A National Park Trifecta: A visit to Colonial National Historical Park

Colonial National Historical Park (COLO) is a national park trifecta: the site of the Jamestown Settlement, the site of the Battle of Yorktown, and the scenic Colonial Parkway.  According to many dictionaries, a trifecta is generally defined as any set or combination of three successful outcomes.  COLO fits this definition well.  Allow me to share some of the memorable moments during a recent visit to COLO.  If you have never been to COLO, or haven’t been there recently, you should plan to and (re)acquaint yourself with America’s beginnings, from an English colony in 1607 to an independent nation in 1781, as well as the public lands & resources in between.  Protecting places like COLO ensures that Americans and international visitors can learn from these historical “laboratories” now and into the future.

Photo #1: Our visit began (where else?) at the Ranger’s station where we met with ProRanger Samuel “Sam” Vecchione.

Photo #2: Sam and U.S. Park Ranger Wayne Lamb (a ProRanger alumnus) pause to smile outside of the Ranger’s station on a beautiful, sunny day in June.  Ranger Lamb is Sam’s internship supervisor for the summer and is responsible for charting Sam’s time in each park division (e.g., resource management, maintenance, interpretation, administration, etc.) and for evaluating Sam’s progress by means of the ProRanger Program Taskbook.

Photo #3: Assistant Superintendent & Chief Ranger Steven Williams and Sam shaking hands after Sam presents a plaque on behalf of Temple University acknowledging COLO as a 2017 partner park.   Since the inception of the Temple University-National Park Service partnership, Assistant Superintendent Williams has been a long-time supporter of the ProRanger Program.  His leadership and contributions span from the program’s initial design and implementation to today as he advocates about the benefits of hiring a ProRanger Program graduate.

Photo #4:  Since 2010, COLO has proudly hosted Temple University students during their summer internships, and for very good reasons.  Given the breadth and depth of experiences students have gained while interning at COLO, program staff are confident that current (and future) Temple students will continue benefit from COLO’s strong leadership and true partnership.

Photo #5: Picture Yorktown Battlefield: here, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, defeated General Cornwallis’ Army.  It was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War and a turning point for both the British and the Allied Armies.  Independence, for the original colonies, was nigh.   When you really think about the significance of the battle, one can appreciate why it should be preserved and protected.  As we ponder the meaning, Sam, Supervisory Ranger Adrian Fernandez (ProRanger Program Manager, NPS) and I pause outside of the Yorktown Visitor Center for a photo before we head inside.

Photos #6-7: Inside the Visitor Center, as NPS staff are busy assisting and educating visitors, Sam explains the theater has been recently refurbished and other improvements made to the center.

Photos #8-9:  Sam describes the historical significance of the Moore House to Ranger Fernandez and Dr. Vicki McGarvey (ProRanger Program Director, TU).  He explained this house is the location is where the articles of capitulation (surrender terms) took place when the British surrendered to the Allied forces.  The terms deprived the British army the “full honors of war” in reprisal for a similar action imposed by the British on Americans earlier in Charlestown, SC.  Essentially, the surrendering army had to furl their regimental flags, and turn over other articles and weapons.  Although the Moore House suffered extensive damage during the civil war and fell into a state of disrepair, the NPS restored it in the 1930s, over one-hundred fifty years after the articles of capitulation were signed.

Photo #10:  Taking a break for lunch, program staff ask Sam what he has learned about visitor and resource protection at COLO.  As Sam begins to describe them, he pulls out his copy of the Park Ranger’s Guide to the Federal Criminal Code.  This pocket guide is issued during the ProRanger Professional Seminar course to each student for use during the class and both summer internships.  A familiarization of 36 CFR as well as a Superintendent’s Compendium and a Jurisdictional Inventory are conducted by Ranger Fernandez in class as well.

Photos #11-12:  Picture Colonial Parkway: a twenty-three-mile scenic roadway stretching from the York River at Yorktown to the James River at Jamestown.  Absolutely scenic, well-managed and pleasant to drive.  The posted speed limit varies, but in most stretches of the highway it is 45 mph.  During the drive from Yorktown to Jamestown, Sam explains that one law enforcement issue that COLO faces is traffic control.  With more residential and commercial development occurring in the Williamsburg/Colonial NHP area, more strain has been placed on the Colonial Parkway.  Use of the parkway, explains Sam, has shifted from park visitors to commuter traffic.  As a result, the Parkway increasingly experiences traffic congestion, speeding motorists, DUI’s, and occasionally vehicle collisions.  Protecting visitors, motorists and ensuring safe travel along the Parkway is an ongoing challenge for NPS law enforcement rangers here.

