Happy 100th Birthday National Park Service

"The fundamental idea behind the parks is that the country belongs to the people," says President Obama.

1 minute read

August 25, 2016, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Yellowstone National Park

Lee Prince / Shutterstock

The National Park Service is celebrating 100 years of service today, but according to the National Park Foundation website, today's celebrations are focused on the future: "It’s about kicking off a second century of stewardship for America’s national parks and for communities across the nation."

C-SPAN will be touring National Park Service sites throughout the day, starting at 10 am EDT. American History TV (also on C-SPAN) will present live coverage from Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, to commemorate the National Park Service centennial, at 7 pm EDT.

Here are some articles from past months and years to offer some of the contemporary perspective on the role of National Park System in the culture and life of the United States.

Finally, a video from President Obama encourages all Americans to "Find Your Park." 

Wednesday, August 24, 2016 in National Park Foundation

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

6 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine