Media outlets and the general public are invited to Fort Scott National Historic Site on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony at the fort’s parade ground. Check-in for ceremony participants begins at 9:30 a.m. and the ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. The Honorable Holly L. Teeter, United States District Judge for the District of Kansas, is scheduled to preside.
Saturday through Monday, September 5-7, 2026, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., enjoy a variety of living history demonstrations as you explore the labors on the fort. Monday will be Artillery demonstrations at 9, 10, and 11 a.m.
STRONG CITY, KS.- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve will host its annual quilt display in the historic barn from September 3, 2026 through September 7, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
Celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation. On Saturday, July 4th, we will fire artillery, lead Fort tours, and honor all those who have fought for our freedom.
Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 3:30 p.m., Fort Scott National Historic Site, American Legion Post 25, and Fort Scott Fire Department will be hosting an official US Flag Disposal Ceremony. Bring your: United States, POW/MIA, State, and Service (U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard) flags to the fort between now and 3:30 p.m. Saturday and we will properly and respectfully dispose of them. Just as there’s etiquette for displaying Old Glory, there’s also etiquette for disposing of flags in a dignified manner.
Learn Native American stories and experience dance performances by the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers. Then create traditional corn husk dolls in Native Plains fashion. All activities are free and open to the public.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites the public to help place flags for the annual “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 22. Individuals, families and groups are welcome to participate and stay as long as they are available.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will host its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 18 and 19, 2026. Join us each day to experience cavalry, infantry, and artillery troops drilling and preparing for battle in the summer of 1861.
STRONG CITY, Kan.- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve plans to conduct prescribed fires now through April, weather conditions and moisture levels permitting. For current conditions and trail closures, please call the park, visit the Alerts section on the website, or park’s Facebook page.
Tickets are now on sale for the 44th Annual Candlelight Tour at Fort Scott National Historic Site, set for Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5–6, 2025. Tickets are available online at fofs.ludus.com for $5 per person The 45-minute guided tours depart every 15 minutes, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday and 5 to 8:45 p.m. Saturday, and end in the Grand Hall with warm drinks and snacks provided by the Friends of Fort Scott NHS.
TOPEKA, Kan. – The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a New Citizen Ceremony, September 25, 2025, in collaboration with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Courts.
Tens of thousands of volunteers across the country will join in trail maintenance, planting projects, trash pick-up, and other activities aimed at restoring and caring for public lands to celebrate the 30th Annual National Public Lands Day, September 27.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting author, historical researcher, and Civil War reenactor Calvin L. Osborne on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 2 p.m. in the Grand Hall of the East Infantry Barracks, where he will share an epic story of a once-enslaved man who fought for freedom, helped shape a nation, and unknowingly laid a foundation for generations to come.
Media outlets and the general public are invited to Fort Scott National Historic Site on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony at the parade ground here.
Saturday, August 30, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Throughout Saturday, enjoy historic yard games, a variety of living history demonstrations, and interpretive programs as you explore the labors and leisure on the fort.
Fort Scott National Historic Site celebrates the anniversary of the National Park Service, Monday, August 25, 2025, with a series of family-friendly games, trivia, a scavenger hunt throughout the day, fort tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and a musical performance by the 1st Infantry Division Band from Fort Riley. Activities are appropriate for visitors of all ages and abilities.
TOPEKA, Kan. – The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a New Citizen Ceremony, July 24, 2025, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony on June 26, 2025, in collaboration with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
Learn Native American stories and experience dance performances by the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers. Then learn how to work with Feathers that adorn the dancers in traditional Native Plains fashion. All activities are free and open to the public.
Travel back in time using just your phone, the NPS App, and the tap of a finger. Beginning Friday, May 23, 2025, Fort Scott National Historic Site is proud to pilot the first-ever augmented reality (AR) experience of digitally reconstructing historic structures in a national park through the NPS App.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 23, 2025. We welcome everyone to participate and encourage individuals and groups to plan on arriving at 8:30 a.m. and help as long as you are available.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony on April 24, 2025, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 12 and 13, 2025. Join us each day to experience cavalry and infantry troops drilling, preparing for battle, and sharing stories of life during the Civil War. Talk to a blacksmith as he brings raw metal to life with his hammer, learn the process of crafting lead musket balls, and speak with volunteers portraying some of the women who provided support to the troops and operations during the Civil War.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland today announced five current and former schools in Delaware, Virginia and the District of Columbia as affiliated areas of Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park, reflecting a more complete telling of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in 1954 outlawing segregation in public schools.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on December 12, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
Strong City, KS: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming good old-fashioned Prairie Christmas event on November 30th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. All activities are free and open to the public.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on November 21, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce that reservations begin now for the Candlelight Tour on Saturday, November 23, 2024. All activities are free, but reservations are required for this event and fill up fast. Please call the visitor center at 620-273-8494 ext 270 to make your free reservation.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Beginning November 18, 2024 through March 31, 2025 the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve visitor center and book store will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the historic ranch buildings will remain open seven days a week with normal winter hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Self-guiding trail maps, brochures, and passport cancellation stamps will be available in the breezeway area of the visitor center. The 10-minute orientation film is available in the historic barn. Regular visitor center hours and bookstore will resume April 1, 2025 with seven days per week coverage.
