It’s been 250 years since the founding of The United States. Well… more precisely, it’s been 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed and delivered to the English Crown. It would be another 12 years before the US Constitution was ratified and the United States as we understand it today started. Since we’ve been counting the milestones from 76, though, we should probably continue doing so and 250 is a big one. To celebrate the occasion appropriately, I think it’s best to spend some time at one of the US National Parks.
The US National Park system is likely one of the best ideas that the country ever gave to the world and is certainly one of the most popular. Before the United States designated Yellowstone as the first US National Park, no other country had ever dabbled in the idea of such a place. Preserving the land and the resources in it for the benefit and enjoyment of the people was a revolutionary concept. Today, that idea has spread around the world and nations on every continent act to protect natural and historic spaces for people to enjoy.
The US National Parks.
That’s why it seems to fitting to spend this 250th milestone celebrating, what I think, to be one of the best ideas ever conceived and go to one of the US National Parks. However, I am a travel writer and this wouldn’t be a very interesting article if I just told you to go to a place like Gettysburg. Not that you shouldn’t go to Gettysburg, you should, because it’s worthwhile history to experience, but almost everyone knows about that place. Instead, I want to tell you about less prominent National Parks, Memorials, Lakeshores, Sites, and Monuments that many people don’t even know exist.
This is a two-part article and together they will cover sites across the country starting from the east coast and moving west.
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site – Maine
The United States may soon be 250 years old or, if you’re watching this a bit later, the United States recently turned 250 years old. Even though that’s quite a few years, it’s a mere drop in the bucket of North American history. Dating back more than 13,000 years ago (no, that’s not a typo), the Passamaquoddy tribe occupied areas of what is today known as Maine. The tribe still exists today and they were the first native people to meet the first French explorers and colonists to North America in 1604.
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site in Maine dates back to more than 400 years to when Europeans and the Passamaquoddy people first met.
The French attempted to make a settlement on Saint Croix Island only to discover that the winters in Maine are much harsher than the winters in France. Of the 79 men who initially colonized the island, 35 died in the first winter. The remaining men were saved by the Passamaquoddy aiding them after the winter was over. That spring of 1605, the French made the decision to move the settlement to Port Royale in what is now known as Nova Scotia.
This park commemorates and memorializes that first French attempt to settle and the Passamaquoddypeople who have lived there since pre-history. Today, the park is best reached by driving. From Bangor, it’s around a two hours drive to the visitor’s center. You cannot visit the island itself, it’s a protected site to preserve the historic artifacts on the island, but there’s a lot to explore and learn on the mainland.
Federal Hall National Memorial – New York
I was inspired to write this article because it is the 250th anniversary of our independence from England and the reign of Jonathan Groff, it seems fitting to mention something about George Washington. Of course, every American watching this already knows who he is; leader of the American revolution, first President of the United States, and that guy on the boat. Despite that boat guy fame, many of us don’t know something surprisingly basic that happened right at the start his presidency. The very start of it in fact.
Where was he inaugurated?
Every US President must be sworn in. It’s kind of a big deal. These days it happens on the steps of the US Capitol Building, but that wasn’t completed until 1793, and Washington was sworn in on April 30th, 1789. So I ask you, where was he sworn in? Did he just stand on some slightly soggy ground near the Potomac?
Federal Hall National Memorial in New York, New York hides in the canyons of New York City.
No, he took the oath of office standing in the United States Congress’ first capital building in the nation’s first capital. A short distance from the water inside Federal Hall, the former city hall of New York, New York.
The original building was demolished in 1812, but the site is the same. Located at 26 Wall Street, square in the Financial District of Manhattan, it’s quite easy to visit and it’s probably one of the easiest places to visit on this list. Literally millions of people live a short drive, train ride, bus, or even a flight under and hour from this place.
Weir Farm National Historical Park – Connecticut
When you think of a national park, you probably aren’t imagining an artistic retreat nonetheless, that is exactly what the Weir Farm National Historical Park is. The beauty of our National Parks system is that it preserves many parts of our history, not just battlefields or political figure’s offices. American art history is just as important to the story of the country as anything else.