Photos #13-14-15: Picture Jamestown Settlement: an immersion of America’s first permanent English colony with extensive displays, ranger-led programs, archeological activity, and exhibits.  Jamestown is an active “laboratory” for learning about the first colony, successive settlements, and even early Jamestown “suburbs” along the James River.  Sam interprets the layout of the settlements and points out structures and “ruins” including the “Ambler House,” which was built in 1750 by the Ambler family and survived being burned in two wars, but was finally abandoned in the late 1890s after a third fire.

Photo #16: As the tour of the Jamestown settlement continues, Sam, Ranger Fernandez, and Mr. Anthony J. Luongo (Director-Temple University SLETP and ProRanger Program Associate Director) are effortlessly entertained at the sight of a ferry carrying passengers along the James River.  And, yes, there was a ferry…

Photos #17-18: Sam’s favorite place at COLO?  It’s Black Point along the edge of Jamestown Island, a small, quiet beach area where one can overlook the James River.  The group was captivated by the peaceful, tranquil setting and spied a small crab making its way between some rocks.

Photo #19: After concluding the visit to Jamestown, the group heads back to Yorktown to join Dr. Cheryl Irons’ internship class.  Leading the class is Dr. Irons, a faculty member of the Temple University Department of Criminal Justice and the CJ Internship Coordinator.  The two-credit class is an important component of the ProRanger Certificate in National Park Service Management and is conducted remotely on a biweekly basis.  Dr. Irons’ course is designed so that students can connect to one another via WebEx from their respective parks and discuss their internship experiences and learning.  Class assignments include: conducting interviews with park staff and supervisors, researching issues of visitor/resource protection in park-specific contexts, and applying legal concepts such as authority and jurisdiction. 

Photo #20:  After an exciting and rewarding day at COLO, U.S. Park Rangers Timothy Oh and Wayne Lamb (ProRanger alumni and both working at COLO) join the group for a delicious dinner in Williamsburg.  Note: shrimp & grits are decidedly the best choice.

After dinner, Rangers Lamb and Oh share valuable insight, input and observations about the ProRanger Program.  The evaluation component of the ProRanger Program relies on candid and constructive feedback from park leadership, supervisors, and students so the program can continuously improve. 

All of us would like to again thank Assistant Superintendent Steven Williams, U.S. Park Rangers Lamb and Oh, and COLO park staff for their hospitality and time during the visit.  Their efforts, professionalism, and leadership undoubtedly have shaped the positive learning environment that Sam, and hopefully many future Temple students, will experience as they pursue their soaring aspiration to become commissioned U.S. Park Rangers.

Boston National Historical Park: Week 2

Greeting Pro Rangers and followers. The week two in Boston for Mark and I was a fantastic one. In our second week we had interpretation training with the other interp seasonals at the park. The training involved four days of  visiting different historical sites in the area of the park, going on tours, and in-class lectures. Mark was able to go a boat patrol ride-along with one of the LE rangers. The two traveled out to the Harbor isalnds and Mark got to see the different sites that Boston National Historical Park had to offer. He also observed the Ranger stop two inidivuals who were collecting Sea Glass, which is illegal.
Our week would top off on Friday, May 25 here in Boston with the grand-opening of Fanheuil Hall!
On the day of the grand opening Mark and I were assigned to work at Fanheuil Hall. There we took part in crowd control as a ceremony took place involving our Superintendent, Cassius Cash, and the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, and other delegates. After the cutting of the ribbon, Ken Salazar then greeted all members of the staff present inside Fanheuil Hall, and thereafter photos were taken. Upon the departure of the delegates, Fanheuil Hall officially opened to the public. There was a constant abundance of vistors at the desk in need of help with maps, and what to do in Boston. On Sunday, we arrived back to Fanheuil Hall and worked there again for interp.
And now for the part you've all been waiting for PICTURES!