The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Patrick Malone as program manager of Region 6, 7 and 8 National Trails Office. In this role, Malone will administer the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail, California National Historic Trail, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, Old Spanish National Historic Trail, Oregon National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail, Santa Fe National Historic Trail, Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, and the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on October 24, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is planning to conduct a number of prescribed burns this fall. Preserve managers are interested in observing the effects of fall fire on invasive, non-native plants and woody vegetation. Learn more about fire by going to the preserve’s website www.nps.gov/tapr and click on Learn About the Park and then the Nature section. For current conditions and trail closures, please call the park, visit the Alerts section on the website, or check out our Facebook page.
Thursday, October 31, 2024, join Fort Scott National Historic Site for a special candle lantern walk through the Murder and Mayhem at the Fort. Tour leaders, from the 1840s-1860s, will share some of the lesser told tragedies and macabre events that were far too common in Fort Scott’s 19th century.
STRONG CITY, KS – On September 21, 2024 a new special event, Victory on the Prairie, will be held at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Come to the preserve and listen to special speakers, watch demonstrations, and participate in kid’s activities focusing on how rural Kansans helped win World War II. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with activities throughout the day. Exhibits and presentations will be held in the historic barn with historic tractors and daily life demonstrations throughout the ranch complex.
Friday, September 20, 2024, Fort Scott National Historic Site will host the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court, Kansas District, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony of 202 new citizens from 57 countries. Check-in for new citizens begins at 9 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. The Honorable Teresa J. James, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas, will preside over the proceedings on the historic fort Parade Ground.
Nicodemus, Kan. – Nicodemus National Historic Site is proud to announce the successful acquisition of the historic First Baptist Church in Nicodemus, Kansas.
A new National Park Service report shows that 18,800 visitors to Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park in 2023 spent $1.3 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 19 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $2 million.
STRONG CITY, KS – The Bottomland Nature Trail, located two miles south of the preserve headquarters off K-177 and Road 227, will begin construction of a concrete wheelchair accessible trail surface, parking space, and pad in the parking lot. The Bottomland Nature Trail currently has five interpretive wayside exhibits, an information and trail map kiosk, benches, and a comfort station. Interpretive panels tell the story of the bottomland prairie and educate visitors about its historic use as well as the wildlife that make this riparian area their home. Upon completion of this project, the one-mile Bottomland Nature Trail and parking lot will be fully accessible, even during wet weather.
STRONG CITY, KS – Come to the 19th annual Labor Day weekend quilt display at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve on August 31st, September 1st, and 2nd. Beautiful patriotic quilts will be the featured attraction of this year’s program and will be on display each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the historic limestone barn. If you have a patriotic quilt you would like to show, call the preserve at 620-273-8494 (ext 270). Quilts are needed by August 28th and can be dropped off at the preserve visitor center between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. For each quilt, please include your name and phone number, design name of the quilt, the year made, and the owner’s name. This information is needed to create each quilt label. It’s not too late to participate.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on July 25, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Terrain360, the National Park Service’s (NPS) Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and the Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc. is proud to announce a project that aims to map a portion of the Yellowstone River. The mapping will use state-of-the art 360° ultra-high-definition spherical imagery to capture 507 miles of river starting just south of Livingston, Montana to the confluence of the Missouri-Yellowstone Rivers. This monumental endeavor will generate over 1 million ultra-high-resolution images, providing an unparalleled view of this historically significant river.
Strong City, KS: On Saturday July 6th historic ranch characters go about their daily activities of gardening, cooking, roping, cooking, and other typical chores, but will stop at 1 p.m. to read the Declaration of Independence. This was a common practice that was held in town squares all over the country in the 19th century when celebrating Independence Day.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on June 27, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
On Thursday, July 4th, celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming historic horse-drawn mowing and raking demonstrations with a team of draft horses on Saturday, June 22nd from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. weather permitting. Living historians share their knowledge of the past as they go about their daily lives on a working ranch.
Join a ranger for a walk back in time to the “Good’ Ol’ Days” Saturday, June 1, 2024. Programs and living history activities will be ongoing from 9:30 am - 3 pm. All activities are free and open to the public. To find out more, please contact the park at 620-223-0310.
Strong City, KS - Come to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve on Memorial Day Saturday May 25th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and enjoy kid’s activities geared toward learning and making memories. Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day. There is no entrance fee and all activities are free at the preserve.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 24, 2024. We welcome everyone to participate and encourage individuals and groups to plan on arriving at 8:30 a.m. and help as long as you are available.
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site will host a Civil Rights Educator Institute (CREI) from Monday, June 24 through Friday, June 28, 2024. The CREI is open to educators; requests to participate in this program will be accepted until all openings are filled. Educators who attend the full CREI will receive professional development credit.
Strong City, KS - On Saturday, April 27th at 10 a.m., Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is hosting a B.A.R.K. Ranger Day. Bring your four-legged dog on a leash for a hike with a ranger along the Southwind Nature Trail after a brief orientation and presentation about the meaning behind B.A.R.K. Ranger. This ranger-guided hike is designed to encourage responsible ethics when exploring the preserve with your pet and affords the opportunity to earn a B.A.R.K. Ranger pendant, while supplies last.
