Horowitz: National Park System Turns 100
Rob Horowitz, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
Horowitz: National Park System Turns 100
This is a centennial that truly merits celebration. “National Parks are the best idea we ever had,” said Wallace Stegner, the novelist and wilderness advocate. “Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst." Nearly 300 million people visit our national parks each year, realizing the restorative powers of nature and wilderness and witnessing our nation’s stark natural beauty. Due to the hard work of the more than 20,000 employees of the Park System and a national commitment to protect our invaluable national treasures, America’s great outdoors remains accessible and by and large affordable.
President Wilson signed into law the Act that created the National Park Service in 1916. The Service was formed to “promote and regulate the use of the Federal areas known as national parks, monuments and reservations…which purpose is 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 the enjoyment of future generations.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn words that still ring true today, President Theodore Roosevelt, who did more than any other national leader to forge a consensus for the need to protect our then rapidly vanishing wilderness and put 230 million acres of it under federal protection as President, explained the importance of national parks.. "Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us."
The public support for wilderness protection, forged more than 100 years ago by Roosevelt’s use of the Presidential bully pulpit, has only gained strength. More than 8-in-10 registered voters view a "strong stand in support of policies to protect and strengthen national parks", if taken by their member of Congress, favorably with more than half indicated they would have a very favorable view, according to a recent online national poll conducted by Hart Associates. This solid support cuts across party lines and demographic groups.
There is also overwhelming majority support, according to the Hart survey, for the actions needed to meet our generational stewardship obligations, such as providing funding for the $12 billion backlog of repairs and upgrade that our national parks need and preserving areas adjacent to national parks when they are essential to protecting the park itself.
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul,” said John Muir, founder of The Sierra Club. That is what our National Park Service works every day to provide. That is why this anniversary is truly worth our attention.
Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.
25 Things to do in New England for Free This Spring - 2016
The Freedom Trail
Boston, MA
The Freedom Trail is a two and a half mile walking tour that connects 16 significant Boston landmarks.
Interior access to the Freedom Trail's sites is also free, except for the Paul Revere House, the Old South Meeting House and the Old State House.
The Freedom Trail is a great way to get exercise, explore Boston and learn about history, all at the same time.
Photo: Wikipedia
Newport, RI
The Cliff Walk is one of Newport’s most famous attractions is its gilded age mansions lining the coast. Entry to the mansions will cost a fee, but with the Cliff Walk, you can enjoy views of the mansions with amazing views of the water all for free.
The 3.5 mile long path runs behind the mansions on the eastern shore of Newport. It is a National Recreation Trail – the first in New England! The majority of the walk is easy, but be sure to wear good shoes; the sand can make the path slippery.
Photo: Timothy Valentine/Flickr
Hyannis, Massachusetts
See how potato chips are made during a free tour of the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory.
Upon conclusion of the tour, you will even get a free sample of Cape Cod Potato Chips.
PHOTO: Flickr
Eartha at DeLorme Mapping Company
Yarmouth, Maine
Eartha is the worlds largest rotating globe taking up three stories and is entirely computer controlled and rotates.
It is about as life-size a replica of the earth as you will find anywhere.
PHOTO: DeLorme Map Company
Anheuser-Busch Brewery and the Clydesdale Hamlet
Merrimack, New Hampshire
The Budweiser Clydesdales are the most recognizable mascots in the beverage industry and a visit to the Clydesdale Hamlet at the Anheuser-Bush Brewery will get you a free meeting with them.
For this 21 and over, you can take a tour of the brewery and see it result in free beer at the end.
PHOTO: Billy Zoom/flickr
U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum and USS Nautilus
Groten, Connecticut
See a replica of the world's firs submarine and learn about it through films before heading about the USS Nautilus for a free audio tour.
Nautilus was the first nuclear powered submarine and the first vessel to travel 20,000 leagues under the sea. The ship is now open to the public year round and is free.
PHOTO: Facebook
Worcester, MA
The Sprinkler Factory in Worcester is not actually factory, but rather a gallery. Though, its namesake does come from the real-life sprinkler factory started by Howard Freeman in WWII. Why? Because he embodies “the spirit of innovation.” With the aim of providing the public with a place to display and enjoy the visual arts, the Sprinkler Factory hosts exhibitions once a month, and they’re always free.
Newport, Rhode Island
The Naval War College Museum in Newport is one of fifteen official museums operated by the United States Navy, under the direction of the Naval History & Heritage Command and in co-operation with the Naval War College.
Admission is FREE.
Photo courtesy of Naval War College
Portland, Maine
Allagash Brewing Company offers FREE beer tasting every day that they are open. Participants receive four, 3 oz samples of beer during the tasting.
The tastings do change every few days.
Photo courtesy of Allagash Brewing Company
Boston, MA
The Mass Central Rail Trail is 104 miles of trail from Boston to Northampton. The trail runs along the old railroad tracks that were destroyed in a 1938 hurricane, hence its name. At this point, the entire run has not been opened to the public and is still underway, but there are still plenty of miles of bike-path to enjoy on a beautiful day!
