NEWTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY VISITS NATIONAL PARKS

NEWTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Box 189
NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT 06470

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact John Renjilian, 203-426-0864

One of the great programs our government has participated in is the establishment of the National Park Service, creating parks throughout the country. In conjunction with the C H Booth Library, the Newtown Historical Society will explore those parks and their history on September 9, at 7.30 PM, in the meeting room of the Booth Library. Walt Schweikert will take the audience on a tour of some of the 61 national parks and 417 sites administered by the NPS in a program entitled America’s Treasures - Our National Park System,

Unlike crowded Europe and Asia, the United States had large open land masses, and preservation of those sites became a priority. Just over 100 years ago, President Wilson signed the legislation that created the National Park Service within the Interior department. The new agency was tasked to “promote and regulate the use of Federal areas . . . to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide the enjoyment of the same in such manner . . . as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

Most people are familiar with at least a few of the parks such as Grand Canyon and other more famous spots, and have probably visited a few. Schweikert has visited more than 400 of the sites administered by the Park Service, as well as dozens of nearly 200 affiliated sites national heritage areas, trails and river systems maintained by a partnership of the Service and states and local groups. He will present some of the history and structure of the Park Service and provide a slide show trip around the country.

Walt Schweikert has been camping literally all his life, going on his first trip at age one, though his memories of that trip are a little hazy. He continued the tradition with his own family, exploring everything within 500 miles of home. He is now retired from two careers, and he and his wife and their children still go caravanning off together and might be seen anywhere in the United State.

All Newtown Historical Society programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the presentation. For further information please visit the website at www.newtownhistory.org, find the Society at www.facebook.com/newtownhistoricalsociety, or call the Society at 203-426-5937.