Join a Park Ranger and explore the Blackstone River Valley. During the months of June, July, and August, park staff offer specialty tours at varying locations across the Blackstone River Watershed. These programs begin at 6:30 PM and are 60-minutes long. Please wear comfortable footwear and bring water. Most tours are outside and often include walking on uneven surfaces on varying types of terrain…
12 parks and sites (NPS)
Ranger Walkabouts · Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Join a Park Ranger and explore the Blackstone River Valley. During the months of June, July, and August, park staff offer specialty tours at varying locations across the Blackstone River Watershed. These programs begin at 6:30 PM and are 60-minutes long. Please wear comfortable footwear and bring water. Most tours are outside and often include walking on uneven surfaces on varying types of terrain with no access to bathroom facilities. Bug spray and sunscreen are also highly suggested. Please Note: There will be no…
Guided Tour of the Vassall-Craigie-Longfellow House · Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
What does this house reveal about our shared past? Here, history was made, and history was written. For over 200 years, the inhabitants of this house shaped American history, culture, and identity. Guided tours are offered seasonlly, May through October. Entrance to the house is by guided tour only, and all tours are free of charge. Learn more about guided tours here .
Parked at Home · Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Explore America's national parks from the comfort of home. Register now (Zoom) Every park has a story. During this virtual series, we'll connect with people from across the country to talk about special places and complex stories at National Park Service sites. Join us to learn more about a place that might be close to home or in a destination you dream of visiting. Each hour-long program includes a presentation and time for questions and answers. All visitors can attend these free Parked at Home programs, hosted o…
Ranger Walkabouts
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Join a Park Ranger and explore the Blackstone River Valley. During the months of June, July, and August, park staff offer specialty tours at varying locations across the Blackstone River Watershed. These programs begin at 6:30 PM and are 60-minutes long. Please wear comfortable footwear and bring water. Most tours are…
Guided Tour of the Vassall-Craigie-Longfellow House
Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
What does this house reveal about our shared past? Here, history was made, and history was written. For over 200 years, the inhabitants of this house shaped American history, culture, and identity. Guided tours are offered seasonlly, May through October. Entrance to the house is by guided tour only, and all tours are f…
Parked at Home
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Explore America's national parks from the comfort of home. Register now (Zoom) Every park has a story. During this virtual series, we'll connect with people from across the country to talk about special places and complex stories at National Park Service sites. Join us to learn more about a place that might be close to…
Upcoming programs and events at parks in this collection (from the NPS Events API).
Join National Park Service rangers for free campfire talks at Presidio Tunnel Tops' Campfire Circle near the Presidio Visitor Center everyday at 3 pm - 3:30pm through Labor Day. Park rangers will present histories of the diverse people who have passed through the Presidio through time – this includes indigenous history, military stories including the Buffalo Soldiers' stories, Japanese Americans interned during WWII, and more.
Film and Discussion: The Port Chicago Disaster Join us for a powerful exploration of the Port Chicago disaster, the deadliest home front tragedy of World War II. This program features a gripping short film that brings the events of July 17, 1944, to life, along with a thought-provoking discussion led by experienced docent Diana King. Learn about the explosion that claimed 320 lives, the injustices that followed, and the lasting impact on the fight for civil rights in the U.S. military.
Film and Discussion: Blossoms & Thorns Join us for a special screening of a 19-minute documentary exploring the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. This poignant film sheds light on a chapter of American history too often overlooked, revealing the struggles, resilience, and lasting impact on those affected. Each Friday at 2 PM, the screening is followed by a discussion with guest speaker Jim Oshima. Jim shares his family's personal story of incarceration, offering a heartfelt and firsthand perspective that deepens the film’s message. While the documentary is shown daily in the visitor center, this Friday program provides a rare opportunity to connect history with lived experience. Don’t miss this powerful journey into the past, told through both film and personal testimony.
Meet a Living Link to WWII History On most Fridays, you have the unique opportunity to meet real WWII Home Front workers. These extraordinary individuals, often referred to as "Rosies," are now in their late 90s and up, and provide an incredible firsthand connection to history. Programs are scheduled at 10:30 and 11:30. Please note that due to their advanced age, we cannot guarantee their attendance. While we strive to confirm on the day of, last-minute changes may occur. If a Rosie is unavailable, a park docent will present a program highlighting the Rosies' significant contributions during the war. Safety Note: For the health and safety of our Rosies, masks are required during all programs. Learn about our Local Rosie Docents Our real-life Rosies are out due to health reasons. While our Rosies recover, volunteer Tammy Brumley, known as the Rosie Wrangler, will continue to give two Rosie presentations. Programs are scheduled at 10:30 and 11:30. Tammy has worked closely over the years with the park’s Rosie docents to help keep their stories alive, sharing their accounts of WWII.
Forest Stewards tend to young trees in the Presidio’s reforestation areas. Learn about urban forestry and arboriculture, while assisting with forest maintenance through planting, weeding, mulching, and other stewardship activities!
Nike Missile Site Open House is the first Saturday of every month . Rangers and volunteers - including veterans of the Nike program - come to the site to share their stories with visitors. Guided tours are offered at 12:15PM, 1:15PM, and 2:15PM. The SF-88 Nike Missile Site is the most fully restored Nike missile site in the country. During the tense years of the Cold War, from 1953 to 1979, the United States Army built and operated close to 300 Nike missile sites in the United States. These sites were designed to be the last line of defense against H-Bomb carrying Soviet bombers that had eluded the Air Force’s interceptor jet aircrafts. SF-88 in the Marin Headlands was one such site. Today, Golden Gate National Recreation Area works together with a dedicated group of volunteers to preserve the site as it was during operations to remind visitors of the physical and psychological effects of the Cold War on the American landscape. The only restrooms available at Nike are Port-a-Johns. However, about a mile before the Nike Missile Site on Field Road is a larger rest-stop / parking lot with larger restooms and running water. It is recommended to stop and use these if needed, prior to arriving to Nike. For more information, please email GOGA_MarinHeadlands_Info@nps.gov
Open the first Sunday of every month (12pm - 4pm) Tours are given periodically throughout these open house hours Battery Townsley, at Fort Cronkhite, was San Francisco's most extensive—and most secret—World War II military fortification. From 1940 to 1948, it mounted two massive battleship guns and housed more than 100 soldiers in an extensive network of underground tunnels; during the Cold War, it was used as an underground research facility. Long closed to public access, Battery Townsley has been refurbished thanks to volunteer labor and community contributions and is now ready for tours. The public is invited to visit and explore this labyrinthine fortification! In fall 2012, the park brought to this site a 16-inch gun, from the USS Missouri . The gun, identical to the one that was once mounted at Battery Townsley, helps tell the story of the coastal defense system that later gave rise to these parklands. Learn more about this new addition . Battery Townsley is reached via a moderately strenuous hike up the Coastal Trail, approximately one-half-mile north of the Rodeo Beach parking lot. For more information, and further assistance to the site, please email GOGA_MarinHeadlands_Info@nps.gov
Presidio Tunnel Tops Stewards help care for the landscaped areas at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, while learning about the unique mixture of native and non-native plants growing on the site. Activities will include pruning, weeding, spreading mulch, and other general landscaping and gardening activities.
Walk the Tunnel Tops and the historic Main Post of the Presidio with an expert NPS guide, and see the many layers of nature and history that have evolved since the Ohlone People were colonized, up until an Army base became a National Park for all people. Walk is ½ mile and flat but wear good shoes and layered clothing for the cold season.
