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National Park Service News Release Fort Stanwix National Monument: Frank Barrows, 315-336-3113
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, Megan O'Malley, 518-758-9689 ext. 2002
Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, Larry Turk, 845-229-9115 x 2013
Saratoga National Historical Park: Amy Bracewell, 518-670-2940
Albany Capital District National Parks Invite Everyone to
#FindYourPark for the Centennial
The national parks in upstate New York invite visitors of all ages to join in the celebration of the 100th birthday of the National Park Service. As parks reflect on the August 25, 1916 event that established "America's Best Idea," the National Park Service is encouraging everyone to #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque for the centennial. With special events planned locally and across the country, and free admission to all 412 national parks from August 25 through August 28, there are many opportunities for citizens to connect with these special places.
"August-our birthday month-will be a nationwide celebration of national parks, and we're inviting everyone to the park," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "We like to think that we look pretty good for 100, and with so many events and activities to commemorate this milestone, we hope all Americans will join us to celebrate the breathtaking landscapes and inspiring history in our nation's parks and public lands. Whether it is in a distant state or in your own community, there are hundreds of ways and places to find your park!"
Capital District Events
National parks throughout the Albany Capital District have planned special events and activities to mark this momentous occasion. Fort Stanwix National Monument
On Thursday, August 25, Fort Stanwix National Monument is inviting the public to celebrate two historic milestones at the park! 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the site being open to the public and the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service.
Throughout the day, visitors will enjoy interactive experiences, such as a "Happy Birthday, National Park Service" photo station, a share your park experience memory wall, birthday card signings, an unveiling of artwork that was created just for the occasion, and more. The first 100 visitors to the park will receive a 10% discount on their total park purchase in the Eastern National Bookstore that day. A birthday cake will be shared with the public at 1 p.m. in the visitor center.
The celebration continues into the evening at the Rome Capitol Theatre at 7 p.m. when a 1916 throwback Thursday movie showing will be held in honor of the National Park Service Centennial birthday. Experience the adventure of an evening's entertainment from a hundred years ago, featuring a Charlie Chaplin short, an episode of the thrilling serial The Hazards of Helen, and the main feature attraction, Gretchen the Greenhorn, starring Dorothy Gish. Avery Tunningley at the organ. The admission is 10 cents, based on the 1916 price for a night at the movies.
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site is planning a full day of activities to celebrate the centennial birthday. Visitors to the site on August 25 will enjoy a variety of activities that will appeal to multiple ages and interests. Share your past, present, and future by taking a selfie that the park will print to create a community photo collage. From 12-2 p.m., young visitors will be able to participate in pony rides to learn about different modes of transportation during the 19th century. There will also be 19th century games, activities to learn more about the history of the National Park Service, and a tree planting ceremony at 2 p.m. Birthday cake will be served after the ceremony. Park grounds are open from 7 a.m. until sunset and house tours will be available on the hour from 9-4.
Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites
In addition to entrance fees being waived to the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, and the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site from August 25-28, the parks are celebrating the National Park Service anniversary with a special evening Centennial Founders Day Concert on the front lawn of the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site on Wednesday, August 24, at 6:30 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs, and blankets and have a picnic while enjoying music performed by the West Point Military Academy Band. Come early to get a good spot on the lawn. A special commemorative National Park Centennial coin will be given to the first 1000 families attending the concert. Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is located on Route 9 in Hyde Park, NY.
Saratoga National Historical Park
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is returning to Saratoga National Historical Park to celebrate the birthday of the National Park Service! On the 100th anniversary of the Service's creation, historian and actor Gary Stamm will present a remarkable performance as Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In the fashion of his famous "fireside chats," FDR will visit with the park's audience around a bonfire where visitors may create s'mores while listening to stories from the president responsible for establishing Saratoga NHP. The event will begin at 6 p.m. on the visitor center patio and is sponsored by the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield, who will be providing the supplies for the s'mores. Visitors are encouraged to bring a camp chair.
Trip Itineraries
If you are looking for activities outside of the birthday celebrations, find your way to some of the best historic, cultural and natural resources and recreational experiences available with Find Your Park itineraries. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has created individualized trip itineraries that feature a national park and nearby canal-related experiences. www.eriecanalway.org
National Initiatives
Whether visitors are planning trips to national parks or want to connect virtually, there are many ways to get involved in the birthday celebration. A sampling of additional events nationwide is available on the National Park Service website www.nps.gov, www.findyourpark.com, and www.encuentratuparque.com.
To participate virtually in the centennial celebration, visitors are encouraged to connect through social media. A Few opportunities include:
Picture yourself in a park with a Pic Your Park selfie! https://picyourpark.findyourpark.com/
On August 22, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation will illuminate the iconic New York City skyline. Through a partnership with One World Trade Center and Brooklyn Bridge Park, the event will allow participants to control the color of the One World Trade Center Spire for the first time ever by working together to solve interactive, collaborative puzzles on a giant digital circuit board. For those who want to follow the excitement remotely, the Statue of Liberty's webcam of New York Harbor, will offer views of the city courtesy of Earthcam. For more information, please go the park exchange website.
Have a question about the parks? Want to connect with other park fans nationwide? Twitter users are encouraged to join in the #FindYourPark Twitter Chat on August 23 at 1 p.m. ET. Join the National Park Foundation and many other national partners for the Centennial for a national Twitter Chat to celebrate the NPS birthday week.
Entrance Fees Waived for the NPS Birthday through the Weekend
Park entrance fees will be waived nationwide from August 25 through August 28 to encourage everyone to celebrate the NPS 100th birthday. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
To continue the national park adventure beyond these entrance fee free days, the $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 sites, including all national parks, throughout the year. There are also a variety of free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current military members, fourth grade students, and disabled citizens.
Find Your Park to Celebrate the Centennial
On August 25, 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for future generations."
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of that moment and to look ahead to the next 100 years, in early 2015 the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation launched the Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque movement. Inspiring people from all backgrounds to celebrate and support America's national parks and community-based programs, #FindYourPark / #EncuentraTuParque invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation's natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.
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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 412 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter at www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
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Last updated: August 21, 2016