Our National Parks
Every National Park tells a story, from breathtaking landscapes and ancient forests to historic landmarks that preserve our shared past. Each visit offers a chance to pause and reflect, to feel gratitude for what endures and to witness how nature and history together remind us of the beauty worth protecting.
Recent Posts
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – Georgia
Hewett Lodge sits among the trees in the Chattahoochee River corridor. This building is nestled into the forest, overlooking the river that has shaped this region for centuries. Inside the lodge, there are exhibits that speak of the historic and current importance of this river. By the 1970s, rapid development around Atlanta threatened to overtake the Chattahoochee […]
African Burial Ground National Monument – New York
In the very center of New York City, surrounded by federal buildings and urban motion, sites the powerful historic space: African Burial Ground National Monument. This sacred ground came into view in the early 1990s during excavation for a new federal office building. What construction crews uncovered stopped the project in its tracks: hundreds of burial remains dating from the 17th […]
Pea Ridge National Military Park – Arkansas
Many of our National Historic Sites preserve the landscapes of America’s military past, especially Civil War battlefields. So many of these places are found in Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Carolinas, but Pea Ridge stands as one of the important Civil War sites in the West. Here a pivotal chapter of the conflict is found in the […]
Old San Juan Historic Site – Puerto Rico
Walking through the San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico feels like stepping into four centuries of Atlantic world history. Perched above the waters of San Juan Bay, these massive stone fortifications stand as reminders of an era when empires fought to control the New World. Spain poured enormous resources into protecting this small island […]
Lincoln Memorial – Washington DC
No trip to Washington, D.C. would be complete without a stop at the Lincoln Memorial. Walking up the steps to stand near this seated Lincoln is as awe-inspiring the first time as it is every time, and from these steps, overlooking the National Mall, you get one of the greatest views in the city. The […]
Abraham Lincoln’s Home – Springfield, Illinois
I enjoy studying and exploring Presidential sites, and I have visited all of the Presidential libraries and many smaller historic locations. Of course, I am partial to some presidents more than others, and for me one that is most special is Abraham Lincoln. As a child, we celebrated his birthday in February each year, separately, […]
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument – Maine
Erin and I drove for hours to visit Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, located in the remote forests of northern Maine. Maine is the largest of the New England states, and the drive from our home in Natick, Massachusetts to this site is a 300-mile journey. The long drive was part of the experience of […]
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield – Missouri
As I gather my photos from years of National Park exploration, there are many Civil War battlefields among them. These are sacred landscapes that once witnessed unimaginable bloodshed on our own U.S. soil. Missouri’s Wilson’s Creek is one of those places, marking a fiercely divisive battle during the earliest months of the Civil War. Preserved […]
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park – Hawaii
Visiting Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park on the Big Island is an encounter with a living cultural landscape that reflects how Natick Hawaiians sustained themselves for centuries in balance with land and sea. In the park are the traditional fishponds built from lava rock and guided by tidal flow. Fish were allowed to enter and grow which provided […]
John F. Kennedy’s Birthplace – Brookline, Massachusetts
The John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site in Brookline, Massachusetts offers the opportunity to step into the earliest chapters of that life that would shape world history. Touring this modest home, you are greeted by the recorded voice of Rose Kennedy. She calmly recounts the rhythms and rituals of family life. Through her reflections, the house […]
John Muir Home – Martinez, California
John Muir’s home in California offers a intimate window into the life of one of America’s most influential conservationists. Located northeast of San Francisco, the site is preserved today as John Muir National Historic Site. Muir lived here from 1889 until his death in 1914. While many picture him wandering through Yosemite or Alaska’s glaciers, this […]
Crater Lake National Park – Oregon
I visited Crater Lake National Park on one of my solo excursions. It was one of those places I wished I had shared with someone else. The color of the lake matched the bluest of skies as I walked along the rim, a blue so intense it almost felt unreal. There are no rivers flowing […]
