The National Park Service
A reflection of the best of America
It’s been a while… I haven’t known what to write or what to say. There’s been too much and too little to say. I haven’t known where to start. I still don’t, but today I went to a national historic land site. Today, I decided I knew at least one thing that I needed to say: The United States National Park Service is a reflection of the best of us.
The National Park Service, and more broadly the Department of the Interior, may be my second favorite government agency - second to the US Postal Service. The Postal Service is by far and away my favorite agency. They make sure books (and letters, and any other things - including kids for a period of time - can be shipped to any US address, anywhere, no matter where you live, no matter how out of the way, no matter how horrible it is to get to your place, they will deliver books, and everything else to you. And they have forever stamps! AND FOREVER INTERNATIONAL STAMPS!!!!! You can buy a stamp today and know that in five, ten, or twenty years, you can still use it to send a letter to your friend anywhere in the US or the world (depending on the stamp type). Anyway - this post isn’t about my love for the Postal Service; it is for the National Park Service.
Then, after the USPS, the National Park Service competes with the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, the State Department, and a few others for my second favorite government agency. Yes, I know, you might think that NASA should be right up there, but it isn’t. It’s remarkable for sure and serves a fantastic purpose, providing substantial economic benefits and technological spinoffs. Still, these other agencies are just… just amazing with what they give to our country. And it’s hard to have favorites as all the agencies, and yes, even the IRS, do such good for the country… but come on, the National Park Service *waves hands wildly!* They give you cheap vacations, they keep our land pristine so that all can enjoy it, even future generations, they protect our history, they do so much! The Park Service has been the envy of many since it was formed on August 25, 1916.
The best-known parks are truly stunning - Yellowstone, the first national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in 2023, Glacier National Park, which connects to a national park of Canada, Yosemite National Park, where Ansel Adams shot most of his famous photos. But there are hidden gems of the park service everywhere.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a current favorite. It’s just an hour and a bit from where I live, and it’s wonderful. It’s peaceful; it’s rejuvenating; it allows for hiking and biking, and it's easy to drive through and see so many birds, turtles, and other wildlife. It slows the world down and helps you see the beauty of and in this world.
Right next door is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, and the National Historical Park. This experience is not one to miss. The park and the trails are beautiful. The exhibits in the visitor center will make you cry. I have yet to make it out of there without tears in my eyes, and more emboldened to speak up for the rights of all. This park makes me so proud to be an American - to protect the rights and freedoms of all - and reminds me how easily we can lose those rights. It reminds me that we are not perfect, but we can learn and grow stronger together when we learn from our history, embrace the discomfort, and resolve to do better, to be better, even as it feels like we continue to fail…
Today, I went to Friendship Hill, a National Historic Site in Pennsylvania. It was a beautiful park. And many local folks, I learned, go there every day to walk their dog, take walks themselves, take graduation photos, camp, and just enjoy the beautiful nature trails. I got to talk to one of the staff, and it was fantastically insightful, charming, and maddening. He was a wealth of knowledge about the park, about most parks. He knew so much about Pennsylvania, the history, the geography, the economy, and the people. He was so excited to talk about Albert Gallatin, how he felt a personal connection to the man and how they were similar, his role in the beginnings of our country, and how what we see today is resonant with the same fears of the people from the start of our country. He was an excellent teacher, and his knowledge, dedication, and work were worth so much more than the GS payscale would allow him to make within this career path. He was there not for the money but because of his dedication to the park, the community, and the country.
But this is not a unique experience. Go to any national park, historic site, wildlife refuge, etc. (or any civil servant). Talk with the people who chose a life of little pay to work to preserve and share these lands and sites that are unique to the American experience. They are some of the kindest, nerdiest, and most patient individuals. Last year over 330,000,000 people visited the National Parks (by comparison only 142 million folks visited Disney parks world wide, 58 million for Disney World). Some, like me, probably went multiple times - to the National Parks, not to Disney, but I’m sure they also had some repeat buisness. Some were likely international tourists, but most were Americans. An annual park pass is only $80.00. That $80.00 will get your family of four in one car into all the parks you want to see over a year. That’s about 10 starbucks venti coffee drinks, with an extra shot and soy milk, will get you and three of your closest friends in your car into all the National parks, monuments, historic sites, and more. Many parks are free, and free for different groups of people - so double check that you need one for your local area, but really - this is a deal! We use ours at least once a month and I wish I could use it more. And I have a bunch of use or loose vacation time - so I just might…
Because the parks are such a draw, they have always been a source of tourism for nearby towns. For example, Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio was found to contribute $225 million to their local economy in 2023. That also went to supporting 2,136 jobs in the local area. Now, some may think that was the crowning achievement of the park, but the 140 miles of beautiful trails that people can use I think should be considered for that accolade. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, while lovely and amazing, is, I think, fair to say, not one of the large parks. In 2023, the National Parks found that nearly 325 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks. That is over 8 times as much as the total National Park budget, which is about $3 billion. If a for-profit company made 8-10 dollars for every dollar put in, we would be putting all the money into that endeavor. But the Parks service provides so much more and would be worth it, even at a loss to the Nation. The National Parks support over 415,000 jobs and $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. And this is nothing to snuff at, but life is more than money. The National Parks provide educational programs. I remember our favorite field trips were to places like the parks - but these educational programs go well beyond field trips. The National Parks provide soft diplomacy, working with other countries to help develop their national parks, us learning from them, and so much more. The National Parks do research around so many issues! They help preserve the history of this country and of the county they are in. And they do so much more.
The National Parks are a reflection of us; they are the best of us; and they are there for us and future generations. Go enjoy them, and help ensure that future generations can, too.