Strong City, KS - On Saturday, April 27th, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve will be making waves that will be heard around the country--and maybe even around the world. Members of the Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club (SFTARC) radio operators will be operating two amateur radio stations from the park. These “ham radio operators” or simply “hams” as they are often called, will exchange greetings with other amateur radio operators through a program called Parks-on-the-Air (POTA). POTA activity lets hams around the country and the world “visit” state and national parks in a virtual manner – over the air waves, calling attention to the natural and cultural resources of the Kansas prairie.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail has released its 2023 Annual Report. The report documents a year of work with partners across the U.S. to commemorate and protect the 4,900-mile-long historic route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Strong City, KS - Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the "America's Field Trip" contest, a nationwide initiative organized as part of the America 250 celebrations. Hosted by America 250 at www.america250.org, this contest presents an exhilarating opportunity for students 3rd through 12th grades to engage with history, culture, and nature, including the unique offerings of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 20 and 21, 2024. Join us each day to experience artillery, cavalry, and infantry troops drilling, preparing for battle, and firing their weapons, talk to a blacksmith as he brings raw metal to life with his hammer, and learn about the process of tintype photography.
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers at the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five-acre restored prairie this March 2024. The soonest date will be this Wednesday, March 12th, if conditions are safe and will meet the park’s goals. The specific date and ignition will depend upon weather conditions and the burn may be postponed or canceled if conditions are unfavorable.
Strong City, Kansas - The Department of the Interior has announced its investment as part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. This funding will support climate restoration and resilience projects over the next decade, specifically aimed at safeguarding America’s 425+ national park areas for future generations. National parks throughout the country will utilize this financial support to mitigate the effects of climate change, protect wildlife, restore ecosystems, and create conservation employment opportunities.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced its prescribed fire season beginning now through April, weather conditions and moisture levels permitting. For current conditions and trail closures, please call the park, visit the Alerts section on the website, or check out our Facebook page.
Strong City, Kansas –Are you making a patriotic quilt? Do you have a patriotic quilt that you would like to display in a beautiful 1882 limestone barn? If you answered yes, then ‘gather ye quilts’ and prepare them for the 19th annual quilt display at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Over Labor Day weekend, August 31st, September 1st, and September 2nd, the quilts will be showcased in the historic barn from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join us and vote for your favorite. On Monday, September 2nd at 1 p.m., the winner will be announced.
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced that the preserve is now accepting applications for the summer 2024 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). The YCC is a summer employment program for young men and women, ages 15-18, who work and learn together on projects that further the development and conservation of the natural and cultural resources of the United States.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is beginning a year long Fire Suppression System replacement in nine buildings. The first two buildings are the Dragoon Barracks and Post Hospital/Visitor Center. While work is being completed in the Post Hospital, the Visitor Center’s information desk has been temporarily moved into the West Infantry Barracks next door. The park’s bookstore will be closed until the Post Hospital is reopened.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is temporarily reducing its hours of operation to 8:30am-4:30pm Friday through Tuesday tentatively through the end of March. The park grounds will not be closing, only the park’s public buildings and Visitor Center on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Due to an extended staffing shortage the park is temporarily unable to provide adequate operational coverage and visitor services. Administrative and facility operations will continue as normal. By the end of March, the park projects returning to normal operations seven days each week.
Fort Scott National Historic Site (park) and Marais Des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge (refuge) are setting up a trial run for a new Christmas Bird Count “Circle” with the National Audubon Society. The park and refuge invite birdwatchers to participate in the longest running community science survey, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). On Saturday, December 16, birders and nature enthusiasts should meet at the park’s Visitor Center in Fort Scott at 7:30 and/or 10 am. No experience is necessary to participate in the count.
Strong City, KS: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming good old-fashioned Prairie Christmas event on December 2nd from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Kids can make a tree ornament and snowflake to take home. All activities are free and open to the public.
Fort Scott National Historic Site concludes the first year of Native American Experience programing with two chapters from the Civil War in Kansas. The first presentation, “A Shield Against the World”: Opothleyahola and the Trail of Blood on Ice Campaign in the Civil War, is by Dr. Michelle M. Martin on Saturday, November 18th, at 1pm. The second presentation, “Allies and Adversaries”: The role of American Indians in the Civil War west of the Mississippi River, is by Arnold W. Schofield on Sunday, November 19th, at 2pm.
Saturday, November 4, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site, in partnership with Paws and Claws, will host an inaugural B.A.R.K. Ranger event from 9 am until noon.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on October 26, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts. The event was held in the auditorium at Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.
Wednesday, November 1, 2023, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 42nd Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd. Tickets are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. It is recommended that you get your tickets early to ensure your choice of tour times, as this event frequently sells out.
The leaves are changing for fall and winter, so are the hours of operation at Fort Scott National Historic Site. Beginning Wednesday, November 1, the park’s historic structures will be open daily from 8:30 am–4:30 pm through March 31, 2024. The buildings are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The park grounds, walkways, and parking lot continue to be open from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset daily.
