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History & Culture
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History and Culture title graphicTitle image of Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver with Tuskegee Airman

 

 
 
History is everywhere
In nearly 400 national parks and every hometown. It covers everything from the remnants of ancient civilizations to the boyhood homes of U.S. Presidents to the stirring sagas of hard-fought wars to the reverberations of one woman refusing to give up her seat on a bus. History is a part of who we were, who we are, and who we will be.

As you explore these pages, we hope you find what you are looking for – but even more importantly, we hope you discover something that surprises you. We invite you to learn more about history and how the National Park Service works to preserve it.

 
 

Image of Franklin Court in Philadelphia

Celebrate Benjamin Franklin's Birthday
Happy Birthday, Benjamin Franklin! Franklin would have turned 303 years old on January 17, 2009. What was everyday life like in his Philadelphia household at Franklin Court, now part of Independence National Historical Park? Would archeology show his love of beer, experiments with electricity, pithy sense of humor, and keen intellect?

Image of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln exhibit graphic

Lincoln Home Exhibit
This exhibit highlights Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, and their family and home in Springfield, Illinois. It was here that the backwoods lawyer and sometimes unsucessful politician became President-elect.

Image of Seneca Falls entry iron gate Did You Know?
Did you know that the First Women's Rights Convention in America was held in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848?
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