J. Alden Weir spent much of his life living and painting in this farm near Branchville, Connecticut. Both his father and older brother were well known painters, so I think it’s fair to say that he came by the trade honestly. Over his life at the farm, he hosted a number of other artists who all were part of the American impressionist movement. These artists included Childe Hassam, John Twachtman, Emil Carlsen, and Albert Pinkham Ryder. There’s even a painting of J. Alden Weir himself by John Singer Sargent, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest American painters of all time. Julian Alden Weir’s legacy continued with his daughter Dorothy Weir Young as, following his death, she continued to study and practice art at the farm, hosting a new generation of artists.
The idyllic lawn of Weir Farm National Historical Park in Connecticut.
Today, the farm still hosts resident artists practicing in the impressionist style and hosts a collection of works by Weir and other artists. It’s a smaller site to visit, but for those interested in art history and American culture, this one seems pretty unmissable.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park – Georgia
Saint Croix Island isn’t the only place where thousands of years of human existence is contemplated, there are multiple sites in the US National Parks that preserve and educate on the ancient people of these lands. Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia, just outside of Macon, features enormous earthwork mounds and human habitation dating back more than 12,000 years.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Georgia is one of the oldest sites of human activity in North America.
The large mounds that the site is named for were built sometime before 1000 CE by people from the Mississippian culture. At the site, there is a visitor center with more than 2,000 artifacts on display and an earth lodge that you can go inside. There’s also several miles of trails to walk which will take you to historical mounds.
First State National Historical Park – Pennsylvania, Delaware
Continuing our celebration of the 250 years, the First State National Historical Park commemorates Delaware being the first state to ratify the Constitution. This district along the Delaware River, just south of Wilmington, features historic buildings and fortifications. Although the significance of being the first state to ratify is certainly notable, the park gives emphasis to the history that Delaware played in the early colonial history as well.
First State National Historical Park where Pennsylvania borders Delaware, has a unique waterfront full of history.
Delaware was colonized by not only the English, was we all know, but there were several other prominent nationalities with settlements as well. The Dutch, Swedes, and Finns each had their own settlements in the region and they all had their own cultures and traditions. It’s not all about the culture, though, because the park also aims to preserve the landscape of the Brandywine Valley.
Interestingly, this is quite a new park being established in 2013 by President Barack Obama, so it’s still getting its legs, so to speak.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park – Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia
Cumberland Gap may be one of the more famous parks on this list, Vice President Richard Nixon was present for the visitor center dedication, but it’s still one that I’ve found most people don’t know about. Located where Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee meet, this was a key passage through the lower Appalachian Mountains and served as a critical path of travel for centuries before European settlers and centuries after.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park where Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia meet.
The closest major cities to the park are Knoxville and Lexington at about 1.5 to 2 hours of driving away from the park. At Cumberland Gap, there is the historic village of Hensley Settlement that you can visit and, from Mid-May through October, take a tour through. If you’re up for something in a much more enclosed space, there’s also a tour that’s conducted at Gap Cave. These tours are only conducted from May through August and they only take twenty people on each tour. If you are interested in doing a tour in Hensley Settlement or Gap Cave, call 606-248-2817 in advance of your visit to make reservations and check availability.
In a first for this list, Cumberland Gap National Park also features camping sites and horseback riding. You’ll have to bring your own horse, but I have a feeling that horse people already knew that.
Dry Tortugas National Park – Florida
Key West is the end of the road in the Florida Keys. Once you’ve reached Fort Taylor or Mallory Square, that’s the end right? Wrong, and you’re not even close to the end. No, the end is more than 60 miles away on the Dry Tortugas islands along with Fort Jefferson, but the road does not go there.
If you want to get to Dry Tortugas National Park, the only way to reach it is by seaplane or boat. The most striking thing about the park is that less than 1% of the park is ground, almost all of the park’s surface is water. As you might expect, most of the activities are water based. Snorkeling, diving, and swimming are immensely popular in the park.
Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida is one of the best snorkeling places in the world.