Friday, October 20, 2023, the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site, Inc. and Fort Scott National Historic Site are sponsoring the premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon, as a part of the nationwide release. The free premiere showing is at 6:40 pm and is hosted by the Fort Scott Cinema, 224 W 18th St, Fort Scott, KS 66701. The free tickets are available at the box office at show time.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023, join Fort Scott National Historic Site for a special candle lantern walk through the Murder and Mayhem at the Fort. Tour leaders, from the 1840s-1860s, will share some of the lesser told tragedies and macabre events that were far too common in Fort Scott’s 19th century. These four special Halloween lantern tours will start every 30 minutes beginning at 6:30 pm. Space is limited and required reservations will open Friday, October 13, at 8:30 am.
Saturday, October 28, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site will share stories and a closer look at October’s full Hunter’s, or Hunting, Moon. The program will begin just after the moonrise at 6:30 pm and telescope viewing begins just after twilight at 7 pm.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on September 28, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
Thursday, September 14, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site will host the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court, Kansas District, for a Special Naturalization Ceremony. Check-in for new citizens begins at 8 am and the ceremony will begin at 10:30 am. The Honorable Teresa J. James, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Kansas, will preside over the ceremony on the historic grounds of the Fort.
Saturday, September 2 through Monday, September 4, 2022, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Throughout Labor Day weekend enjoy live music, historic yard games, and a variety of living history demonstrations, and interpretive programs. Visit with soldiers, officer’s wives, laundresses, the post Sutler and find out about the labors of the fort and some of the leisure activities. All programs are free and open to the public. And enjoy ice cream, while it lasts, on Saturday at 11:30 am courtesy of the Friends of Fort Scott NHS, Inc.
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 15,564 visitors to Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park in 2022 spent $1,028,000 in communities near the park. That spending supported 15 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $1,612,000.
Strong City, Kansas – This Winner of the 2023 Quilt Display is Double Irish Chain by Lori Finney. Come see the 18th annual quilt display at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve over the Labor Day weekend, September 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. This year’s display will feature quilts using the color blue. The quilts will be displayed in the historic barn from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all three days. Enjoy the fun activity of voting for your favorite quilt. On Monday, September 4th at 1 p.m., the winner will be announced.
After years of its absence, Fort Larned NHS is seeking to restore the Fort Larned Post Band to present an aspect of 19th century living that's not often thought about.
The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a Naturalization Ceremony today on July 27, in collaboration with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the US District Courts.
Celebrate American independence with the sounds of cannon fire and immersion in America’s history while honoring the service men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.
Strong City, KS: On Saturday July 1st historic ranch characters go about their daily activities of gardening, cooking, roping, and other typical chores, but will stop at 1 p.m. to read the Declaration of Independence. This was a common practice that was held in town squares all over the country in the 19th century when celebrating Independence Day. In the afternoon the fun continues from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with historic games including potato sack race, foot races, hoop and stick, tug-of-war, wheel-barrow race, and a good old-fashioned bucket brigade contest. Cold water and lemonade will be provided throughout the games. Don’t forget to schedule a guided van tour. Tour times are 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it with the family. Come Join the Fun!
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming historic horse-drawn mowing and raking demonstrations with a team of draft horses on Saturday, June 17th from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. weather permitting. Watch historic stove cooking from 10 a.m. to noon as women of the ranch prepare a real home-cooked meal. Living historians share their knowledge of the past as they go about their daily lives on a working ranch.
Strong City, KS – After a three-season hiatus, visitors once again have the opportunity to enjoy the sweeping views and endless sky of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve from the comfort of an air-conditioned 10 passenger van. A wheelchair accessible van is also available. Monday through Friday, tour times are 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. An extra van tour is added on the weekend at 10:00 a.m.
Join a ranger for a walk back in time to the “Good’ Ol’ Days” Saturday, June 3, 2023. Programs and living history activities will be ongoing from 9 am - 4 pm. And meet at the park Visitor Center. All activities are free and open to the public. To find out more, please contact the park at 620-223-0310.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 26. To ensure everyone can help, we encourage individuals and groups to plan on arriving from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m., but you may help as long as you wish. To find out more and to become involved, please contact the park at 620-223-0310, email us at fosc_interpretation@nps.gov, or just come out and help.
Saturday, May 27, 2023, at 11 am, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge are presenting Jewel Endicott with the first-place award for her age group in the Kansas Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest for the 2nd year in a row. Her winning entry is titled "Cinnamon Teal Swimming" and was done in colored pencil. The awards presentation will be in the foyer on the upper level of the park’s Infantry Barracks, outside the theater.
On May 17, Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park will host a free outdoor concert to commemorate the 69th anniversary of the Supreme Court case that outlawed segregation in public education.
Strong City, KS - Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the reopening of its Visitor Center after several months of beneficial upgrades to the building’s roof, breezeway, and parking areas. The center roofline has been elevated for more visible prairie upon entry off the highway, making it more visually appealing. It rejoins the historic house, barn, and Lower Fox Creek schoolhouse as the buildings that can be explored at the park, along with over 40 miles of hiking trails extending throughout the park. The bookstore /gift shop area has reopened with new arrivals daily. Make your first stop at the Visitor Center to grab a map and brochure before exploring the preserve. Visitor Center summer operating hours remain 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. The park’s trails, restroom facilities, parking lots, and all other outdoor areas remain open 24 hours a day.
