MLK Day of Service in Rock Creek Park
Virtual Heritage Day- Explore the Orchard
Have you ever wondered about what Rock Creek Park looked like before it was a national park? What did the Peirce family grow on their plantations? Join Volunteer Tim Makepeace to explore the Orchard at Peirce Mill and learn how a cider press works!
Virtual Heritage Day- Rope Making with Nate and Angela
Learn how rope was made with National Park Service Volunteer and Friends of Peirce Mill President Nathan Marzoli, as well as Education Director Angela Kramer from the Friends of Peirce Mill!
Virtual Heritage Day- Watch the Corn Sheller in action!
Have you ever wondered how millers got the corn off the cob to grind into meal? Join Friends of Peirce Mill President and National Park Service Volunteer Nate to see how this machine works!
Virtual Heritage Day at Peirce Mill
Join Supervisory Park Ranger Dana Dierkes and Friends of Peirce Mill's Education Director Angela Kramer for a virtual tour of Peirce Mill.
Field Works of the Civil War Defenses of Washington
Join Park Ranger Steve Phan and explore a part of the military earth works that defended the City of Washington during the American Civil War.
#FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #FindRockCreek #FindYourFort #RockCreek130 #RecreateResponsibly
Explore Your Backyard
Learn all about earthworms and a fun worm-themed snack! Closed captions are available in Spanish courtesy of Corazón Latino.
Dumbarton Oaks Park-National Public Lands Day (espanol)
In this Spanish transltation of our previous video, Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy and the National Park Service present a history of Dumbarton Oaks Park which is part of Rock Creek Park.
#EncuentraTuParque #FindYourPark #FindRockCreekPark #rockcreek130
Dumbarton Oaks Park-National Public Lands Day (English)
Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy and the National Park Service present a history of Dumbarton Oaks Park which is part of Rock Creek Park.
A Spanish version of the video will follow momentarily....
#FindYourPark #encuentratuparque #FindRockCreekPark #RockCreek130
Mt. Zion and Female Union Band Cemetery
For our last stop on our Georgetown History tour we invite you to this cemetery just off of Q Street.
Between the 1930s and 1960s, Georgetown’s African American population fell from 30% to less than 9%. With the exodus of many black families from the community, the Mt. Zion-Female Union Band cemetery fell into disrepair. The cemetery contained over 1200 internments and had been utilized by African American residents of Herring Hill since before the 1840s.
In the 1960s, proposals to develop cemetery land into apartments were met with resistance. At that time, an oral history was brought to light by church and former Herring Hill residents.
Invisible from the roadway, a burial vault lay tucked into the hillside. This burial vault was said to have been used by enslaved people escaping north to freedom on the Underground Railroad. The cemetery was saved and has been preserved. The site is now part of the National Recreation Trail--Black History Trail, National Registry of Historic Places, and was the first UNESCO Slave Route Project Site of Memory designated in Washington, DC in 2018.
Thank you for joining us on a virtual tour of Herring Hill. We hope to highlight more sites throughout Washington, DC in the future.
This video has no sound.
#Didyouknow #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #FindRockCreekPark #RockCreek130 #GeorgetownHistoryTour National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
Dumbarton Oaks Park-National Public Lands Day (español)
In this Spanish transltation of our previous video, Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy and the National Park Service present a history of Dumbarton Oaks Park which is part of Rock Creek Park.
Dumbarton Oaks Park-National Public Lands Day (Englsih)
Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy and the National Park Service present a history of Dumbarton Oaks Park which is part of Rock Creek Park.
A Spanish version of the video will follow momentarily....
If things had worked out differently, you might hear the sound of ringing bells in Meridian Hill Park today.
Queen Juliana of the Netherlands visited Meridian Hill Park in April 1952 to present President Truman, surrounded by a crowd of people including school children, with a gift of a small silver bell as a token of a larger gift to come. The Netherlands had commissioned a set of carillon bells for the United States to recognize the help provided by American troops to the people of the Netherlands during and after World War II.
She stated, “"To achieve real harmony, justice should be done also to the small and tiny voices, which are not supported by the might of their weight. Mankind could learn from this. So many voices in our troubled world are still unheard. Let that be an incentive for all of us when we hear the bells ringing."
It took two years for the large bells to be fabricated and sent to the United States. Though originally intended to be installed at Meridian Hill Park, neighbors didn’t think it would be appropriate for loud bells to be rung so close to their homes. Instead, the bells were installed in a carillon tower constructed next to the then-new United States Marine Corps War Memorial near Arlington Cemetery. Fifty bells were dedicated in this location on May 5, 1960. They are now managed by George Washington Memorial Parkway.
For more information on the Netherlands Carillon, visit https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/learn/historyculture/netherlandscarillon.htm
#findyourpark #encuentratuparque #womenshistory #womenshistorywednesday #Beyondthe19th
#didyouknow
Photo Slideshow shows black and white images of the crowd at Meridian Hill Park during the dedication from the back towards the stage, dignitaries including President Truman and the Queen speaking, multiple shots of the crowd, Queen Juliana meeting school children, dignitaries shaking hands behind the scene and posing in front of the temporary carillon installed in the park for the occasion.
Happy World Turtle Day! On this day, we highlight our resident turtles at the Nature Center--including Atwee--our Eastern painted turtle, Tiki--a red-eared slider, and Pokey--an Eastern box turtle. All have been safe and sound during COVID-19.
Did you know? Eastern painted turtles and Eastern box turtles live in Rock Creek Park.
Red-eared sliders--common pets--are not native to this area and can be very harmful in Rock Creek and other waterways in the DC metropolitan area and other places. For example, red-eared sliders compete with native turtles for food and space and can carry diseases for which native turtles have no immunity.
