If you’ve ever taken a verrrrry long bicycle ride, you know the physical endurance needed for such an undertaking. Now imagine biking off-road through mountain ranges, mud, deep sand, and flowing streams, all while carrying heavy supplies. For more than 1,900 miles!
That’s just what members of the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry accomplished – in 1897 no less. The so-called Iron Riders were members of the famed Buffalo Soldiers, all-black regiments who served on the American frontier in the mid-1800s. A living history program this weekend at Gateway Arch National Park will recount the Riders’ grueling journey.
Credit: NPS
As the popularity of bicycles soared worldwide at the end of the 19th century, the Army decided to evaluate their use for certain military operations. Military leaders commissioned a long-distance experiment that would test the efficiency of bikes as a way of moving troops. In May 1897, the all-Black 25th Infantry Regiment Bicycle Corps embarked from Missoula, Montana, bound for St. Louis – a journey of nearly 2,000 miles. Their heavy bikes were laden with all they would need for the trip: cooking supplies and food, rifles and ammunition, tent and poles, and clothing. The combined weight of these provisions and the heavy one-speed bike was 59 pounds!
Credit: Missouri State Parks
The arduous journey took 41 days, an average of about 50 miles per day. The men endured severe storms, extreme heat, food and water shortages, illness from tainted water, and racism and hostility from local residents. In the words of the bicycle corps’ leader Lt. James Moss, “We made and broke camp in the rain; we traveled through mud, water, sand, dust, over rocks, ruts, etc.; for we crossed and recrossed mountain ranges, and forded streams, carrying our rations, rifles, ammunition, tents, blankets, extra underwear, medicines, tools, repairing material, cooking utensils and extra bicycle parts.”
On July 24, 1897, the Iron Riders arrived in St. Louis to great fanfare. Thousands of locals gathered to cheer the finale of what national newspapers called the Great Experiment. Yet despite several attempts to assemble subsequent experimental rides, the corps was ordered to return to Montana. No permanent military bicycle corps was ever established, and the Army soon shifted its focus towards the use of trucks and other motorized vehicles.
Kevin Smith, Iron Rider re-enactor
To learn more about the journey of the Iron Riders, be sure to attend the program at the Arch this Saturday, from 11:00 to 2:00. A re-enactor will be on hand to discuss the riders’ trial and triumphs. Admission is free and no reservation is required.
Are you puzzling over what to do with yourself during cold winter days? Well, wonder no more. In honor of National Puzzle Day on January 29, we suggest cozying up indoors with a fun (or maybe maddeningly challenging) puzzle!
JNPA is crazy for puzzles; we sell a wide variety at our partner park stores. Some are three- dimensional and require manual dexterity (and patience!). Others are flat jigsaw puzzles, both single- and double-sided. Some are kid-friendly, others will challenge any grown-up. The artwork on some of our puzzles are custom-designed for a specific park, while others have a broader national parks theme.
Check out some of our more popular puzzles:
Puzzle fiends who love a challenge will want to snag this 1,000-piece national parks puzzle featuring a colorful montage of national park patches.
But if you like your 1,000 pieces divided into two puzzles, go for one of our two-sided Gateway Arch jigsaw puzzles. When you’re done with one side, just break the pieces apart and start on the other side.
If two-dimensional puzzles aren’t your thing, how about trying your hand at some tricky 3D building sets? Warning – they’re challenging! We offer two buildable models of the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse, one made from plastic mini-blocks and the other from wood.
Our Arch mini-building block set has 1,913 pieces – enough to keep a team of puzzlers busy for weeks. When completed, it stands more than 14” high.
The pieces for this wooden Arch model are first popped out of their cards, then assembled into a handsome 16” replica.
And finally, to help start your kids off right (and not discourage them!), we offer these little Gateway Arch mini puzzles: either this adorable 24-piece set with a cute carrying strap or a slightly more challenging 140-piece puzzle – they’re great for travel.