Strong City, KS - Come to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve on Memorial Day Saturday May 27th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and enjoy kid’s activities geared toward learning and making memories. Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day. There is no entrance fee and all activities are free at the preserve.
Strong City, KS - On Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve will be making waves that will be heard around the country--and maybe even around the world. Members of the Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club (SFTARC) radio operators will be operating two amateur radio stations from the park. These “ham radio operators” or simply “hams” as they are often called, will exchange greetings with other amateur radio operators through a program called Parks-on-the-Air (POTA). POTA activity lets hams around the country and the world “visit” state and national parks in a virtual manner – over the air waves, calling attention to the natural and cultural resources of the Kansas prairie.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is looking for 6 energetic and outgoing teens to participate in our 2023 summer Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program running Monday through Friday from June 12 through August 4. This eight-week program is for young people between the ages of 15 and 18 years of age. Shifts start at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. with a one-hour lunch.
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers at the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five-acre restored prairie this April 2023. The soonest date will be this Friday, April 7th, if conditions are safe and will meet the park’s goals. The specific date and ignition will depend upon weather conditions and the burn may be postponed or canceled if conditions are unfavorable.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its Annual Civil War Encampment, April 15 and 16, 2023. Join us to experience artillery, cavalry, and infantry troops preparing for battle, smell bread baking, participate in discussions about troop and refugee support, and be serenaded by the Vogts Sisters! This well-loved tradition is back and better than ever!
Saturday, March 25, 11 am until noon in the theater of the Infantry Barracks, Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting retired National Park Service Historian Arnold W. Schofield to discuss 3 notable 19th Century Women from Fort Scott; Ann Shatto, a Slave; MaryAnn Holt Blakely, a Nurse; and Sara Edmonds Seelye, a Soldier, Nurse and Spy during the Civil War.
Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 11 am until noon in the theater of the Infantry Barracks, Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting historian and author Dr. Tia Edwards to discuss how nineteenth century U.S. Indian policy functioned as settler colonialism, displacing Indigenous nations across the eastern United States, including the Osage who were expelled from their Missouri homelands and confined to a reservation in Kansas.
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced its prescribed fire season beginning now through April, weather conditions and moisture levels permitting. For current conditions and trail closures, please call the park, visit the Alerts section on the website, or check out our Facebook page.
Monday, February 20, 2023, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge are presenting the 30th annual national Junior Duck Stamp art contest.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will host free guided bird walks hourly from 9am through 3 pm, Friday, February 17, through Sunday, February 19, for the 26th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced that the preserve is now accepting applications for the summer 2023 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). The YCC is a summer employment program for young men and women, ages 15-18, who work and learn together on projects that further the development and conservation of the natural and cultural resources of the United States.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is pleased to share its 2022 Annual Report. Highlights include a collaborative panoramic mapping project, the National Freeman Tilden Award, Lewis and Clark Trail resource documentation, web and NPS mobile app updates, and the yearly spending and projects report.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Specialist Caitlin Campbell has won the Freeman Tilden Award, the highest award presented to a National Park Service individual to recognize outstanding contributions to the profession of interpretation.
Strong City, KS: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming good old-fashioned Prairie Christmas event on November 26th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. All activities are free and open to the public.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce that reservations begin for the preserve’s 6th annual Candlelight Tour taking place on Saturday, November 19, 2022. All activities are free, but reservations are required for this event and fill up fast. Please call the visitor contact station at 620-273-8494 ext. 270 to make your free reservation.
Tuesday, November 1, 2022, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 41st Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd. Tickets are $8.00 per person and non-refundable, children 5 and under are free. It is recommended that you get your tickets early to ensure your choice of tour times, as this event frequently sells out.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Beginning November 1, 2022 through February 28, 2023 the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve visitor center contact station (historic house) will be staffed Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and unstaffed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The historic ranch buildings will remain open during this time with normal winter hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Regular visitor center contact station hours and bookstore will resume March 1, 2023 with seven days per week coverage. Hiking trail maps and passport cancellation station are still available in the house. Trail maps are also located in the kiosk at the base of the driveway hill.
The public is invited to the Exploring the African American Experience Project videography discussion on Friday, October 7, at the Ellis Fine Arts Center theater on the Fort Scott Community College campus at 9 a.m. There will be discussions about video and movie making, how to find inspiration, and some insight of technical aspects. Featured panelists include David Parks, photographer, filmmaker, author, and son of Gordon Parks; Robin Hickman-Winfield, Executive Producer of SoulTouch Productions and great-niece of Gordon Parks; and Eli Reed, award-winning photographer, photojournalist, and author.
The United States District Court for the District of Kansas will hold a special naturalization ceremony at the Fort Scott National Historic Site in Fort Scott, Kansas on Friday, September 23, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
Today National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Jill Jaworski as the new superintendent of Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas. Jaworski currently serves as the Chief Park Ranger at Cape Lookout National Seashore in Harkers Island, North Carolina. She will assume her new role at Fort Scott in November.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming annual Prairie Harvest Festival and Antique Tractor Show on September 17th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn how our ancestors worked to preserve food and raise crops by seeing the tools of the trade.