Boston, Massachusetts
Since 1983, the Boston Fire Museum has operated in the old fire house on Congress street showing off the history of the Boston Fire Department. The Museum shows off antique fire equipment, fire alarm displays, photo displays and artifacts.
Admission to the Museum is FREE.
The Haffenreffer Museum at Brown
Providence, Rhode Island
The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology is Brown University’s teaching museum. It aims to inspire creative and critical thinking about culture by "fostering interdisciplinary understanding of the material world."
Admission is FREE.
Explore the Site of Paul Revere's Midnight Ride
Boston, Massachusetts
Old North Church, located on Salem Street, is Boston's oldest surviving church, and it's also the place where Paul Revere gave the signal that the "British were coming," on April 18,1775.
Once he gave the signal, two lanterns were raised high, meaning that they were coming by sea to Lexington and Concord, not land.
This event began the American Revolution.
Sutton, MA
Take a hike at Purgatory Chasm and see the unique landmark that formed naturally approximately 14,000 years ago. Theory has it that the chasm was formed near the end of the last Ice Age with the sudden release of glacial meltwater that had been dammed up. Pretty neat! The chasm is ¼ mile long and runs between giant granite rock, sometimes standing at 70 feet high! You do have to pay to park ($5 MA residents, $6 for you out-of-staters), but exploring the reservation is completely free.
Photo: MHarvey/Flickr
Boston, Massachusetts
Take a FREE tour of Sam Adams Brewery and see where some of the best beer is made. Learn about the history of Sam Adams beer, how it's made, experience the entire craft brew process and of course try some samples.
The tour departs every 45 minutes and lasts about an hour.
Photo courtesy of Sam Adams Brewery
Providence, Rhode Island
The Rhode Island State House is home to the nation’s 4th largest self-supported marble dome – and you can get an inside look for free. All year, except holidays, the State House offers 50 minute guided tours Monday-Friday starting at 9:00 am with the last tour departing at 2 p.m.
On the tour you’ll see things like the Bell Room, where RI has its replica of the Liberty Bell on display, and of course, the rotunda, where you can look up at the dome.
Worcester, MA
Worcester’s Canal District is home to eleven buildings that originate from the early 1800s. Preservation Worcester wants you to enjoy the history available to you, for free! They offer a Canal District Walking Tour, By the Canal, to expose you to the stories of the people and historical events that created Worcester. You can pick up a free tour brochure at the Preservation Worcester office on Cedar Street, download a printable version of the tour and tour map, or download audio files to phone to do an audio tour.
Providence, RI
Providence WaterFire has grown to be an iconic Rhode Island event. Starting out in 1994 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of First Night Providence, it has grown to run continuously, once a month, from May-November and boasts over 80 blazing fires in the middle of the Providence River. WaterFire is a not-for-profit organization that aims to creatively transform Providence – and they do! Each event is accompanied with music by artists from around the world, varies food stands and art stands to browse as you stroll along the river.
Concord, MA
Head to Concord, Massachusetts and then to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery where you will find "Author's Ridge."
Author's Ridge marks the final resting place of legendary writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott.
Runs from Worcester to Providence
The idea behind the Blackstone River Bikeway was to create a bike path running 48 miles, from Worcester to Providence along the National Heritage Corridor. It links the Blackstone River and the Blackstone Canal and will eventually connect with the East Bay Bike Path in Rhode Island. The path isn’t completed yet, but riders can enjoy the segment that is, free of charge.
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
If you own a dog or if you just love dogs then the dog chapel is the place for you. The chapel consists of nature trails, swimming ponds an art gallery and more more that spreads over 400 acres of land.
PHOTO: David Smith
Visit Rhode Island Resource & Recovery
Johnston, RI
Visit the Rhode Island Resource and Recovery Corporation and learn what happens to everything that goes in your recycle bin.
The facility is open from 6 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday to Friday and 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. The tour is free to Rhode Island residents.
Providence, RI
Rhode Island’s own version of Boston’s Freedom Trail, follow the painted green line for the Independence Trail. The 2.5 mile tour of historic Providence “takes you over four centuries of history, architecture, culture, and folklore.”
Don’t worry about where to begin, the route is circular so you can start anywhere! Along the painted green trail on the sidewalks you’ll find red emblems with a phone number and a location number.
PHOTO: Indepencetrail.businesscatalyst.com
Royalston, MA
If you want a little bit of an outdoor adventure, hike to Royalston Falls in Royalston, MA. The hike itself isn’t too long, but it can be challenging. It leads you to a remote gorge created by prehistoric glacial meltwater and 45 foot plunging waterfall within a half-hidden ravine. If you’re up for the adventure, the destination is far worth the trek.
Runs from Providence RI to Bristol RI
If you’re looking for a dose of natural beauty and healthy activity, try going for a spin on the East Bay Bike Path. The first bike facility to be under the State, it is a 13.8 mile trail that connects 8 different parks from Providence to Bristol. Do the whole thing or just a stretch and cross over bridges and by coves on the Narragansett Bay shore. The bike path is open year round.
Photo: Michael St Jean/Flickr