George's Island

AHAC Musuem Delegate Auditorium

Free Mason Donation at Bunker Hill Musuem

Wayne at Old South Meeting House

Sea at Spectacle Island

Boston Nat'l Historical Park Week 1

Greetings fellow ProRangers and blog followers, Welcome to the city of Boston! This year, see through the eyes of two legends as Mark Clarke and I, Wayne Lamb continue our path to becoming NPS Rangers. Boston is a great city of rich American History. It is very lively and the people are very welcoming to their newest members from Philadelphia. For our first week, Mark and I were immediately put into action with the interpretation division of the park.
While with interp, we worked at the visitor centers and traveled to Bunker Hill, a popular American Revolution monument in the park. It is a 221 feet high obelisk, and consists of 294 steps. We both walked the 294 stairs with no problem. Upon working in the monument, we informed visitors where to enter the monument and about being safe. During this time, we encountered a stampede of French speaking tourists. The tourists initally looked to Mark for information, but neglected to speak English and insisted on speaking in French. In the midst of the insuing chaos, Mark looked to me to step in and put my intermediate level French speaking skills to good use. I was able to communicate with the tourists and assist them with their needs. After doing this, the tourists were pleased with the amount of help they received. They also took an abundance of pictures with me, one of which is shown below. We also took part in visiting the Cassin Young. This destroyer ship that was very active during World War Two. We journeyed deep into the dark depths of the ship and also learned that the ship was struck by two Kamakaze attacks. Which resulted in the deaths of 22 soldiers who were apart of the  U.S. Navy.
In addition to our time with interp this week, we also were given the opportunity to refresh our wildland firefighting certification. In doing such training, we engaged in activities such as in-class discussions and learned from instructional video, deploying fire-shelters, using fire hoses, and the infamous Pack Test; this test involved wearing a 45 lb weight vest and walking 3 miles in 45 minutes or less. Mark and I completed this arduous task in 41 minutes and 30 secs.

Mark inside the Cassin Young during a Tour

Myself with a French Speaking Visitor

Week 9 at Colonial

Week 8 at Colonial Maintenance

Hey everybody! My eighth week at Colonial was my last week of maintenance. It was a very hard time to have to say farewell to such a fun division. During this week though, the division turned up the intensity of their tasks for me, which allowed me to leave with memories I will never forget. My fondest memory however, is the day that I had the opportunity to work in laying down asphalt on the Colonial National Historical Parkway. It reminded me of my time when I used to lend my uncle a hand in his contracting business. The beauty of being able to take something similar to concrete and be able to mold it into a structure for public use was amazing to me just as it was when I was 16. More importantly, this day reminded me of the reward one can feel after a long day of work on a task, and being able to see that work become a reality. I first was able to take part in the removal of the damaged concrete in the ground by using the jackhammer; the jackhammer is no joke I tell you. Upon removal of all the concrete in the whole the maintenance team and I added tar to the pit, and then the asphalt had arrived. I was prompted by my supervisor, Bill, to hop up on the truck with co-worker, Jim, and shovel the asphalt into the pit. About 10 minutes later I was instructed down, and was told to help with raking and smoothing out the asphalt. Finally, I had the pleasure of using a ground tapper, which is a power tool that flattens the ground by pounding it at a very fast rate. All in all it was a great day and a great two weeks with a division that allowed me to do so much labor work with my hands. I really wish I could have had a third week with everyone. Until next time!

Myself with the jackhammer

 Me with the Ground Tapper

Another Picture with the Ground Tapper

Week 7 My Return to Colonial Nat'l Historical Park

It seems like last week flew by so fast while attending leadership camp with the rest of my Prorangers. I miss all of you dearly, and am glad of the time we all shared together. My returning week to Colonial consisted of my long awaited week of maintenance. I love to work with my hands to do various projects of labor, and boy did I get what I was longing for. My first day with them I had the chance to do trash duty. I rode on the trash truck and then picked up trash throughout the park. Two very notable experiences were that I was able to paint, and also take park in tree duty and ditch digging. It’s been years since I did any type of labor work with my hands, and it was great doing that this week. The workers at the maintenance division thrilled me as well. Their positive attitude and constant display of hard-work in sometimes grueling temperatures of heat amazed me. They are the members who up keep the visual beauty of our parks. I look forward to my upcoming week with them as well. The endless possibilities just keep presenting themselves here at Colonial, and I'm having the time of my life taking part in them.

Me painting the curb in the Maintenance Yard

Colonial Week 6

My week 6 at Colonial was a phenomenal one! I did not get a chance to post this blog before we left for leadership camp due to not having the photos for it. Though, I have the pictures now and it is time to fill all of you in. The week consisted of me spending my time with law enforcement. For the bulk of the week I had the chance to ride with Ranger Harold Park. The experience was unforgettable while riding with Ranger Park who took me on bike patrol one day out of the week. It had been years since I had rode a bike, and it was pretty comical to others to see me kind of struggle to get on the bike. However, once on the bike I and Ranger Park rode the West tour roads keeping eyes out for any deer that may have been poached, individuals engaging in illegal activities on the tour roads, and any other things which may have needed our attention. I really got a workout that day.

