The National Park Service in Our Region: Places to Experience Our Cultural History

While the popular images of the National Park Service (NPS) often focus on the spectacular scenic sites in the American west or nationally significant historic sites in the eastern U.S., the NPS has a meaningful presence in Illinois and its surrounding states. It includes National Monuments, National Trails, National Heritage Areas and Corridors, National Historic Landmarks (88 in Illinois), and sites on the National Register of Historic Places (over 1,900 in Illinois). 

Each of those places contributes to the understanding of our region’s cultural history in tangible, visible forms in the cultural landscape. As such, they provide an additional way to learn history that supplements other fields such as literature, music, art, theatrical presentations, and museum curation. Since visits to these sites involve many senses, they can make “history come alive.” As significant as these sites are, some remain less known and underappreciated.