Lowell, MA - The National Park Service celebrates its 93rd anniversary on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009 with “National Parks Day." Lowell National Historical Park, one of the Service’s 391 units, joins in with an evening film event outside at Boarding House Park. The program will bring together three film components:
· “Untold Stories" which are mini-documentaries of national park sites created in conjunction with the upcoming Ken Burns series, “National Parks: America’s Best Idea",
· film trailers for the work of the “Lowell’s Young Producers" project, and
· a review of “Past, Present, and Future" Lowell National Historical Park’s 30th anniversary video.
In advance of the broadcast of Ken Burns’ “National Parks: America’s Best Idea" in September, the National Park Service has available an array of mini-documentaries, essentially untold stories, conveying accounts of several National Park Service cultural stories and community participation. Several of these short films will be shown on Aug. 25, including stories of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Manzanar National Historic Site, Yosemite National Park’s Buffalo Soldiers, and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Where “National Parks: America’s Best Idea" focuses on areas designated as “national parks", these videos capture a wider scan of the breadth and depth of the National Park Service mission in preserving and making relevant these sites capturing this country’s significant natural and cultural history.
Locally, and since last winter, Lowell National Historical Park has been working with Lowell Telecommunications Corporation on a National Park Foundation-funded project, “Lowell’s Young Producers" in collaboration with the upcoming “National Parks: America’s Best Idea" broadcast. The students’ video project focuses on growing up and attending high school within the boundaries of Lowell National Historical Park and Lowell’s downtown historic district. On Aug. 25, film trailers previewing these students work will be aired. The culminating event of these young film-makers work will be the premier of their full works on Saturday, September 26.
In 2008, the staff and partners of Lowell National Historical Park celebrated 30 years since being established by looking at the past, present and future. A brief video, visually capturing a summary of Lowell and the National Historical Park’s highlights was filmed for that event. It will be shown during the National Park Day event as well.
Bring your blanket or lawn chair to Boarding House Park on Tuesday, August 25 at 7:30 pm for this cluster of films celebrating stories of the National Park Service, Lowell National Historical Park, and the community of Lowell. Partners in this event with the Park include Lowell Telecommunications Corporation and the Lowell Film Collaborative with support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
For more information visit www.nps.gov/lowe or call 978-970-5000. Rain location is at the Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