One of these projects is sure to be just right for a winter’s day. Happy puzzling!
Are you planning a trip to a national park in 2024? Wouldn’t it be handy to have all the important information about the park at your fingertips, both before you go and while you’re there? Now you can – with the NPS app.
The free app was created by National Park Service rangers with visitors in mind. It provides up-to-date information about each of the nearly 430 national park sites across the country to help you make the most of your visit. You can even download content for offline use, which comes in handy if you’re exploring remote areas in parks or have concerns about data limits.
The tools provided by the app range from the basic to the esoteric. Once you click on the Explore Full Park tab, you’ll find directions and interactive maps; lists of park amenities like food, restrooms, shopping, and accessibility accommodations; information on special events, ranger programs, and self-guided tours; and recommendations for points of interest and recreation opportunities.
Snowshoeing at Voyageurs National Park
Some parks include more specialized information for visitors with unique interests. History buffs can find out how to access the archives at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, for instance. Or winter sport enthusiasts can learn about snowshoeing or sledding opportunities at Voyageurs National Park.
Other examples of highlights that the app offers for visitors to our partner parks include information on how to:
If for no other reason, you’ll appreciate the app for its real-time updates on conditions within a park, such as road closures, long entry lines, weather advisory warnings, fees, and reservation information.
The NPS App is currently available for iOS- and Android-powered devices such as phones or tablets. You can download it for free through the App Store and Google Play.
When the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, families can start to get cabin fever. If you and your loved ones are looking for fun activities, we’ve got you covered! Lucky for national park enthusiasts, there are several activities inspired by our favorite parks that can help pass the time during the long winter months.
Crochet a Walleye
Voyageurs National Park has 54 species of fish that can be found in the park’s aquatic habitats! Walleyes are some of the most popular, and you can make a cute, cuddly one for yourself. This activity is great for both older kids and adults. If you are new to crocheting, this is a great pattern to try, since it is on the simpler side. Click here to view the instructions.
Credit: NPS
Make a Telescope
On May 14, Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery embarked from St. Louis, MO on an expedition to find a route to the Pacific Ocean. This expedition has been commemorated by many public lands sites along the route they journeyed, including Gateway Arch National Park and the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center at Gavin’s Point Dam. While the kids in your life are cooped up indoors, you can make these working telescopes and go on your own pretend expedition. Since the telescopes are actually functional, you can also use them to view the winter landscape and wildlife out your window! Click here to view the instructions.
Credit: National Geographic Kids
Bake an Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
One of visitors’ favorite rooms at President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site is the quaint 1940s-era kitchen, which is fitted out to look as it did when President Clinton lived in the home as a child. It is easy to imagine the family enjoying many warm meals in the modest home, including a nice pie like the one on display. If you want to recreate that same cozy feeling, try baking a delicious old-fashioned apple pie. You can serve it warm on a chilly day or make it à la mode with some vanilla ice cream! Click here to view the instructions.
William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
Weave a Diversity Heart
On September 23, 1957, nine African American teenagers entered Little Rock Central High School, defying an angry mob of adults protesting the desegregation of the school. Today, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site commemorates the story of those brave students as well as the broader civil rights movement in the United States. It is vital that we learn about and remember the struggles in our nation’s history.
If you’d like to help a young person learn to respect people with all shades of skin color, we have a fun craft for you – create a diversity heart. This charming activity was created for classroom students but it’s easy to do at home and doesn’t require many materials. Once it’s complete, it can display the many different skin tones we see in the world, including yours! Just follow the step-by-step instructions here.
Credit: Teach Starter
Create a Stuffed Horse
Fans of Ulysses S. Grant probably know the former U.S. president was a superb horseman who kept a number of horses while he lived at White Haven. How about creating a little horse of your own? Younger kids will probably need help making this unique little craft, but the teamwork will be half the fun!
You’ll find complete instructions on making your stuffed horse here.