The following day proved to be a jaw dropping experience. I had the pleasure of being with Ranger Park and working the security detail for, Ken Salazar, the Secretary of the Interior,

and also had the opportunity to meet Director Jarvis of the National Park Service. The thrilling part about week 6 was that it was truly an eye opener to how one day is never like the next for a ranger in the National Park Service. One day you’re patrolling your tour roads on bikes, and the next you have a visit from the two most important men involved in the National Park Service. This reminds me of how one has to be a person who is ready to adapt and perform with an ever changing world around them. Week 6 was a non-stop week of fun and law enforcement that I will truly never forget. Until next time!!!

Colonial Week 5

Fellow Prorangers leadership camp is just around the corner!!!! I'm more excited than ever to see all of you. My fifth week at Colonial was one spent with the Administration Division. This was a great experience. I had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting of all the division heads and superintendents of the park as they discussed the issues of the previous week, and the tasks for the current week, and looking down the road for upcoming events and tasks which needed to be taken care of. One common theme that currently stuck with me while being in the administrative division was the theme of managing ones time. The Colonial administrative workers ability to adequately manage their time and workload, while being prepared for new unexpected tasks are beyond belief. I tip my hats to all of them for their hard work. In this week with those who work in administration I constantly thought of the importance of being able to keep track of data and record keeping skills. Everyone in the department brought this thought process back to my mind in their phenomenal skills in keeping all their records and data keeping techniques. It is some that is crucial in their positions in the park due to possible calls they may receive, to any types of legal problems that can occur which call a need to that data. It was a week I thoroughly enjoyed!

                                                                                                                                                                         

Colonial Week 4

Checking in the Charger

Hey everybody! My fourth week at Colonial was spent with the Law Enforcement branch, where I had the opportunity to take part in ride along with the rangers. Two highlights of the week were that I went to court and saw some of the rangers deal with some of their cases (for the defendants who showed up to fight their case). It was a very interesting experience being able to see firsthand interactions in the court room, and the proceedings which may follow. The second highlight of the week, which happens to be my favorite part, was aiding in vehicle transport process with the rangers. For two days I helped by transporting vehicles that were serviced at an offsite location back to Colonial. I drove the Crown Victoria, an Explorer, and a Charger! Additionally, during the week I also aided ranger Harold Park in telling illegally parked individuals to move their cars or else they would be towed. The beauty of the week was that it has me so ready for the rest of the time that I am going to spend with law enforcement for the summer. Each ranger with whom I have interacted with has been very receptive, respectful, welcoming, and helpful to me at Colonial.

Colonial Week 3

Hey everybody! Its looks like everyone is having a wonderful times at the park and I'm glad. I actually got a chance to see some of you all at the training sessions and that was phenomenal. I cannot wait until the whole group reunites. That time is steadily approaching. Week 3 at Colonial was a very good one that involved me taking in an archaeological dig with the cultural resource specialist Jonathan Connolly and meeting David Briggs and Melanie Pereira, who are the Curators of the park. This week served as a finale to my experiences with the interpretive division of the National Park Service, and really helped to tie everything together. Firstly, I took part in a dig with cultural resource specialist Jonathan Connolly. This dig had to take place in order to determine if the ground in front of the ranger office was of historical significance. In working with Jonathan, we found a vast amount of old brick, mortar, an oyster shell, and some hand-made nails. I had the chance to personally get down in the hole and take part in some digging, and also sifting through the dirt for artifacts. This dig with Jonathan was a much needed experience, because it prepared me for my meeting with the curators of the park.

Sifting through dirt

Digging to reach the 2nd level

Upon uncovering artifacts they have to be stored in the proper facilities, and be accounted for by park Curators. During my time spent with both Curators I had used the opportunity to ask key questions involving how they sort through the inventory of artifacts, keep track of the artifacts, and handle certain problems that may arise when keeping artifacts such as damage or incorrect documentation. From this I was told the information that those issues are key problems which they both attempt to avoid with thorough documentation in both written forms and also using an online data system to record artifacts. The difficulties arise very quickly in this portion due to the vast amount of artifacts the park has compared to the amount of space to house them. Additionally, the problems of natural disasters such as hurricanes and flooding to destroy artifacts are cause for concern. Myself and David Briggs at one point took a look at a report written about artifacts, and were checking the folders to make sure the data inside matched with the listed table of contents. The measures taken by Briggs and Pereira in their everyday work life to maintain the correct documentation and these artifacts amazed me. For without correct documentation and not knowing where an artifact came from makes it lose its value. For its historical significance cannot be determined when things of this nature occur combined with damage and other factors. These visits with Melanie and Dave led me to post the two photos which one can see below. In these pictures one can see just a tiny portion of the vast amount of artifacts and data at their disposal to which they are responsible for.

