George Washington’s birthday rates a federal holiday Monday. But while we’re offering a tip of the tricorn hat to our first commander in chief, let’s not forget our 28th, Woodrow Wilson, whose signature in 1916 created the National Park Service.
Figures for 2009 show more than 285 million visitors to the 394 national parks. That number includes more than 1.2 million at the three sites in the tri-state area: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, in Georgia and Tennessee, and Little River Canyon National Preserve and Russell Cave National Monument, both in Northeast Alabama.
This weekend, two of the three have scheduled special programming. An outing to any of these federally protected sites would be a fitting celebration of Presidents Day.
Visit www.nps.gov for directions and other information.
RUSSELL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT