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The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the nation's second-oldest national park, is making plans to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service in August.
Chickamauga was created in 1890, 18 years after President Ulysses S. Grant signed a law creating Yellowstone National Park.
Park Ranger Will Sunderson, acting chief of interpretation and resource education, said a variety of events will be held at the six main sites in Georgia and Tennessee.
"At each of our locations, our goal is to connect not only to the people who already come into the park but also the next generation of visitors, supporters and advocates," Sunderson said Saturday.
"The key to connecting people to history is finding elements that they connect to themselves," he said. "We're hoping to offer things that will draw in the communities that are growing up around Chattanooga, be they the outdoor community or people who are moving into Chattanooga.
Sunderson said each main location in the park will feature a public event or program, with the idea of "getting people outside and learning more about opportunities in the park and connecting them not only to this park but the national park system as well as we approach our centennial."
The programs will be held in the months around the August centennial, he said. Details will be announced in coming months.