Hello, I’m Janet. I’m going to be your tour guide on this adventure. You’ve arrived at the start of a new project. Tangible America is a personal project that combines by love of data, photography, adventure, learning, and travelling. I consider myself an explorer on all fronts. I like pushing my limits and what I experience. It ensures that I’m evaluating my worldview and testing my beliefs. In the same weekend, you can often find me at a museum, a sporting or concert event, and taking a hike in the woods. For me, this variety is the spice of life.
While considering my next adventure, I began reading about the National Park Service and quickly realized that there were a number of places (even in my hometown) that I had never heard of and even more that I hadn’t ventured to. How did I not know about ones in my hometown??? I decided right then and there that this needed to be fixed.
This project will focus my journey on sites managed by the National Park Service (there are over 400 of them) but include other interesting finds along the way. My goal is to find and present an interesting story about each. It may be a story about the design of a monument, the wildlife endangered in a park, a personal story related to a memorial, or highlighting a new tidbit I learned during my journey there. Some locations will be more data driven, while others will be more experience driven. Each location will be presented with a visualization and photography. Basic information about the location and a link to additional resources will be included to continue the learning.
To see the quote by Edward Bearss (National Park Service Chief Historian Emeritus) that inspired the site’s name, check out the About page!
Have your water and your map? Maybe some snacks? You’re ready so let’s learn, let’s explore, and let’s celebrate the National Park Service’s Centennial!