Folders Me and Dave were checking

Dave Searching through files for a binder.

The hand and hand importance of Jonathan with Dave and Melanie are essential to the Park and the interpretive division. Without the presence of Jonathan in his position as Cultural Resource Specialist, digs could not be accomplished in order to determine to potential historical significance of a site that may be targeted by potential businesses who would like to set something up in the park, or even a service such as an underground waterline. Dave and Melanie without their position as Curators is needed to maintain effective record keeping of artifacts and ensuring they remain in a good state and historically significant. Without these two pieces there could not be as many exhibits to display some of the beautiful artifact collections the Park Service presents by its interpreters. This reminded me of how each person in a team has their own specific role, but the goal is the same. In order to achieve it, we all must work together, effectively, efficiently, and to the best of our ability to reach great heights of success. Through hard-work, extensive research, sweat, and time put in it can be achieved. And the great mind of the interpretation division are ensuring that takes place not only for the love they have for what they do, but for the preservation that those of future generations can continue to take part in standing in places where history happened. It is something that I would personally like to thank this division for.

My 2nd Week at Colonial

Hey everybody!!! My second week at Colonial was a very eventful one, which consisted of another week of interpretation. During my week I had the opportunity to spend the day with the Cultural Resource Specialist at the park whose name is Jonathan Connolly. In our day together, we embarked on a trip to the Jamestown hiking trail area in search of historic artifacts. In our search I happened to uncover a prehistoric knife according to Jonathan. Additionally we also found  a nail from the 1800s. This day was a very interesting one for an interpretation day, because Jonathan informed me greatly about the importance of the preservation of the historical artifacts in the National Parks. Furthermore, he reminded me of how these Parks are the places where the history happened, and these artifacts being kept in their place is extremely essential to maintaining the visual history of our national parks. More importantly, these artifacts work in conjunction with the historical interpreters who work for the park with the job to educate and show guests what their park represents.



Close up of Prehistoric Knife



Me and the Prehistoric Knife



In addition to a day of finding artifacts, I also had the chance to take part in a range artillery program given by the park. During the day, various interpretations were done by workers at the interpretation department while the artillery group fired the cannon. Though these events were fun, there are two things which made my week phenomenal. The first brings me back to my travels with Jonathan Connolly and our trip out in Jamestown. We drove the Jamestown tour road, stopped at a pullout, and took a trip to another site where he felt he could find historical artifacts. And this is what I saw when we arrived at our destination.

A place of peace

This view, which is of the Jamestown River, struck me very deeply and reminded me of back when I was interviewed to enter into the Proranger program and was asked whether it mattered where I traveled. I remember my answer, which was "I'm willing to go wherever I am needed", having no idea that I'd end of up in a fantastic place such as this. The serenity, area, workers, and experience here have been nothing short of amazing, and this is only week 2. The second thing which still sticks in my mind is my reception of my second challenge coin by one of coworkers in the interpretation department.

My 2nd week was a great one, and I hope all of my other Prorangers 2nd week was a good one as well. I look forward to reading more of your blogs, and seeing you all when we meet up in about a month or so. Until my next blog post ladies and gentlemen and fellow Prorangers!

Colonial Nat'l Historical Park Week 1

Its been a little over a week since I arrived at Colonial, and I must say that I am pretty pleased so far with all the staff that I have met, and the area that I live. My first few days was mainly an orientation to the area with my supervisor, Ken, who drove me around the park. The first couple of days would remind me of how Steve Clark informed us of what Rangers are required to do in the park when a problem occurs. Two juvenile fugitives broke out of their transport van and escaped onto park grounds, and were hiding in the battlefield areas.







This prompted the rangers of Colonial, and also other law enforcement officers from the surrounding area such as, York County Police, Sheriff's Dept, Newport News Park Rangers, and assistance by the K-9 Squad. I had the chance to witness a debriefing and plan of action taken by all these agencies together in the maintenance portion of the park. The communication by these agencies in the working together to achieve a common goal was a phenomenal thing for me to see, because one can often hear of how ineffective communication in times of crisis can occur and make matters worse. However, it also made me have the thought process of that, "If you break the law, we will hunt you down and find you", and surely later on that night the two individuals were back into custody. It was a very fun introduction into law enforcement in the park. This week I've been doing interpretation at the Visitor's Center, and have had the chance to attend various tours, as well as visit many sites in order to increase my park knowledge concerning the events that Colonial signifies. I look forward to a fun summer, and wish all of my prorangers the same!!