Saturday, September 3 through Monday, September 5, 2022, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the labors and leisure on an 1840s frontier post. Labor Day weekend activities include artillery demonstrations, 1840s baseball, candle making, breadmaking, construction skill demonstrations, historic yard games, and a variety of interpretive programs. Visit with soldiers, and an officer and his wife and find out about the labors of the fort and the leisure activities. All programs are free and open to the public.
A variety of National Park Service (NPS) employees, volunteers and partners were honored at a ceremony to Celebrate America’s National Parks and the Dedication of Those Who Serve.
Strong City, Kansas –Come see the 17th annual quilt display at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve over the Labor Day weekend, September 3rd, 4th, and 5th. This year’s display will feature quilts made in the 9-patch and 4-patch design. The quilts will be displayed in the historic barn from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all three days. On Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the historic barn, historian Deb Divine will present her research concerning early 20th century local women from Emporia, Kansas and their role in quilting.
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 2,187,125 visitors to national parks in West Virginia spent $108.9 million in the state in 2021. That spending resulted in 1,447 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the state economy of $131 million.
Registration is now open for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s fun-filled summer day camp program for youth ages 9-12. The Fort Scott’s Park Rangers in Training, formally Trailblazers, will run August 8-12 from 8:30 am until noon each day. To sign-up for this free program, contact Fort Scott National Historic Site at (620) 223-0310 or email fosc_interpretation@nps.gov with your name, participant’s name, and phone number.
Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 9:30 am, Fort Scott National Historic Site, American Legion Post 25, and Fort Scott Fire Department will be hosting an official US Flag Disposal Ceremony. Bring your: United States, POW/MIA, State, and Service (U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard) flags to the fort between now and 9:30 am Saturday and we will properly and respectfully dispose of them. Just as there’s etiquette for displaying Old Glory, there’s also etiquette for disposing of flags in a dignified manner.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming historic horse-drawn haying and raking demonstrations with teams of draft horses on Saturday, July 9th from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. weather permitting. Fun with historic kid's games of hoop-and-stick, jump rope, and more are from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the yard outside the historic home.
Celebrate American independence with the sounds of a military band, cannon fire, and immersion in America’s history while honoring the service men and women who have defended the United States through the growth of our nation.
Have you seen the mural outside of Brown v. Board NHP? Have you heard the full story of how it came to be? If not, join us Tomorrow at 11am and again on Saturday at 1pm to find out!
Come to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve on Memorial Day Saturday May 28th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and enjoy kid’s activities geared toward learning and making memories.
Fort Scott National Historic Site invites you to join the park in placing the flags for the “Symbols of Sacrifice” Field of Honor Friday morning, May 27, beginning at 9 am. To ensure everyone can help, we will be scheduling shifts that begin each hour from 9 a.m. through 1 p.m., but you may help as long as you wish.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland joined President Biden as he signed the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park Expansion and Redesignation Act into law today, providing for inclusion of additional related sites in the National Park System to reflect a more complete story of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation in public schools in 1954.
Strong City, KS - On Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve will be making waves that will be heard around the country--and maybe even around the world. Members of the Santa Fe Trail Amateur Radio Club (SFTARC) radio operators will be operating two amateur radio stations from the park. These “ham radio operators” or simply “hams” as they are often called, will exchange greetings with other amateur radio operators through a program called Parks-on-the-Air (POTA). POTA activity lets hams around the country and the world “visit” state and national parks in a virtual manner – over the air waves, calling attention to the natural and cultural resources of the Kansas prairie.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is hosting its 39th Annual Civil War Encampment, April 23 and 24, 2022. Join us for cooking on the open fire, experience artillery and infantry troops preparing for battle, smell bread baking, participate in discussions about troop and refugee support, step back in times while playing period games, and try writing with quills and ink!
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers with the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five-acre restored prairie this April 2022. The specific date and ignition will depend upon weather conditions and the burn may be postponed or canceled if conditions are unfavorable.
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced that the park headquarters, which includes the visitor center, vehicle entrance, parking lots, and historic building site will be closed to visitation April 9, 2022 to April 18, 2022 to allow for the paving of the parking lot and entrance from highway K-177. Be aware that these closure dates may change due to weather fluctuations. It is always best to call the park at 620-273-8494 ext. 270 prior to your visit. For more information, monitor the Alerts on our website www.nps.gov/tapr or visit our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/NPS.TallgrassPrairie for up-to-date information.
Strong City, Kansas –Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is preparing a Draft Accessibility Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan. As part of the planning process, the National Park Service is seeking public comment on the draft plan. Your participation is important to our planning process. Your comments are due no later than May 6, 2022.
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced its prescribed fire season beginning now through April, weather conditions and moisture levels permitting. Prescribed fire is one method used to promote a healthy prairie and maintain the cultural landscape of the preserve. It is also used by preserve land managers to control woody vegetation and promote native plant and animal diversity. Prescribed fire is a partnership operation involving The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn more about fire by going to the preserve’s website and clicking on the Nature section.
