National Park Service celebrates Centennial

National Park Service celebrates Centennial

Arkansas sites range from historic to outdoor treasures

“There is nothing so American as our national parks…” — Franklin D. Roosevelt.

With those words in mind, 2016 kicks off a year-long celebration of the National Park Service and its centennial anniversary as natural areas, historic monuments and other sites across the U.S. prepare to celebrate the occasion, which officially takes place Aug. 25.

In Arkansas, events and activities will occur all year to commemorate the centennial. The state is home to eight NPS sites or trails, each with its own unique story: Arkansas Post, Buffalo National River, Fort Smith National Historic Site, Hot Springs National Park, Little Rock Central High School, Pea Ridge National Military Park, the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home and the Trail of Tears.

Enimini Ekong, chief of interpretation and education at Central High School National Historic Site in Little Rock. Ekong is one of only five park rangers out of the 28,000 employees in the National Park Service to be given this designation. As a part of his duties, Ekong will travel the country promoting Arkansas’s and all national parks at events such as the Rose Bowl Parade, the Superbowl and more. He is determined to help Arkansans better understand the treasures that lie in their own backyards.

“Our goal is to create the next generation of supporters, visitors and advocates of our parks for the next 100 years,” says Ekong.

Ekong believes the centennial activities are the first step in building this next generation of supporters. Many events across the state are already scheduled, with more to come as the year progresses.

Ekong also notes the national program “Every Fourth Grader in a Park,” which grants every fourth “Arkansas is unlike many other states because we have the best of culture and natural landscapes. We have a Civil War battlefield, trails, rivers….we have a diversity of experience. And there’s no limit to what you can do: hike, bike, float, experience spa and medicinal benefits.”

From Leah DiPietro National Park Service