Hands-On

About Hands-On

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  Revolutionary War Veteran's Pension Transcription Programs

  Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park

  In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the National Archives and National Park Service are collaborating on a special project to transcribe Revolutionary War Pension Files of more than 80,000 of America's first veterans and their widows, containing more than 2 million documents. These records may contain valuable details about Revolutionary War veterans and their families, such as rank, unit, period of service, age, residence, date and place of marriage, and date and place of death of spouse. You may find copies of marriage or other family records, information pertaining to military activities or details about soldiers' lives, along with letters, diaries, or family trees within these records. Become a citizen archivist and unlock the details and stories found within these rich records! Participants will learn about the value of wartime pensions and hear service stories about patriots from the Blackstone Valley. Rangers will provide training on how to access pensions and transcribe these vital records online. Are you ready to join us and contribute to the nation's 250th anniversary? These programs are free and open to all. Please bring a laptop. If you are interested in hosting a pension transcription event at your site, please e-mail us . January 14, 2026: Upton Historical Society, 6:00 P.M. 9 Milford Street, Upton, Massachusetts January 22, 2026: Pascoag Public Library, 6:00 P.M. 57 Church Street, Pascoag, RI January 27, 2026: Carpenter Museum, 1:00 P.M. - POSTPONED 4 Locust Avenue, Rehoboth, MA January 28, 2026: Sutton Historical Society, 1:30 P.M. 19 Hough Road, Sutton, MA February 20, 2026: Upton Historical Society, 6:00 P.M. 9 Milford Street, Upton, Massachusetts March 11, 2026: Linwood Mill, 11:00 A.M. 670 Linwood Ave, Whitinsville, MA (BHC Offices on ground floor) Please note that the location of this program has changed due to unforseen circumstances March 31, 2026: Newport Historical Society, 4:00 P.M. 82 Touro Street, Newport, RI April 4, 2026: Bristol Historical and Preservation Society, 9:00 A.M. 48 Court Street, Bristol, RI April 13, 2026: Blackstone Valley Historical Association, 6:30 P.M. 1873 Old Louisquisset Pike, Lincoln, RI April 22, 2026: Lincoln Public Library, 6:00 P.M. 145 Old River Road, Lincoln, RI May 14, 2026: Old Slater Mill, 6:00 P.M. 67 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket, RI July 30, 2026: Pascoag Public Libr…

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  Passport Stamps at Bering Land Bridge

  Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

  Looking for a way to remember your visit? These rubber-stamp ink markings record the name of the park and the day you were here. Stamp your Park Passport at the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve Heritage Center ! Stamps available: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve Cancellation Stamp Iditarod National Historic Trail Cancellation Stamp Bering Land Bridge National Preserve America 250 Commemorative Stamp Bering Land Bridge National Preserve Junior Ranger Stamp Bering Land Bridge Passport Sticker (available for purchase)

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  Become a Ninety Six National Historic Site BARK Ranger

  Ninety Six National Historic Site

  HEY PETS!!! Do you want to proudly wear the Ninety Six National Historic Site BARK Ranger tag? Your human to help you get one, and you can both have fun while earning it. What does the human need to do for you? 1) Learn and follow the rules B is for bag your poop A is for always keep you on a leash (6' or shorter, please) R is to help you respect wildlife K is to know where you can go 2) Pick up a BARK Ranger page at the visitor center, bulletin board, or here and do the activities. 3) Once you have finished knock on the Visitor Center door to show the ranger that you have completed your booklet, and receive your official BARK Ranger dog tag and certificate!

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  Become a Bark Ranger

  Boston National Historical Park

  Check our calendar for Bark Ranger events throughout the summer season at Bunker Hill, the Charlestown Navy Yard, and Dorchester Heights. What does it mean to become a Bark Ranger? To become a Bark Ranger, you and your pet can take the pledge to take care of our parks by respecting other visitors and keeping our parks clean. To follow the B.A.R.K. Rules means to: B -ag your poop, please! Dispose of it in proper bins. A -lways wear a leash. Six feet or less in length. R -espect visitors & park. Only approach if invited, keep barking to a minimum, & don't dig. K -now where you can go. Pets are welcomed in most outside areas. Pets are not allowed inside buildings: The Bunker Hill Monument, Lodge, and Museum; Dorchester Heights Monument; the Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Center; nor aboard USS Cassin Young . Why Follow the Rules? HISTORY Bunker Hill Monument commemorates the first major battle of the American Revolution on June 17, 1775. Organizers built the Monument on Breeds Hill between the years of 1827—1843. The Charlestown Navy Yard, also known as the Boston Naval Shipyard and the Boston Navy Yard, opened in 1800 as one of the first navy yards of the US Navy. The Charlestown Navy Yard operated for nearly 175 years from the age of sail to the age of steel, becoming a National Historic Landmark in 1966. By preserving a portion of the Charlestown Navy Yard, the National Park Service memorializes the contributions of thousands of civilian workers and military personnel. The Dorchester Heights Monument commemorates the fortification of those Heights on the evening of March 4, 1776. This military operation led British forces to evacuate Boston two weeks later, on March 17, 1776. Since that historic moment, Dorchester Heights has remained a significant site to the local community and the nation. SAFETY Unrestrained pets can be a danger and a nuisance to other dogs and people. Holes dug by dogs create tripping hazards for both visitors and pets. Dog waste poses a health risk to people and dogs using the Park. COMMUNITY All visitors want a clean and safe environment for their families and dogs. Shows respect for your neighbors and your park. Please lead by example by picking up your dog’s waste and maintain control of your dog on leash at all times. B.A.R.K. Ranger Pledge As a National Parks of Boston Bark Ranger, I promise to: Lead by example Sniff new things Take…

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  ParkPuzzler

  Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

  Explore Sleeping Bear Dunes in a new way! No matter where you are in the Lakeshore, you can solve puzzles using your phone, web browser, and the NPS app. Expected time to complete is approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour, but you can take as long as you like. There are five puzzles for you to solve. All puzzles can be solved from your phone, however if you want to explore the park three of the puzzles have physical locations, one of the locations is hidden in the puzzle (#4). Keep track of your answers on a note or a piece of paper, you will need them later. Still not sure how to play? A. How do I play? 🧩 In the Park: This is a game with a series of puzzles, available to be played while in the park. If unable to visit the location or visit the park, there is an online-only option. Puzzles will take you to locations either around the park or virtually within the NPS App. In-Park clues will help direct you to the answer’s location. You might need to use your GPS, search within the NPS app within Sleeping Bear Dunes’ park page, visit a website, or search something on the web. You never know where an answer might be hidden! Online-only clues will direct you to search within the NPS app, visit a website, or search something on the web. B. Will I need to use my phone? 📳 Regardless of where you are playing the ParkPuzzler, yes! Both the puzzles and some of the answers to the puzzles will be within the NPS App. For those in the park, some areas will not have much cell coverage. It would be best to download Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for offline use. To do so, select the cloud button when you open the park’s page. No account is needed to solve the puzzles. C. How long does it take to play? ⏰ Gameplay typically lasts about 30 minutes! However, the ParkPuzzler is not timed, and you can take as long as you need. It does not matter the order of the puzzles, so you can read through them D. What if I need help? 🤔 Below each puzzle there are two hints, click on them to reveal them should you need it. If participating in the online-only, your clues are also found below the In-park clue. E. What if I will not be going to the location the puzzle is leading me? Puzzles with a location in the park have an online-only clue available below the question. So you can still solve the puzzle! F. Do I need to complete the puzzles in order? No, there are no puzzles that are c…

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