National Parks

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops and more here.

Where is it located?

337 Bleecker Street, in Greenwich Village, New York City, New York

Whose land does it reside upon?

Greenwich Village’s known history dates back to the 16th century, when it was a marshland called Sapokanican by Native Americans who camped and fished in the meandering trout stream later known as Minetta Brook.

When was it established?

2021

About this park:

The Lorraine Hansberry residence, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2021, is nationally significant for its association with the pioneering Black lesbian playwright, writer, and activist, Lorraine Hansberry. Hansberry resided in a third-floor apartment in this building from 1953 to 1960, the period in which she created her most important works.  

During her time in the building, she wrote her groundbreaking play, A Raisin in the Sun, in the apartment and, in 1957, first read it aloud there to her friend Philip Rose, who went on to produce it. In March 1959, Hansberry made history as the first Black woman to have a play staged on Broadway with Raisin’s premiere at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in Manhattan. During these years, she also became the first African American playwright and the youngest playwright to win the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play. An instant celebrity, Hansberry was photographed in her book-lined apartment on Bleecker Street for Vogue Magazine one month after the play’s premiere. A Raisin in the Sun, considered a classic, has become part of established literary canon and is taught in schools throughout the United States.  

The Hansberry Residence is also significant for its important role in breaking the barriers of the time that challenged traditional views of race, class, gender, and sexuality. Hansberry was a dedicated activist for social justice and she worked alongside civil rights activists, such as writer James Baldwin, and singer Nina Simone. She contributed to a variety of publications that focused on racial justice, communism, women’s equality, and LGBT causes in her lifetime. Many of these articles were written in her apartment at 337 Bleecker Street. Even before the success of A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry privately began to explore her lesbian identity; she found community in her small lesbian social circle in Greenwich Village and had at least two relationships with women who lived close to her Bleecker Street apartment. While she was vocal about civil rights and other issues, she remained private about her sexuality, choosing instead to participate in LGBT issues anonymously through her writing, both before and after she achieved literary fame.   

Why did we choose these colors?

We used the photo of the residence on this page as our color inspiration: https://www.nps.gov/places/lorraine-hansberry-residence.htm

For more information:

NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/places/lorraine-hansberry-residence.htm

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops and more here.

Where is it located?

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is a U.S. National Monument that includes the area around Mount St. Helens in Cowlitz and Skamania Counties, Washington.

Whose land does it reside upon?

The volcano lawilátɬa is listed (as Lawetlat’la) on the National Register of Historic Places and acknowledged as a Traditional Cultural Property of significance to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.

When was it established?

August 26, 1982

About this park:

At 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted, shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. In a few moments this slab of rock and ice slammed into Spirit Lake, crossed a ridge 1,300 feet high, and roared 14 miles down the Toutle River.

The avalanche rapidly released pressurized gases within the volcano. A tremendous lateral explosion ripped through the avalanche and developed into a turbulent, stone-filled wind that swept over ridges and toppled trees. Nearly 150 square miles of forest was blown over or left dead and standing.

At the same time a mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night as dark, gray ash fell over eastern Washington and beyond. Wet, cement-like slurries of rock and mud scoured all sides of the volcano. Searing flows of pumice poured from the crater. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed within moments.

A vast, gray landscape lay where once the forested slopes of Mount St. Helens grew. In 1982 the President and Congress created the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance.

Why did we choose these colors?

We used as inspiration many images of bright green lichen at Mt. St. Helens, including photos on this page: https://nwnature.net/lichens/index.htm

For more information:

NFS website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/national-monuments/mount-st-helens

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops and more here.

Where is it located?

New River Gorge is located in southern West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains.

Whose land does it reside upon?

The historic tribes most closely associated with Western Virginia are the Shawnee, Delaware, and Cherokee, as well as Iroquoian-speaking groups including the Seneca, Tuscarawas, Susquehannock, and Mingo.

When was it established?

1978

About this park:

A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep canyons, the New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent. The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along the New River, is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.

Why did we choose these colors?

We were inspired by the Spring flowers found in the park, and our colorway is modeled after the first photo in this Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5DkYnM7re/?img_index=1

The flower is a Pink Lady Slipper.

For more information:

NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/neri/index.htm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newrivernps

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newrivergorgenps

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops and more here.

Where is it located?

The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is located on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Whose land does it reside upon?

The trail connects the routes traversed by the first people to inhabit the island (the Polynesians who originally came from Southeast Asia) and the more modern routes created after western colonization. The original booklet for the park (linked here), implores people to “Walk in the footsteps of the ka po‘e kahiko (people of old Hawai‘i) along the Ala Kahakai.”

The Ala Kahakai NHT contains the oldest and best remaining examples of the ancient ala loa and the sites connected by it, including remnants of several other ancient and historic
trails, providing outstanding opportunities to explore parts of the Hawaiian trail system and follow in the footsteps of the Hawaiian ancestors.

When was it established?

2000

About this park:

Established in 2000 to preserve, protect and interpret traditional Native Hawaiian culture and natural resources, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 175 mile corridor encompassing a network of culturally and historically significant trails. This “trail by the sea” traverses wahi pana (storied landscapes), ancient Hawaiian sites and over 200 ahupuaʻa (traditional land divisions).

The Ala Kahakai NHT contains the oldest and best remaining examples of the ancient ala loa, the major land route connecting the reaches of the coastal settlement zone of most ahupua‘a on the island of Hawai‘i. The ala loa was essential to the movement of early Hawaiian’s (ka
po‘e kahiko) from place to place.

Why did we choose these colors?

We were inspired by the gorgeous purples found on the shingle urchin, an ubiquitous creature in the tide pools on the trail. Click here to see a google search of this weird and wonderful urchin.

For more information:

NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/alka/index.htm

Instagram: n/a

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlaKahakaiNHT/

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops, Vacay Bingo, the KAL, and more here.

Where is it located?

Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park is a United States national historical park located in Richmond, California, near San Francisco.

Whose land does it reside upon?

Ohlones and Coast Miwoks. Native Americans have called the San Francisco Bay region home for over 10,000 years. Park areas south of the Golden Gate, from the San Francisco Peninsula, to the East Bay and south to Monterey, are the aboriginal lands of the Ohlones (also called Costanoans).

When was it established?

January 31, 2001

About this park:

On the morning of December 7, 1941, military forces of the Empire of Japan attacked the United States Naval Fleet and ground bases at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. On December 8, 1941, one day after the “Day of Infamy,” the United States declared war against the Empire of Japan and on December 11, 1941, Japan’s ally, Germany, declared war on the United States. Ten million Americans, mostly young working age men, would serve in the military during WWII, out of an overall United States population of 113 million. While an unprecedented number of young men would serve in World War II, the country would drastically increase its war production on the Home Front, serving not only the needs of the armed forces of the United States but her allies as well – what President Franklin Roosevelt called “The Arsenal of Democracy.” The combination of so many serving in the military, during a period of necessary and drastic increases in production, led to unprecedented social changes on the American Home Front.

During World War II six million women entered the workforce. “Rosie the Riveter” and her “We Can Do It” motto came to symbolize all women Home Front workers. A shortage of white male workers led to active recruitment, by the United States Government, to war industry jobs. Initially white middle class women were recruited, followed by minority men, and finally minority women. Integration of women and minorities into the workforce was initially met with resistance, however, the new opportunities for women and minorities “cracked open” the door to equal rights and would have profound impacts on the Civil Rights Movement and Women’s Movement during the following decades.

The World War II period resulted in the largest number of people migrating within the United States, in the history of the country. Individuals and families relocated to industrial centers for good paying war jobs, and out of a sense of patriotic duty. Many industrial centers became “boom towns”, growing at phenomenal rates. One example, the City of Richmond, California, grew from a population of under 24,000 to over 100,000 during the war. Workers from around the nation had to intermingle with each other, overcome differences, and form a cohesive identity in order to meet war demands. Following World War II, many migrants decided to stay in their new homes, forever changing the cultural landscape of the United States.

Home Front workers faced many challenges and many of which would lead to change. Working conditions on the Home Front were difficult and dangerous. Between the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 and the D-Day Invasion of Europe in June of 1944, there were more Home Front industrial casualties than military casualties. This high number of industrial casualties would lead to improved workplace safety and regulations, as well as better access to affordable health care. Another challenge faced by working women on the Home Front was childcare, as mothers comprised a significant portion of the work force. This led to the establishment of child development centers and the professional field of early childhood development.

In addition to Home Front workers, everyone was expected to be an active participant in the war effort. Rationing was a way of life as twenty commodities were rationed and people were asked to, “Use it up –Wear it out –Make it do –or Do without.” Materials vital to the war effort were collected, often by youth groups, and recycled. Many Americans supported the war effort by purchasing war bonds. Women replaced men in sports leagues, orchestras, and community institutions. Americans grew 60% of the produce they consumed in “Victory Gardens”. The war effort on the United States Home Front was a total effort.

Why did we choose these colors?

We used this photo, of a young girl and her mother dressed as Rosie the Riveter during the 2016 Rosie Rally, as the inspiration for our colorway.

For more information:

NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/rori/index.htm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosietheriveternps/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RosieTheRiveterNPS/

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops, Vacay Bingo, the KAL, and more here.

Where is it located?