Credit: Allpony
Make a Whirligig
Kids have always played with toys, but a few hundred years ago there were no stores or websites that sold toys. So what did a child play with when growing up in French Colonial America, like in Ste. Geneviève, Missouri? They created their own toys!
A whirligig was a favorite among 18th century children. This little spinning toy was easy to make from just a few common materials, such as buttons, worn out coins, or hammered musket balls. It was almost as much fun to make as it was to play with.
Want to make your own paper whirligig? Check out these simple instructions. The more you decorate it, the better it looks!
What do the following sites have in common (aside from the word “national”): National Battlefield, National Memorial, National Preserve, National Trail, National Monument, National Seashore, and National Cemetery? Answer: they’re all part of the National Park Service (NPS).
Of the 425 sites in the national park system, how many are actually national parks? Answer: Only 63. Wait, what?
What’s the difference between a national historic site and a national historical park? Answer: Ugh, don’t ask!*
If you’re confused, you’re not alone. There are more than two dozen designations given to the hundreds of sites in the national park system. Some titles are self-explanatory and suggest the type of attraction one can find in the park unit. These include sites that are primarily natural (e.g., national parks or preserves), historical (e.g., national historic sites or historical parks), military (e.g., national battlefields or battlefield parks), or recreational (e.g., national recreation areas).
But many other names are, let’s say, curious. In fact, both NPS and Congress are working to simplify the criteria and names of the park service units. Until they do, here are a few general guidelines that might help us untangle the mess when we consider our nine partner sites.
Gateway Arch National Park
National parks – The 63 national parks are typically large, naturally diverse areas containing unique natural features and ecological resources. Think Yosemite National Park or Voyageurs National Park. An exception to this rule, however, happens to one of our favorite sites: Gateway Arch National Park, which Congress upgraded to national park from national memorial in 2018.
National preserves – These can be similar to national parks in size but typically allow use such as hunting or oil extraction that aren’t permitted in national parks.
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
National recreation areas – These usually encompass areas with water-based recreation, like Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, and may include boating, fishing and hunting.
National monuments – These sites are intended to preserve a single significant natural feature, like Devils Tower National Monument, or important historical feature, like George Washington Carver National Monument. Monuments usually have fewer diverse attractions than do national parks.
Missouri National Recreational River
Wild and scenic rivers –- Of the many river designations in the Park Service, this one encompasses rivers that are free flowing and protected from damaging development and use. Missouri National Recreational River, for example, includes two free flowing stretches of the winding Missouri River.
The Gateway Arch tram system is a one-of-a-kind invention that incorporates components of both Ferris Wheels and elevators in its design. There is nothing else quite like it in the world – and it was invented in only two weeks by Richard Bowser.
It is in this engineering spirit that the Gateway Arch National Park Engineering Contest was created. The contest, held in association with Washington University McKelvey School of Engineering, challenges teams of high school students to create a solution for a real engineering problem that exists in the park. The winning team takes home the coveted Richard Bowser Trophy, which they keep until next year’s competition.
Nine teams from area high schools participated in the 7th Annual Gateway Arch National Park Engineering Contest, making this year’s competition the fiercest yet. Each year students are presented with a different engineering challenge. This year’s challenge asked students to engineer a system for automatically adjusting the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch dock to the appropriate level as the river rises and falls.
Situated on the river beneath the shadow of the Gateway Arch, the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch have been cruising the Mississippi since 1910. The Riverboats offer daily sightseeing cruises, dinner cruises, private charters, and specialty cruises to tourists and locals.
The boats’ dock structure is 303 feet long and consists of 4 barges. Keeping the dock tethered to the levee are four electric winches, one hydroelectric winch, and five cables. There are also utility lines that must be moved as the dock position varies with the water levels.
With the river level fluctuating daily, the dock must be frequently adjusted, so the ramps are not in the water and the docks themselves do not become grounded. Currently, these adjustments are made by hand, a time-consuming process that requires the full crew.
