News Release

Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Celebrates National Public Lands Day with Sculptural Visions and Star Party, September 24

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Date: September 12, 2022
Contact: Rainey McKenna, 802-478-4160

On Saturday, September 24, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park will host its annual Sculptural Visions event and a Star Party for National Public Lands Day. Sculptural Visions will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Star Party will take place from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Entry to the park is free for National Public Lands Day.

Sculptural Visions is the park’s annual celebration of sculpture. Demonstrations, programs, and hands-on activities for all ages will take place throughout the day. Artists will demonstrate different sculptural techniques, including clay modeling, stone carving, metal and wire working, and mixed media.

“Sculptural Visions is a chance to see the many forms sculpture can take, and the wide array of materials artists use to create work,” said Sculpture-in-Residence Sean Hunter Williams. “It will be a fun and immersive experience for visitors of all ages looking to explore the world of sculpture!” 

Bring a picnic and stay for the Star Party at 7:30 p.m. Hosted in partnership with the Springfield Telescope Makers (STM) of the Stellafane Observatory in Springfield, Vermont, the annual Star Party invites visitors to learn about the night sky and search for galaxies, nebulae, star clusters and planets. The event will begin in the Shaw/54th Regiment Memorial hedge room with a presentation at 7:30 p.m. and will move to the viewing field in front of Aspet where a variety of telescopes will be pointed at deep sky objects.

"We are very excited to be hosting our Star Party again after a two-year hiatus. Though the northeast United States is one of the most light-polluted areas of the country, residents of the Upper Valley are very fortunate to have wonderful dark skies with hundreds of visible stars to enjoy" said park superintendent Rick Kendall. "The Springfield Telescope Makers are an outstanding local resource for night sky issues and we are very happy to be continuing this partnership with them for the tenth year.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or towel for sitting in the grass and a red-light flashlight or a flashlight with a red lens or red plastic covering. White lights are discouraged at night sky viewing events, as bright lights ruin night vision.

The Springfield Telescope Makers is a club founded by amateur telescope maker Russell Porter in 1923. The club is devoted to promoting the practice of crafting high-quality telescopes by amateur astronomers. The club owns and maintains the Stellafane Observatory on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont, at which it offers free mirror-grinding workshops in the winter months and hosts the annual Stellafane Convention of amateur telescope builders and night sky enthusiasts in the summer. More information about the Springfield Telescope Makers, the Stellafane Observatory and the Stellafane Convention can be found at www.stellafane.org.

Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site is located off NH Route 12A, just north of the Cornish-Windsor covered bridge. The site celebrates the studios and home of the great American sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The park is open daily through October 31, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For additional information about the park, programs, and events, visit www.nps.gov/saga.



Last updated: September 15, 2022

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139 Saint Gaudens Road
Cornish, NH 03745

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603-675-2175

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