Blog
Why visit national park sites? Each of our 11 national park and public lands partners is worth a trip, whether you want to experience the beauty of the natural world or learn about America’s past. From stunning landscapes to pivotal moments in civil rights and U.S. history, these national park sites help bring our nation’s heritage to life. While our park partners are dedicated to educating visitors, it’s not always easy to uncover every layer of history during a single visit—that’s where our blog posts help deepen the experience.
JNPA’s blogs bring you a slice of life from our far-flung national parks sites – sometimes quirky, sometimes sobering, our stories are always compelling and informative.
Look at some of our recent blog posts below. If you haven’t subscribed yet (we only send two emails per month), you can sign up here to be notified when a new blog is posted.
The Old Courthouse Reopens
May 13, 2025
If you haven’t yet visited the newly renovated Old Courthouse at Gateway Arch National Park, be sure to add it to your ‘must see’ list. The grand old building has reopened after being closed for extensive renovations that included installing new immersive exhibits that help tell the story of why the Old Courthouse is one of the best places to visit in St. Louis.
“The Old Courthouse has been the site of some of the most pivotal moments in American history, and now it will offer visitors an even deeper connection to its past,” said Jeremy Sweat, Superintendent of Gateway Arch National Park.
The history of the Old Courthouse is deeply tied to the civil rights movement and some of the most important court cases that affected slavery in the United States. Slave auctions were held on its steps; inside its walls more than 300 enslaved African Americans filed suit for their freedom. Among the most prominent cases were the first two trials of Dred and Harriet Scott’s fight for emancipation. The building was also the scene of efforts to secure women’s right to vote by Virginia Minor —an early pioneer in the national women’s suffrage movement and one of the first in the U.S. to legally challenge voting restrictions based on gender.
St. Louis has played an important in the civil rights movement, and the Old Courthouse stands as a powerful reminder of the city’s role in shaping justice and equality in America.
Doubling the Size of America – at 4¢ an Acre!
April 29, 2025
Talk about your real estate deals! An important milestone in the history of our nation took place on April 30, 1803, when the United States and France signed the Louisiana Purchase agreement.
It’s clear why the Louisiana Purchase was important: with one stroke of a pen, the U.S. purchased 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River at a cost of $15 million (approximately $371 million in today’s dollars). For roughly 4 cents an acre, our nation doubled its size, expanding our borders westward.
Although the agreement was officially signed on April 30, the U.S. did not take immediate possession of the land. It would be nearly a year before the transfer was completed in St. Louis, when the Spanish flag was lowered, then the French flag was hoisted, and ultimately, the American flag flew over the city. The historic event, known as Three Flags Day, is commemorated in the Museum at Gateway Arch National Park—a must-visit destination for history buffs interested in both the Louisiana Purchase and early American expansion.
Now THAT's Old!
April 15, 2025
We join our friends at Voyageurs National Park as they proudly celebrate the park’s 50th year with the National Park Service: quite an impressive anniversary. Since 1975, this pristine site in northern Minnesota has been a sanctuary of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and outdoor recreation. The importance of national parks like Voyageurs can’t be overstated—they protect irreplaceable landscapes, wildlife, and stories that define America. Yet as notable an achievement as this is, the history of the park’s 281,000 acres goes back much farther – and we mean way back.
Voyageurs National Park, supported by JNPA and other organizations like the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and Voyageurs Conservancy, is one of the few places in North America where you can touch rocks half the age of the Earth. The exposed rock that greets visitors today dates from the creation of the continent.
Wondering why national parks matter? Plan your own trip back in time to Voyageurs to touch the ancient past and experience firsthand the value of preserving these treasured lands.
Preserving a Hard but Important Chapter of American History
April 1, 2025
One of the newest national park Service sites—and one of JNPA’s newest park partners—shares the story of a dreadful chapter in America's history of race relations.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument was included as a National Park Service site in 2024. The park commemorates the events of August 1908, when African American residents of Springfield, Illinois, were targeted and attacked by thousands of White residents. Over three days of violence, the mob destroyed Black homes and businesses and lynched two Black men.
This was just one of numerous incidents of racially motivated riots and violent acts that took place in many American cities in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The riot led to the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
The new national monument was established very near where the 1908 riot started. While there is nothing left of the original buildings, archeological discoveries give visitors an opportunity to explore civil rights history and view physical evidence of the destruction. The National Park Service plans to develop programs and facilities to breathe new life into the story, helping people connect with the long history of slavery, the legacy of racial injustice in the U.S., and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument stands as a powerful destination for those interested in the history of civil rights, the roots of systemic racism, and the impact of race-based violence in America.
