Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is a U.S. national monument and national preserve in the Snake River Plain in central Idaho. It is along US 20, between the small towns of Arco and Carey, at an average elevation of 5,900 feet above sea level.
Whose land does it reside upon?
Humans have inhabited the Snake River Plain since at least the end of the last Ice Age, first showing up in the archeological record 12,000- 14,000 years ago. Members of the Shoshone and Bannock tribes and their ancestors had the most contact among native inhabitants with the lava fields of Craters of the Moon. The Shoshone were a branch of the Northern Shoshone that inhabited the upper Columbia River Basin, while the Bannock were a branch of the Northern Paiute. These two groups both occupied the Snake River Plain, intermingled, travelled and hunted together, and otherwise coexisted while speaking slightly different languages.
When was it established?
The Monument was established on May 2, 1924
About this park:
Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. We invite you to explore this “weird and scenic landscape” where yesterday’s volcanic events are likely to continue tomorrow. The Monument contains numerous cultural as well as natural resources.
Anacostia Park is located in the heart of Washington, DC.
Whose land does it reside upon?
Long before the arrival of the first European explorers, a vibrant American Indian culture evolved around the abundance of fish, game, and other natural resources in the Anacostia River area for at least 10,000 years. In the 17th century, the Nacotchtank Indians were the primary residents along the eastern shore of the Anacostia. Prosperous farmers, gatherers, hunters, and traders, the Nacotchtanks lived in the vicinity of what is now Bolling Air Force Base.
The District of Columbia shares borders with Maryland and Virginia, and connect with lands along the Anacostia and Potomac River. These river systems and current national parks are where the Piscataway, Pamunkey, the Nentego (Nanichoke), Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Monacan, and the Powhatan cultures thrived.
When was it established?
Although the foundations of the park were being laid as early as 1901, in 1933, management and oversight responsibilities for Anacostia Park were turned over to the National Park Service.
About this park:
This small but mighty park in the heart of the nation’s capital was developed as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of DC. There are walking and hiking trails, wetlands to explore and admire, fishing, biking, and the reason we are featuring it this year, a roller skating rink (the ONLY roller skating rink in the National Park Service, FYI)! Folks can skate for free from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Why did we choose these colors?
We used the photo of a happily-skating Park Ranger as the inspiration for our Anacostia Park colorway.
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
Where is it located?
On top of Lookout Mountain near Fort Payne, Alabama, and DeSoto State Park in Northeastern Alabama.
Whose land does it reside upon?
It was home to Cherokee and Creek tribes, until they were forced off of their land by the American government and marched on the Trail of Tears.
When was it established?
October 21, 1992
About this park:
Little River is unique because it flows for most of its length atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. Forested uplands, waterfalls, canyon rims and bluffs, pools, boulders, and sandstone cliffs offer settings for a variety of recreational activities.
Sometimes called the “Grand Canyon of the East,” the spectacular canyon was carved over thousands of years by Little River. One of the longest rivers in America that flows almost entirely on the top of a mountain, Little River begins at 1,900 feet above sea level and drops over 1,200 feet before it finally merges with the waters of Weiss Lake.
Why did we choose these colors?
We used this photo, a shelf of sandstone that forms Little Falls, a popular swimming hole in the summer and a beautiful setting in the fall.
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
It is the youngest in a string of around 600 cinder cones in the Flagstaff area. This is a region of intense volcanism that began around 3 million years ago with the formation of a lava dome called Bill Williams Mountain. The San Francisco Peaks began forming soon after that, and over 2 million years they grew into an immense mountain that was probably 16,000 feet (5300 meters) tall – at one time, it was the tallest mountain in the continental US, and the 10th tallest in North America! A thousand years ago the ground was torn open and lava erupted into the sky, forever changing the landscape and the lives of the people who lived here. A thousand years later, trees and flowers grow among the rocks, and people visit the lava flow to see and remember the most recent volcanic eruption in Arizona.
Why did we choose these colors?
We used this stunning image of a sunrise at Sunset Crater as the inspiration for our colorway:
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
Where is it located?
In Anniston, Alabama, which is in East-Central Alabama, about 65 miles East of Birmingham.
Whose land does it reside upon?
The land where Alabama is located was the ancestral home of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek tribes.
When was it established?
January 2017
About this park:
This park was established by President Barack Obama in January 2017 to preserve and commemorate the Freedom Riders during the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1961, a small interracial band of “Freedom Riders” challenged discriminatory laws requiring separation of the races in interstate travel by boarding a bus together. They were attacked by white segregationists, who firebombed the bus. Images of the attack appeared in hundreds of newspapers, shocking the American public and spurring the Federal Government to issue regulations banning segregation in interstate travel.
Through the media, the nation and the world witnessed the violence. Images, like that of a firebombed bus burning outside Anniston, Alabama, shocked the American public and created political pressure, which forced the Federal Government to take steps to ban segregation in interstate bus travel.
Although only thirteen Freedom Riders started the journey, they inspired hundreds of others to join their cause. In the end there were over 400 Freedom Riders. They succeeded in pressing the federal government to act. On May 29, 1961, Attorney General Robert Kennedy petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to issue regulations banning segregation, and the ICC subsequently decreed that by November 1, 1961, bus carriers and terminals serving interstate travel had to be integrated.
The Freedom Rides and Freedom Riders made substantial gains in the fight for equal access to public accommodations. Federal orders to remove Jim Crow signs on interstate facilities did not change social mores or political institutions overnight, but the Freedom Riders nonetheless struck a powerful blow to racial segregation.
Why did we choose these colors?
As we researched this park, we came across this photo and really enjoyed the colors:
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
Where is it located?
In central-ish North Dakota, about 60 miles Northwest of Bismark.
Whose land does it reside upon?
The Knife River region has been home to various peoples for perhaps 11,000 years. Very few objects remain for us to learn about the cultures who lived here, but early written records and large quantities of cultural material document how the Hidatsa lived in earthlodge villages overlooking the Knife and Missouri Rivers for 500 years. They developed a prosperous way of life in harmony with nature and the cycle of the seasons.
The Mandan and Arikara joined the Hidatsa in settled villages south along the Missouri River. Together these three groups pioneered agriculture on the Northern Plains while still hunting bison and gathering wild edibles. Despite their similarities as earthlodge peoples, conflict and competition were not unknown between these three communities.
Tribes from across the Northern Plains journeyed to these permanent villages to trade, socialize, and make war. The Sioux, Cheyenne, Crow, Assiniboine, and Ojibwe, along with white traders, explorers, and artists, made the Knife River Indian Villages an exciting and cosmopolitan place. Foreign visitors also brought new diseases that dramatically altered communities and cultures and led to the end of the traditional lifestyle in the Knife River region.
When was it established?
1974
About this park:
Earthlodge people hunted bison and other game, but were in essence farmers living in villages along the Missouri and its tributaries. The site was a major Native American trade center for hundreds of years prior to becoming an important market place for fur traders after 1750.
Why did we choose these colors?
We used this image of a pair of cloth gloves with beads and leather fringe as our inspiration:
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
Where is it located?
Extreme Northwestern Alaska.
Whose land does it reside upon?
From the NPS website:
“Many of the stories told about Bering Land Bridge National Preserve are focused on its prehistory, but the more recent past and present-day cultural traditions of Northwest Alaska are just as important. Deeply-rooted cultural practices and traditional subsistence hunting and gathering are still a part of everyday life for most Inupiaq communities around the Seward Peninsula. The protection of resources within Bering Land Bridge helps to support these lifestyles, as well as communicate to others the importance of Alaska Native heritage in a holistic context.
Today’s cultural groups of the Seward Peninsula remain closely tied to the ancestors who first crossed over from Siberia, and many still have living relatives on the Asian side of the Bering Strait. Up until European contact in the 19th century, these groups led mobile subsistence lifestyles, moving seasonally with food availability and thriving off the land and the sea.”
When was it established?
December 1, 1978
About this park:
The Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is one of the most remote United States national park areas, located on the Seward Peninsula. The National Preserve protects a remnant of the Bering Land Bridge that connected Asia with North America more than 13,000 years ago during the Pleistocene ice age, that many geologists, paleontologists, and other scientists believe was the path to the population of the americas.
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
Where is it located?
Northeastern Alabama, close to the town of Bridgeport.
Whose land does it reside upon?
As Russell Cave was used for more than 10,000 years by different Indigenous groups in what was now America, there are many peoples whose ancestral lands is here. From the Paleo-Indians of 10,000+ years ago, to the Archaic culture (the first known tool sharpeners) to the Woodland people, who began to farm and develop a more agrarian culture, to the Mississippian culture that were decimated by colonial “exploration,” Russell Cave was an important part of many Indigenous cultures. Today, Cherokee, Muskogee Creek, and Koasati Indians call Northeastern Alabama home.
When was it established?
May 11, 1961
About this park:
Russell Cave is an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast. In the 1950s, archeologists uncovered a large quantity of artifacts representing over 10,000 years of use in a single place, from approximately 6500 BCE, the period of earliest-known human settlement in the southeastern United States, to 1650 CE and the period of European colonization. The large entrance made it an attractive shelter for large bands of people, and it is believed to have primarily served as a seasonal winter shelter. The people relied on the surrounding forest to gather produce and hunt for game and fish, stone and game for tools, and wood fuel for fires.
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
Where is it located?
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore comprises a stretch of shoreline and 21 islands at the northern tip of Wisconsin, on Lake Superior.
Whose land does it reside upon?
This area named the Apostle Islands is home for some of the Ojibwe people who live throughout the Great Lakes. According to their written and oral history, the Ojibwe were the original inhabitants of this area. In order to gain the materials they needed to survive, they traveled throughout the islands with their main village being Madeline Island, which is known as Moningwunakauning: “Home of the yellow breasted woodpecker.”
When was it established?
September 26, 1970
About this park:
Twenty-two Apostle Islands lie off the Bayfield Peninsula in Lake Superior, the largest and most pristine of the Great Lakes.The National Lakeshore includes twenty-one of these islands and a 12-mile segment along Wisconsin’s north coast. Colorful Precambrian sandstone eroded into cliff formations, sea caves, and a collection of sandscapes, including sandspits, cuspate forelands, tombolos, a barrier spit, and numerous beaches.
The lakeshore is at the continental northwestern limits of hemlock-white-pine-northern hardwood forest as well as elements of boreal forest. This diversity provides habitat for nesting and migratory birds, and a variety of mammals, amphibians, and fish.
On the mainland, the Lakeshore Trail winds past cliffs and sea caves. Many islands have trails, beaches and marinas. Wildlife includes bald eagles, falcons and black bears. Sand Island and Raspberry Island have 19th-century lighthouses. The Lucerne shipwreck is just off Long Island
Why did we choose these colors?
We used this stunning photo of “The Garage,” which is the largest sea cave found in the park’s mainland unit, for our colorway inspiration:
Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:
Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/
Where is it located?
Northern Kansas.
Whose land does it reside upon?
What is now Kansas is home to many indigenous tribes, including: Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kansa, Kiowa, Osage, Pawnee, and Wichita.
When was it established?
November 12, 1996
About this park:
Formerly enslaved African Americans left Kentucky at the end of the of post-Civil War Reconstruction period to experience freedom in the “Promised Land” of Kansas. Nicodemus represents the involvement of African Americans in the westward expansion and settlement of the Great Plains. It is the oldest and only remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi River.
The five historic buildings represent the spirit of Nicodemus: church, self government, education, home, and business. They illustrate the individual and collective strength of character and desire for freedom of these early pioneers, who established Nicodemus – one of the oldest and most famous Black towns on the western plains.
On the NPS website, there is a welcome video, and one of the park rangers in the video is a descendant of the original settlers of Nicodemus!
Why did we choose these colors?
We used this beautiful and hopeful photograph of a rainbow east of the Township Hall after a rainstorm during the Emancipation Celebration:
