National Park Service – One Hundred Years
From the desk of Rand Simmons This August 25th the National Parks Service (NPS) celebrates one hundred years of service to the nation and, indeed, to the world. The year was 1916, but national parks, designated by various federal agencies, have existed far longer than the NPS. The first was the District of Columbia, authorized on July 16, 1790. It included the National Capital Parks, National Mall and the White House. My personal relationship with National Parks was shaped by where I was born…