Keweenaw County Historical Society to host "A Brief History of our National Parks" July 9

GAY, Mich. -- Keweenaw National Historical Park Superintendent Mike Pflaum will present "A Brief History of our National Parks" for the Keweenaw County Historical Society’s Adventures in History program at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, at the Gay School Museum in Gay, Mich.

Pflaum, who is a career National Park Service ranger, will share the colorful history of America’s national parks. Beginning with Yellowstone in 1872, the American national park system has grown to include 401 different units stretching from Guam to Puerto Rico, from Alaska’s Noatak to Florida’s Dry Tortugas, and all points in between -- including two in our own backyard.

From awe-inspiring national parks like Grand Teton, to quiet places of reflection like Pearl Harbor, each unit preserves sites that are key to the American experience and identity. Each unit also has a unique story to tell. Pflaum will provide an historical overview of national parks before diving into a deeper view of the stories and resources of the parks on Lake Superior.

The Gay School Museum is one of the resources preserved and interpreted by the Keweenaw County Historical Society (KCHS), a Keweenaw Heritage Site partner with Keweenaw National Historical Park. The program is part of the KCHS Adventures in History program. Admission is $6 for the general public and $5 for KCHS members.