In September 2023, students participating in the contest toured the dock with a park ranger and members of the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch team, so they could see how the winches are used, measure the area, take photographs, receive blueprints, and have any initial questions answered. Using this information, the students produced an executive summary that included pictures, diagrams and other visual aids to communicate their design, as well as a budget for the project.
The competition final was held at Washington University’s McKelvey Engineering complex in Whitaker Hall on Saturday, November 11, 2023. Each of the nine teams presented an executive summary to a panel of six judges (all professional engineers). The teams were judged on both their executive summary content and presentation. They were scored in categories ranging from innovative design, functionality, and ease of use to responsible budget and realistic possibility of the design.
According to Gateway Arch National Park, this year’s contest was fierce and the most competitive yet, with the first-place school winning the trophy by only half a point! Christian Brothers College High School placed first, with teams from St. Louis Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (STL CAPS) taking second and third place. Both STL CAPS teams received the award for Best Executive Summary, as they remarkably tied with a 45.83 score out of 50 points.
The Parkway Spark! program also had two teams enter the competition. The Sparkles took home the award for Best Presentation after receiving a near-perfect presentation score of 49.33 out of 50. Student Ryder Risko of the Parkway Spark! River Tech team received the Charles Janson MVP Award.
The Taylor Tuleja McKelvey Award for Creativity and Ingenuity went to Kate Hulsen of St. Joseph’s Academy.
In addition to the competition component, the contest final included a presentation from a professional engineer, a luncheon, and a guided tour of McKelvey School of Engineering for all contest participants and their families and friends in attendance – an excellent opportunity for students considering the engineering field.
For more information on this year’s contest visit gatewayarchengineeringcontest.com. To inquire about participating in the 8th Annual Gateway Arch National Park Engineering Contest in 2024, contact Anthony Gilpin, at tony_gilpin@nps.gov.
October is such a beautiful time of year to visit a national park in the Midwest. The leaves are turning, there is a crisp chill in the air, and… wait. Was that a footstep you heard behind you? Did that shadow just move? Are you being watched? Aaaaghhhh!!
National Parks are full of history, and many of them are full of wild landscapes, so it is not surprising that many are home to legends involving cryptids – creatures whose existence have never been scientifically proved. So in honor of Halloween, let’s gather ‘round the campfire and explore a few stories of creepy creatures from our partner parks:
These two JNPA partner parks are both located in St. Louis, MO; and while you would think you would be safe from legendary monsters in an urban area, you would be mistaken. MoMo the Missouri Monster was first sighted in a small town just north of St. Louis in 1972. It was described as a 7-foot-tall ape-like creature with so much thick black fur that the only visible part of its face was its large orange eyes. Tracks were found and submitted to the Oklahoma City Zoo, where they were deemed to be that of an unknown primate species. Since then, MoMo has been spotted several times in various places in Missouri along the Mississippi River, though sightings have become rarer in recent years.
MoMo the Missouri Monster. Credit: Legends of America
Another cryptid that calls the banks of the Mississippi home is the legendary Piasa Bird. Known as “the bird that devours men” to the Illiniwek tribes, the Piasa Bird was thought to inhabit caves along the river. In 1673, explorer Father Jacques Marquette described the monster in his journal, saying it was “as large as a calf with antlers like a deer, red eyes, a beard like a tiger’s, with the face of a man — its body covered with green, red, and black scales, and a tail so long it passed around the body, over the head, and between the legs.” In 1948, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an article about an “immense bird” that was seen flying over St. Louis. Witnesses who saw the bird reported that they initially thought it was a small plane until they saw it flap its wings. Could it have been a Piasa Bird?
A giant image of the Piasa Bird has glared down from the bluffs of the Mississippi in nearby Alton, IL, for many decades – a reminder of the enduring legend of this bizarre cryptid.
