By Tristin Van Ord
August 25, 2016 marked the 100th birthday of the National Park Service.
The agency has been hosting events all year in honor of the centennial.
Shenandoah National Park is celebrating with the “Centennial Quilts Tour,” which will display quilts at multiple locations around Shenandoah with scenes from all of the national parks.
Other parks throughout Appalachia are recognizing the centennial as well.
The New River Gorge National River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail are celebrating with 100-mile hiking challenges. Hikers can record the miles they’ve hiked in each park online at the National Park Service website. The challenge started in January, but hikers can record miles until December 31 at New River Gorge and the Appalachian Trail, and until December 6 in the Smoky Mountains.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is honoring the centennial through their “100 ways” website, which offers different events and activities that visitors can engage in during their travels.
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
Neighbors Help Neighbors
A photo essay that celebrates the volunteer spirit of the grassroots group Hurricane Helene WNC and speaks to the resourcefulness, collaboration and hard work embodied by thousands and thousands of volunteers, first responders and aid workers across the region after Hurricane Helene.
Halloween Approaches, and Night School Is in Session
The House of Art in Bluefield, West Virginia, looks like a haunted tower, making it the perfect location for its sixth annual haunt event: Night School. The Night School will be open every Friday and Saturday night through Oct. 31.
‘The Most Perfect Act of Love’
Hundreds of people attended the second annual Affirming Sumner Pride celebration on a 24-acre farm dubbed “Fruity Farm” in Bethpage, Sumner County, Tennessee.
Signs of Life: Endangered Bats Found in Nantahala for First Time in More Than a Decade
In the Nantahala National Forest, a team of biologists spotted Indiana bats, an endangered species that hasn’t been seen in North Carolina for the last 11 years.
‘First Line of Defense’
During Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, rural fire departments and other first responder hubs played critical roles in keeping their communities safe, even without power and cut off from outside support for days or weeks after the storm. Two years later, plenty of work remains to ensure these hubs have the resources they need to operate day to day and be ready when emergencies or natural disasters strike.
The Rocky Road — and Bridge — to Recovery
Hurricane Helene is estimated to have damaged nearly 7,000 private roads and bridges in Western North Carolina. Two years later, many restoration projects are complete, but the journey hasn’t been easy — and isn’t over for others.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment