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Feature
100 Years:National Park Service Celebration
By Lee McCracken, Contributing Writer
“Everybody needs beauty ... places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer
and give strength to the body and soul alike.” – John Muir, 1911
T he U.S. Congress, establishing Yellowstone National Today, the National Park Service (nps.gov) comprises more than 400 areas
Park in March 1872 within the territories of Montana and covers more than 84 million acres in 50 states, the District of Columbia,
and Wyoming, began a worldwide movement for green American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan and the Virgin Islands. More
spaces to be set aside and preserved as public parks or than 300 million people visited the parks and monuments in 2015.
“pleasuring-grounds” for the benefit and enjoyment of people. On While the Grand Canyon (No. 2) and Yellowstone (No. 5) may be
August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed an act creating the the first to come to mind, the Great Smokey Mountains National Park
National Park Service (NPS) as a federal bureau in the Department of the ranked as the No.1 most-popular recreation area in 2015, with more
Interior. At the time, there were 35 national parks and monuments. than 10 million visitors. And, the Blue Ridge Parkway was the most-
Botanist and avid hiker John Muir, who was born in Scotland but came visited area with 15 million visitors. The southeastern region of the
to Wisconsin in 1849 with his family, is said to have spurred the concept United States is home to seven National Parks, each protecting unique
of the NPS. He once walked from Indiana to Florida, and then after sailing wildernesses and marine ecosystems. GET IN FREE
to California, walked from San Francisco to the Sierra Nevada, where The Centennial celebration
he worked as a sheepherder. Then he moved to the Yosemite Valley and
finally Oakland, where he began to write. features a Commemorative
Coin Program, which
Muir’s writings brought national attention to more places that eventually includes a $5 gold coin, a
became national parks. His three-night silver dollar, and 50-cent This year, 16 days are fee-free days in the
coin. In addition, the national parks. Whether you are staying close to
HIGH ADVENTURE camping trip with President U.S. Postal Service has home or traveling, you can visit the mountains or
Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 issued 16 new Forever
became known as the most stamps featuring coast on these remaining days:
significant camping trip
in conservation history. several national parks.
In Charlotte, the IMAX Theater at ON THE BIG SCREEN August 25-28: National Park Service
Discovery Place is now showing“National Simon Ward, MD, says his favorite spot is BirthdayWeekend
Parks Adventure,”narrated by Academy Zion National Park in Utah. Whether driving
Award-winner Robert Redford. The September 24: National Public Lands Day
cinematography takes viewers soaring over or walking, the towering sandstone November 11: Veterans Day
mountains above the valley strike awe.
red rock canyons, hurtling up craggy
mountain peaks and into other legendary “For the biggest rush, short of skydiving,
the Angels Landing trail is the best.”
outdoor playgrounds, including
Yellowstone, Glacier National Park,
Yosemite, the Everglades and Arches.
10 | July/August 2016 • Mecklenburg Medicine