Saturday, February 19, 2022, Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge are presenting the 29th annual national Junior Duck Stamp art contest. Art programs will run from 10am-noon and 2pm-3:30pm and all students in kindergarten through grade twelve are encouraged to participate in the art and conservation message contest. Participants need to check in at the park’s Visitor Center at 10am and 2pm for directions.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail has released its 2021 Annual Report. The report documents a year of work with partners across the U.S. to commemorate and protect the 4,900-mile-long historic route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
OMAHA, Neb. — National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Kristen Hase as superintendent of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve comprising almost 11,000 acres across east-central Kansas. She is currently the resources manager at Tallgrass National Prairie Preserve where she works closely with the preserve’s primary partner, The Nature Conservancy. She will assume her new permanent role on January 16.
Each year, agencies and organizations engaged in public outreach submit publications, videos, digital campaigns, and exhibits for competition in NAI’s media awards. The Lewis and Clark Trail Junior Ranger Activity Journal was awarded first place NAI Media Award in the book category after receiving top marks for thoughtful messaging and innovative online components.
Strong City, KS: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce the upcoming good old-fashioned Prairie Christmas event on November 27th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. All activities are free and open to the public. In conjunction with Chase County Country Christmas, experience the Spring Hill Ranch at the height of the holiday season with a good old-fashioned Christmas party in the house. As a take home item, kids can have fun making snowflakes and Christmas tree ornaments using glitter and white sand. Enjoy popcorn and hot cocoa as you join in the festivities. Kid’s fun continues as Santa’s helper reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Storytelling is at 12:15 pm, 1:15 pm, 2:15 pm, and 3:15 p.m. with candy canes handed out to the children.
Fort Scott's NHS 40th Annual Candlelight Tour is December 3 and 4, 2021. Monday, November 1, 2021, tickets for Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 40th Annual Candlelight Tour go on sale. Tickets are available by calling the Fort at 620-223-0310 (with a major credit card) or by stopping by the Visitor Center on Old Fort Blvd.
Nicodemus National Historic Site announces plans to celebrate its 25-year anniversary (1996-2021) Saturday, November 13, 2021. The one-day event will feature a panel of guest speakers including National Park Service dignitaries and personnel, historical society members, and Nicodemus descendants.
STRONG CITY, Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is pleased to announce that reservations begin for the preserve’s 5th annual Candlelight Tour taking place on Saturday, November 13, 2021. All activities are free, but reservations are required for this event and fill up fast. Please call the visitor center at 620-273-8494 ext. 270 to make your free reservation.
Saturday, September 4 through Monday, September 6, 2021, Fort Scott National Historic Site will take you on an exploration of the sights, sounds, and smells behind the Labors creating the “Crack Post on the Frontier”.
Strong City, Kansas – Winning Quilt, COVID Mapleleaf by Kathy Law. Ad Astra Per Aspera, To the Stars Through Difficulties comes to mind when thinking back on the last year. Come see the 16th annual quilt display at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve over the Labor Day weekend, September 4th, 5th, and 6th. This year’s display will feature quilts made during COVID. Quilting was a tranquil relief and outlet for many. The quilts will be displayed in the historic barn from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all three days.
Mulberry Bend Overlook will be closed temporarily while the park addresses accessibility issues at the overlook. The trail is being redesigned and reconstructed.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will be conducting a geophysical survey of the site on August 2 through 13, 2021, to better understand how the fort looked in the 1840s.
(OMAHA, NE) July 19, 2021 — As travelers seek out more authentic ways to connect with people and places, the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail unveils the ultimate online trip-planning portal, lewisandclark.travel. This website is designed to help visitors learn more about the host communities, local businesses, and attractions located along the 4,900-mile trail that runs from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the Pacific Ocean.
Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 11am, Fort Scott Historic Site will accept the donation of the Lunette Blair building and land in a public ceremony/photo-op on the site in Skubitz Plaza
Omaha, Neb. – Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail will resume indoor visitor services at their visitor center in Omaha, Neb. starting July 1, consistent with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Department of Interior. All services will return to pre-pandemic levels, including issuance of the park passes, access to restroom facilities, and the reopening of Riverfront Books. Some exhibits will be modified or removed to reduce risks associated with COVID-19.
Celebrate the anniversary of American independence with the sounds of cannon fire while honoring the service men and women who have defended the United States for the past 245 years. Fort Scott National Historic Site will accept the donation of the Lunette Blair building and land in a public ceremony/photo-op on the site in Skubitz Plaza, Saturday, July 3, at 11am.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail announces the debut of a trailwide Junior Ranger program, which is now available at more than 30 locations in 13 states across the country.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail will celebrate National Park Week April 17-25, 2021. We encourage you to participate in one of our virtual activities to help you celebrate National Park Week.
Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Nicodemus National Historic Site is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) has been working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fort Scott National Historic Site and Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge will host a free guided bird walk Saturday, February 13, at the Fort from 10 am to noon for the Great Backyard Bird Count.
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced its prescribed fire season beginning now through April. Prescribed fire is one method used to promote a healthy prairie and maintain the cultural landscape of the preserve. It is also used by preserve land managers to control woody vegetation and promote native plant and animal diversity. Prescribed fire is a partnership operation involving The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn more about fire by going to the preserve’s website and clicking on the Nature section.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail has released its 2020 Annual Report. The report documents a year of partnerships and projects with the common goal of commemorating and protecting the 4,900 mile historic route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from Pittsburgh to the Pacific.