Muir Woods National Monument is part of California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area, north of San Francisco.

Whose land does it reside upon?

Native Americans have called the San Francisco Bay region home for over 10,000 years. Park areas south of the Golden Gate, from the San Francisco Peninsula, to the East Bay and south to Monterey, are the aboriginal lands of the Ohlones (also called Costanoans).

When was it established?

January 9, 1908

About this park:

Muir Woods lies in the middle of the redwood’s latitudinal range that spans from the California/Oregon border to Big Sur, just south of Monterey. The weather is mild throughout the year, but summer is the busiest time to visit Muir Woods.

The incredible diversity of flora and fauna at Muir Woods can be daunting some times, elusive at other times. The redwoods themselves dominate the scene, but the humble Steller’s jay, ladybugs, ancient horsetail ferns, and the banana slug hold their own beneath the canopy. Plants adapt to low light levels on the forest floor, while whole plant and animal communities bustle in the canopy above our heads.

Muir Woods is known for its towering old-growth redwood trees. Trails wind among the trees to Cathedral Grove and Bohemian Grove, and along Redwood Creek. The Ben Johnson and Dipsea trails climb a hillside for views of the treetops, the Pacific Ocean and Mount Tamalpais in adjacent Mount Tamalpais State Park.

Why did we choose these colors?

We used an image found in this linked video (at the 43 second mark) of a banana slug in the Muir Woods as our photo inspiration. 

For more information:

NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

Instagram: n/a

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muirwoodsnps

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops, Vacay Bingo, the KAL, and more here.

Where is it located?

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, commemorates the contributions of African-American airmen in World War II.

Whose land does it reside upon?

The Tuskegee Indians were a civilized people that had their own customs and ways of life. They lived not to far from were the Tuskegee Army Airfield was constructed. The Creek nations along with the Tuskegee Indians were forced from their homeland during the white man’s expansion in the 1830’s and 1840’s

When was it established?

1998

About this park:

The Tuskegee Airmen gained notice and respect as the result of a test conducted by the U.S. Army Air Corps (Army Air Forces) to determine if African Americans had the mental and physical abilities to lead, fly military aircraft, and courage to fight in war.

The Airmen were not just pilots. They were technicians, radio operators, medical personnel, quartermasters, parachute riggers, mechanics, bombardiers, navigators, meteorologists, control tower operators, dispatchers, cooks, and others. Also included were Caucasian officers, Native Americans, Caribbean islanders, Latinos, and people of mixed racial heritage.

The women of the “Tuskegee Experience” worked alongside male counterparts as mechanics, gate guards, control tower operators, aircraft fuselage technicians, secretaries, and clerks. There were three permanent female parachute riggers who were responsible for training hundreds of cadets in the correct procedures for packing and maintaining parachutes. Gertrude Anderson served as assistant to G.L. Washington at Kennedy Field where Tuskegee’s Civilian Pilot Training Program was based. She assumed responsibility for continued operation of the airfield when Washington was transferred to Tuskegee Army Air Field.

Why did we choose these colors?

The Tuskegee Airmen’s planes had red tails, and our colorway is inspired by photos and videos of these planes.

For more information:

NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/tuai/index.htm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuskegeeairmennhs/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TuskegeeAirmenNHS/

It’s time for the annual National Parks Club! Find out information about participating shops, Vacay Bingo, the KAL, and more here.

Where is it located?

San Juan Island National Historical Park, also known as American and English Camps, San Juan Island, is a U.S. National Historical Park owned and operated by the National Park Service on San Juan Island in the state of Washington.

Whose land does it reside upon?

For thousands of years, the Northern Straits region has been home to Coast Salish peoples. The temperate climate, rich soil, abundant timber, and the bounty of the sea fostered an advanced civilization that continues to thrive in our region. These resources and the way the Tribes transformed our landscape to be even more abundant is what also attracted Europeans to the islands

When was it established?

1966

About this park:

San Juan Island is well known for its splendid vistas, saltwater shores, quiet woodlands, orca whales and one of the last remaining native prairies in the Puget Sound/Northern Straits region. But it was also here in 1859 that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over possession of the island, the crisis ignited by the death of a pig. It was real dumb, especially since both countries were equally colonial, but cooler heads eventually prevailed. We chose this park because the islands are stunning and gorgeous, not necessarily because of the armed forces/colonial aspect of the historic site itself. 

The park website encourages folks to get “beyond the bacon” and delve into other histories of the land, as well as the abundant natural resources and beauty it contains.

Why did we choose these colors?

We used an image of the Lime Kiln Lighthouse at sunset for our colorway inspiration.

For more information:

NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/sajh/index.htm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanjuanislandnhp/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SanJuanIslandNHP