Exploring Your Backyard: Worms
In this Exploring Your Backyard program, we will learn all about worms. This week's video will feature a worm-themed snack, too. Don't worry--we won't be using real worms!
To help you prepare for the video snack, you will need:
1 four-ounce box of instant pudding or a large bowl of pre-made pudding
2 cups of milk (only needed if you are making the instant pudding)
1 container of whipped cream
1 box of chocolate sandwich cookies
1 package of gummy worms
During the Facebook Premiere, a ranger will watch along to answer any questions you may have about the topic.
#FindYourPark #FindYourWorms #ExploringYourBackyard #DirtPudding #RecreateResponsibly #RockCreekPark
May 20th is World Bee Day! World Bee Day is observed on the birthday of Anton Jansa, who pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in the 18th century.
Today we celebrate the importance of bees as pollinators key to a sustainable environment, while raising awareness to the threats bees face from human activity. Bees are important pollinators—they transfer pollen from their bodies to the male and female parts of plants.
As per UNESCO, “90% of the world's wild flowering plants and more than a third of the fruits, nuts and seeds that humanity feeds on originate from the pollination activity of bees and other pollinating insects.” In addition, “Pollination is a fundamental process for the preservation of biodiversity, the survival of humanity because the reproduction of wild plants and therefore food security depend on it.”
To help prevent the extinction of bees, here are a couple of things you can do:
🐝 Grow bee-friendly plants and trees.
🐝 Avoid using pesticides in gardens.
🐝Raise awareness about the value of pollinators within your communities.
#findyourpark #encuentratuparque #rockcreekpark #pollinatorpower #beethesolution
Photos NPS/ROCR Library
International Migratory Bird Day 2020
Happy International Migratory Bird Day! Check out our video involving birding and a fun family craft.
This special day was founded in in 1993 by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. As a result, we celebrate the return of our beautiful and beloved migratory birds on the second Saturday of each May.
Remember to practice safe social distancing while birding in Rock Creek Park. Happy birding! #FindYourPark #FindYourBird #InternationalMigratoryBirdDay #RecreateResponsibly #RockCreekPark
Today is National Arbor Day. This celebration takes place every year on the last Friday of April. The first US Arbor Day originated in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, by journalist and tree lover Julius Sterling Morton. He challenged the people of Nebraska to plant as many trees as they could. On this day, it is estimated that one million trees were planted.
To honor trees, here are some facts describing their importance:
1. Forests cover 4 billion hectares or 31% of Earth's land surface.
2. Forests harbor 80% of Earth's land-based biodiversity. These ecosystems are composed of different organisms such as animals, plants, and fungi.
3. Forests are known as carbon sinks—any natural environment that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it releases. A single tree can absorb around 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Deforestation causes 8-10% of annual human carbon dioxide emissions. With deforestation comes the loss of biodiversity and more.
Lucky us...#RockCreekPark gives us thousands of reasons to ♥️ trees on a daily basis!
—Intern Sarah
#NationalParkWeek #FindYourPark #EncuentratuParque #ArborDayAtHome @arborday
Have you ever wondered where the road names in Rock Creek Park come from? Several roads were named to acknowledge Army officers responsible for managing the park before it was turned over to the National Park Service in 1933. Captain Lansing H. Beach, Lt. Colonel Clarence O. Sherrill, Major Ulysses S. Grant III, Major Jay J. Morrow, and Colonel Theodore A. Bingham were all honored by having their names bestowed upon park roadways. On this #militarymonday we salute them and all our service members.
#findyourpark #encuentratuparuque #nationalparkweek2020 #militarymonday
Do you love and enjoy Rock Creek Park? Perhaps you would like to volunteer with us in the future? We will be looking for volunteer tour guides at Peirce Mill, Meridian Hill Park, and Georgetown Waterfront Park. In addition, we will be looking for volunteers to help provide visitor information at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center and on park trails. If you are interested, please message us on Facebook for follow-up at a later date when facilities reopen.
Today is VIP (Volunteers-in-Parks) Day! We celebrate with a short slide show of several volunteers in action at Rock Creek Park.
#findyourpark #encuentratuparque #volunteersunday #VIP #volunteersinparks #nationalparkweek2020
Rock Creek Park and Coronavirus
Ranger Renee in Rock Creek Park talks about Coronavirus and what you need to know about visiting Rock Creek Park. #findyourpark #encuentratuparque #coronavirusawareness
‼️Wind Advisory in effect from February 7, 09:00 AM EST until February 7, 03:00 PM EST
Turn around, Don't drown!
As the heavy rain falls, Rock Creek Park’s roads can experience flash flooding and trails become slippery. Keep an eye out for roads flooded out by flash floods, as well as road closures in the park and around the city.
Never underestimate the power of water:
☔️Only 6 inches of water can knock over and carry away an adult
☔️Only 12 inches of moving water can sweep away a car
☔️Only 18 inches can carry away most large SUVs, vans, and trucks.
Do you know how deep and fast the water is? Remember to turn around, don't drown, and turn on your windshield wipers and headlights. 🚘↪️🌧☂️
Something beautiful to ponder during your lunch break...
(Visual shows trees with creek. Creek flows over large rocks.)
Turn around, Don't drown!
Listen to Rock Creek roar as the rainwater begins to flood the banks. As the rain falls, Rock Creek Park’s roads can experience flash flooding. Keep an eye out for roads flooded out by flash floods, as well as road closures in the park and around the city.
Never underestimate the power of water:
☔️Only 6 inches of water can knock over and carry away an adult
☔️Only 12 inches of moving water can sweep away a car
☔️Only 18 inches can carry away most large SUVs, Vans and Trucks
Do you know how deep and fast the water is? Remember to turn around, don't drown, and turn on your windshield wipers and headlights. 🚘↪️🌧☂️
