Boston is the home of three national parks — National Park Service sites, Boston National Historical Park, Boston African American National Historic Site and Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.
These parks invite you to "explore the seeds of revolution and the ongoing and many-sided struggle for civil rights, liberties and environmental justice," according to The National Park Service.
"It was truly inspiring to visit national parks in and around Boston and meet with park staff, partners and community leaders," NPS Director Churck Sams said in a May 1 news release. "I saw and heard firsthand how Boston’s rich history is told through diverse voices and with a commitment to sharing the full story of our nation’s evolution."
National Park Service Director Chuck Sams recently visited Boston national parks.
| Wikimedia Commons
Sams paid his first official visit the National Parks of Boston April 25 and 26 in honor of National Park Week, according to the release. During his visit, he participated in the keynote panel, Indigenous Knowledge Fireside Chat, at the 2023 Stone Living Lab Conference: Nature-Based Coastal Resilience in Urban Settings at UMass Boston.
He also joined panelist Elizabeth Solomon, of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag, and moderator Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Boston chief of environment, energy and open space, according to the release.
He also met with Trails to Freedom partners at Old State House and members of the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership on a boat tour of the islands, the release said. He heard about the history of the islands, current efforts to maintain and preserve the islands and harbor, innovative programming that welcomes all communities to the park and ongoing efforts to create a climate resilient future for the islands, harbor and shoreline.
He shared information about the updated National Park Service Green Parks Plan that sets refreshed goals and objectives to advance sustainable park operations, the release reported.
National Parks Week, held April 22-29 this year, is a nine day celebration of the nation's National Parks, according to the NPS website. National Parks visitors during the week were encouraged to share their national park story on social media using special hashtags and keywords.
Boston African American National Historic Site provides the stories of those who leader the Abolition Movement, Underground Railroad, U.S. Civil War and early struggles for equal rights and education, according to the NPS.
Boston National Historical Park provides context for the city's part in history as the first location in the battles of the American Revolutionary War.
Boston Harbor Island National Recreation Area includes 24 islands where visitors can participate in activities at the Civil War-era fort, historic lighthouses, tide pools, trails for hiking, camping and fishing, picnicking and swimming.