Ste. Genevieve is the oldest French Colonial settlement west of the Mississippi river with a rich history that was influenced by the Native American tribes that called the land home, as well as the French settlers who came later. As with many other places where people of different cultures meet, some traditions and stories have become intertwined, thus creating the town’s annual “Night of the Werewolf.”
Many Native American tribes believe in shapeshifters or skin-walkers. These are believed to be people who have committed evil acts in order to gain the ability to possess or turn into an animal. Similarly, the French had a long history of legends involving the “loup-garou” or “garwulf,” which was either a witch who disguised herself as a wolf or a person who had been cursed with lycanthropy. The city of Ste. Genevieve keeps the tradition alive each fall during the Night of the Werewolf festival. Werewolf stories are told around the campfire while families dine on s’mores, and then the evening culminates in a village-wide “werewolf hunt.”
An artistic depiction of the “loup-garou” or werewolf. Credit: BlueSkull001-Fandom Wiki
Just north of Little Rock, AR, is Greers Ferry Lake, a man-made lake that was created by the damming of the Little Red River in 1959. A local legend says that a water panther, a mythical creature described as a cross between an ape and a puma, had called the Little Red River home. When the lake was created, the creature was supposedly angered and began to terrorize the nearby community in Heber Springs. While multiple Native American tribes do have long-standing beliefs in water panthers, most of these pertain to the Great Lakes region. It actually appears that most of the “sightings” in Heber Springs can be traced back to a single book that was published in 2007.
An Ojibwe rock painting of a water panther. Credit: D. Gordon E. Robertson
The tiny rural town of Fouke, AR, just south of Hope, AR — the site of Clinton Birthplace Home NHS — is home to a much more “successful” cryptid. The Fouke Monster, also known as the Boggy Creek Monster, is described much like other bigfoot-like creatures: 7 feet tall, around 300 pounds, covered in long dark hair, and exuding a horrible smell. Alleged sightings in the area date back to the 1850’s, but the creature gained national attention in 1972 thanks to the film “The Legend of Boggy Creek.” The low-budget horror film was surprisingly successful and became the 11th highest-grossing film that year!
Hmmm, wonder if little Billy Clinton ever heard of the monster when he was a boy…
When you’re walking along a remote trail in Voyageurs National Park, and you feel like you are a million miles away from civilization, the forest can start to feel strangely magical and even scary. It is easy to see how Native tribes could start to believe in strange beings living in the forests along the Great Lakes. Memegwesi, Pukwudgie, dwarf, fairy. These are some of the many names that have been given to the “little people” of the forest.
While the specifics of the legends vary among different groups of people, they all believed that a race of tiny, human-like creatures lived in the North Woods and disliked adult humans. Some people believed them to be mischievous but harmless. Others believed they were evil and would steal children who wandered into the woods alone. The Ojibwe, the primary tribe to call the land around Voyageurs home, believed they were benevolent creatures who would protect lost or injured children.
No matter which National Park you may visit this fall, pay extra attention to your surroundings. You never know what creatures you may come across.
Akins has served at several NPS sites since joining the agency in 2016, including Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona and Utah, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau and Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Parks in Hawai’i, and Congaree National Park in South Carolina. His expertise is in facility management, construction, and safety – skills that promise to serve him well when the park embarks on upcoming expansion plans.
NPS regional director Bert Frost says he is pleased to announce Akins’ appointment. “The next several years are an exciting, developmental time for the park and his background in facilities, in addition to his safety manager experience, make him ideal to lead this operation into the future,” Frost says.
“I am honored to be selected as the next superintendent of President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site,” said Akins. “President Clinton was instrumental in bringing diversity and inclusion policies to the White House and I am excited to join the team that helps celebrate those accomplishments and values.”
Akins plans to move into the new post later this fall. And in his free time, he says he and his wife look forward to camping and hiking in the natural splendor of Arkansas.
One of our partner park sites – Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park – understandably carries the name of the small Missouri town where it’s located. But have you ever wondered who the “real” Sainte Genevieve was?