Point Bonita Lighthouse has been a guiding light welcoming people and ships to the San Francisco Bay since 1855. The last 170 years have left the lighthouse with many fascinating stories to tell - about its lighthouse keepers, how it came to be in its current location, and more! Rangers offer a "light chat" 15-minute program at 12:15PM before opening the Point Bonita lighthouse trail from 12:30-3:30, allowing visitors to get out to the viewing platform and see the lighthouse. Additional light chats may take place during the open hours. Please note: the suspension bridge at the end of the trail is currently closed for maintenance. The lighthouse itself will be inaccessible during open hours due to this closure.
Presidio Tunnel Tops Stewards help maintain the landscaped areas of Presidio Tunnel Tops while learning about the unique mix of native and non-native plants at the site. Activities include pruning, weeding, spreading mulch, and other general landscaping and gardening tasks. Registration is required on the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy volunteer website . The specific meeting location will be provided in the registration confirmation email. All ages are welcome at this volunteer program! Volunteers under the age of 18 must have the parental consent section of the registration form signed by a parent/legal guardian or they will not be allowed to participate. Volunteers under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone. Review our Youth Policy Guidelines (PDF) for youth under the age of 15.
Walk the Tunnel Tops and the historic Main Post of the Presidio with an expert NPS guide, and see the many layers of nature and history that have evolved since the Ohlone People were colonized, up until an Army base became a National Park for all people. Walk is ½ mile and flat but wear good shoes and layered clothing for the cold season.
Home to the National Woman's Party for more than 90 years, this was the epicenter of the struggle for women's rights. From this house in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court, Alice Paul and the NWP developed innovative strategies and tactics to advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment and equality for women. President Barack Obama designated the national monument on April 12, 2016.
Centered on the north slope of Beacon Hill, the African American community of 1800s Boston led the city and the nation in the fight against slavery and injustice. These remarkable men and women, together with their allies, were leaders in the Abolition Movement, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, and the early struggle for equal rights and education.
Immerse yourself in an enchanting collage of coastal life and history. Rhythmic waves, high dunes, ancient maritime forests, historic landmarks and glimpses of wildlife, Fire Island has been a special place for diverse plants, animals and people for centuries. Far from the pressure of nearby big-city life, dynamic barrier island beaches offer solitude, camaraderie, and spiritual renewal.
Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, in sight of snowy mountain peaks and a vibrant urban landscape, this park has a rich cultural past. From a frontier fur trading post, to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest, history is shared at four unique sites. Discover stories of transition, settlement, conflict, and community.
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history from California’s indigenous cultures, Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, US military expansion and the growth of San Francisco. All of this and more awaits you, so get out and find your park.
Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site preserves a remarkable Georgian house whose occupants shaped our nation. It was a site of colonial enslavement and community activism, George Washington’s first long-term headquarters of the American Revolution, and the place where Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his canon of 19th-century American literature.
The Tenement Museum tells the stories of working-class tenement residents, who moved to New York City from other countries and other parts of the country. Their work helped build the city and nation, and their stories help us understand our history. The museum shares these stories through guided tours of recreated tenement apartments, neighborhood walking tours, and virtual tours and programs.
These 12 sites preserve more than 400 years of American history! We invite you to explore the past and investigate its relevance in our lives today. From the birth of American democracy to the evolution of commerce, harbor defense, ecology and immigration, the breadth of themes commemorated through the National Parks of New York Harbor reflect the richness and diversity of our heritage.
A landscape where deep time lies fully on display, Petrified Forest National Park blends colorful badlands, vast grasslands, and one of the world’s largest and most vivid collections of petrified wood. Spanning more than 200 million years of geologic history, the park protects ancient fossils, ancestral Puebloan sites, habitat for desert animals, and a sweeping stretch of historic Route 66.
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths, weave a rich tapestry of experiences from this era of opportunity and loss.
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil rights and provided momentum for a movement.
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human rights, and equality, global struggles that continue today. The efforts of women’s rights leaders, abolitionists, and other 19th century reformers remind us that all people must be accepted as equals.