Park managers at Fort Scott National Historic Site, in coordination with Fire Managers with the US Fish and Wildlife Service from Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge, plan to burn the five acre restored prairie Thursday, December 10, 2020.
Strong City, Kansas –Who says you can’t fit the prairie in your pocket? Soon you will be able to carry a piece of the prairie with a beautiful butterfly in your pocket and it won’t matter if it gets washed. With much anticipation, the quarter featuring Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve will be available on November 25, 2020 at Lyon County State Bank in Emporia, KS.
Enjoy Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 39th Annual Candlelight Tour from the warmth and comfort of your own home. The virtual tour will air on the park’s web page (www.nps.gov/fosc) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FortScottNPS) at 7pm central time on Friday, December 4, 2020. There is no cost or fee for participating and Rangers will answer questions during and immediately following the program
Fort Scott National Historic Site has contractors beginning work next week to remove and replace the cedar shake shingles, eave troughs, and downspouts on seven (7) restored and reconstructed buildings. To allow the work to proceed as quickly and safely as possible, no more than one building will be temporarily closed at one time and the entire project will last approximately eight (8) months. Beginning with the Guard House, all three Officer’s Duplexes, both Infantry Barracks, and the Dragoon Barracks will be included.
Strong City, Kansas – Come see the 15th annual quilt display at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve over the Labor Day weekend, September 5th, 6th, and 7th. This year’s “virtual display” will feature quilts from the past in a photographic exhibit in the barn. Two fabric quilts will be displayed; the preserve’s quilt celebrating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary and the preserve’s 20th birthday, along with the local student quilt from 2010. The two fabric quilts and the virtual quilt exhibit will be located in the historic barn from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. all three days.
National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Bert Frost announced the selection of Frank J. Torres as the superintendent of Nicodemus National Historic Site.
Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Fort Scott National Historic Site is increasing recreational access.
An expedition is only as successful as its preparation. On May 12, 2019, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail was extended to include eastern sites that played vital roles in the planning and supply procurement for the Corps of Discovery expedition. With a new historical trail head at the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Trail now winds 4,900 miles to St. Louis, Missouri, along the Missouri River to the Great Plains, across the Rockies and on to the Pacific Ocean. This week, we celebrate the first anniversary of this 1,200 mile extension.
Strong City, KS – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is announcing the suspension of the prairie bus tours through June 30, 2020 to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. The park evaluated areas of potential risk of exposure to COVID-19. Based on this analysis, the preserve is temporarily postponing the much sought after ranger-guided daily prairie bus tours until mid-summer. A new risk assessment will take place mid-June to evaluate when bus tours may resume.
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail will celebrate National Park Week April 18-26, 2020. We encourage you to participate in one of our virtual activities to help you celebrate National Park Week while social distancing at home.
Fort Scott National Historic Site, in response to guidance from the Governor of Kansas, is announcing additional modifications to operations to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Omaha, Neb, – The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail visitor center is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. As of March 23, 2020 the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail visitor center in Omaha, Nebraska is closed until further notice.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. As of Wednesday, March 18, at 12 p.m., the Fort Scott National Historic Site Parkstore and visitor contact desk area is closed until further notice. The upcoming Spring Civil War Encampment event will be rescheduled for a future date TBD.
Strong City, KS – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. The park evaluated areas of potential risk of exposure to COVID-19. Based on this analysis, effective immediately, the preserve will temporarily close the Visitor Center and buildings until further notice.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is celebrating Women's History Month in March with two living history clothing workshops focusing on mid-19th century women.
Strong City, Kansas – Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve announced its prescribed fire season beginning now through mid-April. Prescribed fire is one method used to promote a healthy prairie and maintain the cultural landscape of the preserve. It is also used by preserve land managers to remove woody and non-native vegetation, promoting native plant and animal diversity. Prescribed fire is a partnership operation involving The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn more about fire by going to the preserve’s website and clicking on the Nature section.
Fort Scott National Historic Site will host two free guided bird walks Monday, February 17, from 7 to 9 am and 1 to 3 pm, for the Great Backyard Bird Count.
In partnership with the National Park Service, the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association will work with Tribes to develop cultural heritage content and itineraries for the websites LewisAndClark.travel and NativeAmerica.travel.
The Fort Scott National Historic Site’s Visitor Center and fort buildings will be closed, and no programs will be offered, on Christmas day and New Year's day (December 25, 2019 and January 1, 2020) to allow staff to celebrate the holidays with their families.
In the early 19th century, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led an ambitious expedition across the western United States. Lewis and Clark greatly expanded our knowledge of the country’s geography and biological diversity through their specimen collection, mapping of the landscape and detailed journal entries. This year NASA and the National Park Service encourage the public to follow in these explorers’ footsteps through a new citizen science challenge from June 1 to Sept. 2. Use your smart phone and the NASA GLOBE Observer (GO) app to map land cover along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and elsewhere to assist scientists studying environmental changes.
Omaha, Neb. –No trip begins without preparation and this is especially true for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. To commemorate the importance of preparation for the expedition, 1,200 miles have just been added to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act signed on March 12, 2019 includes the trail extension, which adds an additional 1,200 miles to the national historic trail starting at the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