Now known as the Patron Saint of Paris, Geneviève lived in 5th century France, where she was widely admired for her piety, devotion, and charitable works. She had frequent visions of angels and saints, and she was appointed by the bishop of Paris to look after other religious women of the city. Though she was reportedly born to a wealthy family in a Paris suburb, Geneviève followed an austere lifestyle. Not only did she impose strict punishments on herself, she ate only twice a week, surviving on small portions of barley bread and beans.
In 451 when Attila the Hun threatened to attack Paris, Geneviève persuaded the panic-stricken residents of the city not to flee but to pray. When Attila’s army diverted to Orléans instead, many credited her intervention with saving Paris. Years later she prevented famine by penetrating a military blockade and delivering much-needed grain to the city.
After living a remarkable 90 years, Geneviève was laid to rest in a Paris abbey. Her burial site became a place of pilgrimage, as worshippers reported many instances of miracles and cures attributed to her intercession. Even today, her name is invoked during natural disasters such as drought, flooding, and widespread fever.
When the town of Ste. Geneviève was founded along the Mississippi River in the 1750s, the French Catholic immigrants named their settlement after Geneviève in the hopes she would protect them from the trials and hardships they would encounter in their new home.
The staff at Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park also honor her legacy with a statue of the beloved saint on an outside wall of the historic Jean-Baptiste Vallé House. Be sure to look for it next time you visit the park.
If you fancy yourself an outdoor explorer, there are natural treasures waiting to be discovered amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown St. Louis. Where, you ask? Gateway Arch National Park, of course!
Although the 91-acre Arch grounds are dominated by manicured grassy areas, tree-lined paths, and sculptured ponds, there’s a small area at the north end of the park that looks a bit wilder. This inviting little oasis – dubbed the Explorers’ Garden – is planted with some of the trees, bushes, and perennials that Lewis and Clark found on their famed expedition to the western U.S. And it’s just waiting to be investigated!
Meriwether Lewis (left) and William Clark (right)
Between 1804 and 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore and map the newly acquired western portion of the continent. Their extensive journals recorded measurements and observations of the rivers and landscapes, as well as accounts of the indigenous inhabitants they encountered. They also described at least 178 species of plants that were new to science, recording their habitat, growth and use by Native Americans. These included the cottonwood tree, slender willow, aromatic aster, prickly pear, and red columbine.
As for animals, the explorers described 122 new species of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and insects – including the grizzly bear, bighorn sheep, black tailed deer, mountain beaver, long-tailed weasel, mountain goat, coyote and various species of rabbit, squirrel, fox and wolf.
William Clark’s journal entry about a sage grouse, courtesy Missouri History Museum
You probably won’t find any of these animals in the Explorers’ Garden, but some of the plants that Lewis and Clark discovered are included among the variety of native plants that National Park Service staff have introduced there. Go here to find the list of plants (click on Explorers’ Garden).
Map of Gateway Arch National Park highlighting the Explorers’ Garden
Many of these species were used by Native Americans and were described by Lewis and Clark in their expedition journals as they traveled west. You’re invited to act as your own explorer and see what you can find – and be sure to bring the kids. The Explorers’ Garden provides a series of landscaped pathways scaled for children’s play as well as large stones they can climb. You’ll find the garden in the far northeast corner of the park grounds, in the shadow of historic Eads Bridge, the oldest bridge over the Mississippi River.
There’s no better time to visit the Explorers’ Garden than this Saturday Sept. 23, when the park will be celebrating National Public Lands Day. History and gardening experts will be on hand to show you around, and there will be plenty of other family-friendly activities, so come on down!
If you want to help your kids learn about the famous explorers, they’ll enjoy this fun book Lewis and Clark for Kids: Their Journey of Discovery with 21 Activities. It’s chock full of cool stories about their three-year journey, including information about the plants and animals they discovered. You can pick it up at The Arch Store or order it from our online store.
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