National Parks of the Great Lakes

The National Park Service turns 100 in 2016, and everyone is invited to the centennial celebrations! There are a massive 17 National Parks in the Great Lakes USA, and here are just a few to visit during the year:

Pictured Rocks

Michigan

Sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, lakes, forest, and shoreline beckon you to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Hiking, camping, sightseeing, and four season outdoor adventures can all be achieved. The lakeshore hugs Lake Superior for more than 40 miles in the north of Michigan.

Fun Fact: Pictured Rocks was the first officially designated National Lakeshore in the United States.

The state of Michigan has an additional four National Parks; Isle Royale, Keweenaw, Sleeping Bear Dunes and River Raisin.

Apostle Islands

Wisconsin

Along windswept beaches and cliffs, visitors experience where water meets land and past meets present. The 21 islands and 12 miles of mainland are home to a unique blend of cultural and natural resources. Lighthouses shine over Lake Superior and the new wilderness areas. You can hike, paddle, sail, or cruise to experience these Jewels of Lake Superior.

Fun Fact: One of the islands, Long Island, is currently an island in name only. It has been connected to the mainland as part of a peninsula for more than 30 years.

Wisconsin is also home to Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Voyageurs

Minnesota

Voyageurs National Park lies within the heart of the North American Continent. Here you can see and touch rocks half as old as the world, experience the life of a voyageur, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of a boreal forest, view the dark skies, or ply the interconnected water routes.

Centennial Event: Voyageurs Centennial Celebration, Surly Brewing Event Center, Minneapolis

April 18, 2016. Be part of a silent auction, be witness to the unveiling of the new Voyageurs National Park Centennial print, learn the stories of the ghosts of the Voyageurs and enjoy food and drink with fellow National Park enthusiasts.

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park 

Ohio

Three exceptional men from Dayton, Ohio, Wilbur Wright, Orville Wright and Paul Laurence Dunbar, found their creative outlet here through accomplishments and failures, and finally success. However, these men offered the world something far greater, they offered the world hope, and the ability to take a dream and make it a reality.

Fun Fact: The Wright Memorial in Dayton, Ohio, a stone obelisk of pink granite from North Carolina, was erected by Daytonians in 1940 to honour the Wright brothers’ achievements.

Ohio is home to a further 7 National Parks; Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, First Ladies National Historic Site, James A. Garfield National Historic Site, Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, William Howard Taft National Historic Site, Hopewell Culture and Cuyahoga Valley.

Lincoln Home

Illinois

Abraham Lincoln believed in the ideal that everyone in America should have the opportunity to improve his/her economic and social condition. Lincoln’s life was the embodiment of that idea. We know him as the sixteenth president but he was also a spouse, parent, and neighbour who experienced the same hopes, dreams, and challenges of life that are still experienced by many people.

Centennial Events: Throughout 2016 there will be spcial exhibits showcasing rarely displayed Lincoln artifacts, and during the summer there will be ranger talks celebrating the centennial, as well as a birthday celebration taking place on the 25 August 2016.