National Parks

Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa was established on October 25, 1949. The monument protects and interprets the history behind about 200 mounds built by Native Americans centuries ago.

On October 23, 1972, Cumberland Island National Seashore was officially established in Georgia. Cumberland Island is the largest sea island in the southeastern United States and the most biodiverse of Georgia’s barrier islands.

The American Forestry Association was founded on September 10, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. It’s one of America’s oldest national conservation organizations, with a mission of “Creating Healthy and Resilient Forests, from Cities to Wilderness, that Deliver Essential Benefits for Climate, People, Water and Wildlife.”

The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park was established in Vermont on August 26, 1992. It’s the first national park in the country created to honor the history of conservation.

On August 11, 1939, Congress established Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. The monument honors and preserves this historic fort where our national anthem was born. It’s also the only place in the National Park system to be designated a Historic Shrine.

On August 9, 1944, the US Forest Service created Smokey Bear to encourage people to prevent forest fires.  The Wildfire Prevention Campaign is the longest-running public service announcement campaign in US history, and Smokey has become an icon recognized around the globe.

One June 3, 1942, Japanese forces kicked of the 14-month Aleutian Islands Campaign. The campaign’s two Japanese invasions were the only ones on US soil during the war.

Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park was established on May 22, 1902. It’s America’s fifth-oldest national park, the only national park in Oregon, and is home to the deepest lake in the country – Crater Lake.

On May 16, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson officially created the White Mountain National Forest, which resides mostly in New Hampshire (with about 5% of the forest in Maine). It’s the only national forest located in either state or the most eastern national forest in the country.