park theme leading up to the NPS Centennial in 2016, the NPS encourages you to also Find Your Garden when you visit.

Park Superintendent Sarah Olson noted that "the 99th birthday of the NPS seemed the perfect moment to break ground on this exciting centennial project.With the important support of our project partner, the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt Conservancy, the Home Garden is well positioned to nurture 21st Century park stewards and engage people in the value of working the land to ensure a sustainable food supply for all."

On Aug. 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation to create the National Park Service. Today, there are 408 national parks throughout the country and each one tells an important part of the American story.President Franklin Roosevelt's substantial expansion of the national park system during the 1930s largely shaped the national park system of today.

Learn more about the parks at www.nps.gov/hofrand visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/HOFRNHS, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.



Last updated: August 25, 2015

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Mailing Address:

4097 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538

Phone:

845-229-6225
For Information about the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites.

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