Boaters, kayakers, and paddleboarders all love Dry Tortuga as well. The waters of nearby keys are explorable, though some areas may be restricted to protect wildlife from time to time. Fishing is another popular activity in the park with an opportunity to patiently wait in some of the clearest waters you’ll ever see.
I haven’t even mentioned the most prominent feature of the park, Fort Jefferson. The starkly red 19th century fort encompasses much of Garden Key and is about 14 acres in size. It’s the center of all visitor arrivals to the park, with docks for the ferry and private vessels as well as seaplanes. You can even camp just outside its walls, though those spots often sell out months in advance.
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial – Ohio
The War of 1812 is not taught nearly as well as other major wars in US history. I would challenge anyone reading this to tell me what the war started over. Unless you have specifically studied the War of 1812, I doubt you can tell me. That’s exactly what makes visiting Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial in Ohio so very worthwhile.
The memorial was created to honor the Battle of Lake Erie. This was not a battle on land, it was a naval battle on the waters of Lake Erie. Not only that, this was one the largest naval battles of the war and proved to be a critical victory for the American forces since they would go on to control Lake Erie for the rest of the war which, in turn, allowed them to recover Detroit. That’s not something that most US schools teach you, though I imagine if you leave in the area a field trip probably happened.
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial in Ohio.
A chance to learn about one of the most pivotal moments for America in the early years of our history should not be passed up. You can visit the memorial by taking a ferry from several different nearby cities, but the most notable is Sandusky, OH. The memorial is located on an island in Lake Erie and stands 352 feet tall. The visitor center hosts dioramas of the battle along with exhibits discussing the history of the war and the events on Lake Erie. During the summer, there are ranger talks, weekend weapon demonstrations, and presentations.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – Michigan
Dunes are something that most people associate with deserts, where they take on an ominous, looming quality. Of course that’s not the only place to find dunes, though, because they also exist by many sandy shores. Sprawling out over 35 miles of coastline in the northwest of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore exists.
The sweeping shoreline of Lake Michigan was created by glacial movements more than 10,000 years ago. Frozens mountains carved out the lakes, crushed stones, and moved soil to shape these massive buffs. The dunes rise hundreds of feet above the water, giving visitors unbelievable vistas.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan is incredible to behold.
Inside the park, you can hike miles of trails, drive scenic roadways, paddle in several different bodies of water including Lake Michigan, camp, or simply enjoy a wonderful sandy beach along a freshwater lake. Biking the roads in the park and areas outside the park is also extremely popular. Calling this an outdoor recreational paradise may not be much of an exaggeration. The surrounding region is also one of the most visited tourism spots in the state, with Traverse City being the largest hub.
I do feel the need to pause for a moment and reframe the term lake for people. Most individuals that are not from the Great Lakes region seem to have little to no understanding of the scales involved with a Great Lake. Lake Michigan is more than 300 miles long and 118 miles wide with a surface area of more than 22,000 square miles. These are not the lakes you’re thinking of.
Pullman National Historical Park – Illinois
There’s a National Park right in the middle of Chicago. Okay, maybe not the middle, per say, but just a little ways south of the Museum of Science and Industry. The site is the Pullman National Historical Park and it tells the story of the first planned model industrial community in the nation, otherwise known as a company town.
George Pullman founded the Pullman Palace Car Company in 1862, which made sleeper cars for railroads, not road going cars. As his company grew, he had an idea for a planned community that all his workers would live in. With a new factory being built to meet demand, he put into action his concept of the company town. His workers would live in the town and work in the factory and everything would be great. Until demand slipped due to a financial crash and worker wages were reduced but the rent wasn’t. That sort of thing usually leads to some fairly upset workers, which might explain why they went on strike.
National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum in the Pullman National Historical Park.
Although the neighborhood never came to be what Pullman hoped it would be it now stands as a lesson on, public policy, culture, labor, race, city planning, business and industry, railroads, technology, and more. The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum as well as several buildings kept in a historic state, educate visitors on the lasting impact that this place has on our world; for example, the strike I mentioned earlier led to the eventual labor movement in the US and the creation of Labor Day as a US holiday. Perhaps that weekend would be a good time to visit.
