Maybe this has been posted already?
http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-us-just-got-a-new-national-park/ar-BBTOOoT?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=iehp
The 15,000-acre Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore just got a major upgrade: On Friday, February 15, President Donald Trump signed a bill that changed the landmark's official name to the Indiana Dunes National Park. The site is now America's 61st national park?and the first-ever national park in the state of Indiana.
The name change took up only a few lines of text in the broad, 465-page House Joint Resolution 31 (you know, the one most famous for partially funding the U.S.-Mexico border wall). So when the President approved the budget, he also (quietly) created a new national park. Just another confusing day in the world of U.S. politics, folks.
Semantics aside, this new designation is lovely news. The Indiana Dunes stretch for 15 miles along the shores of Lake Michigan, making it a popular spot for swimming?and even surfing?during the summer. It's also one of many beloved day trips from Chicago, reachable by car and the South Shore Line from the city. While the dunes themselves are the star attractions, the park also encompasses prairies and forests, attracting hikers and snowshoers during the colder months. (Note: The Indiana Dunes State Park is located inland of the Lakeshore, and will be managed separately by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.)
It's easy to see why the site has long been an attraction for Midwesterners: 3.6 million people visited last year, according to the Chicago Tribune, and this shiny new title of "National Park" is only going to make it more popular for the entire country. As the 61st member of a prestigious club, the Indiana Dunes will now appear anywhere national parks are featured?think books, calendars, tourism sites, and must-visit lists?making it an even more official essential road trip stop and bucket list item. The park will not receive any new funding or special treatment (it's been protected by the NPS since 1966, when it became a national lakeshore), but hey, that publicity boost is truly priceless.
The news also marks a major win for Indiana, which has been trying to upgrade the famous dunes for 103 years. Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Parks Service, made the first push back in 1916, but the government had to devote its time and resources to WWI and never saw it through. The state's current legislators have continued to fight the good fight, but it was U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky who successfully added the provision into House Joint Resolution 31 last week. No disrespect to the gentlemen from Indiana, but we think Leslie Knope
http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-us-just-got-a-new-national-park/ar-BBTOOoT?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=iehp
The 15,000-acre Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore just got a major upgrade: On Friday, February 15, President Donald Trump signed a bill that changed the landmark's official name to the Indiana Dunes National Park. The site is now America's 61st national park?and the first-ever national park in the state of Indiana.
The name change took up only a few lines of text in the broad, 465-page House Joint Resolution 31 (you know, the one most famous for partially funding the U.S.-Mexico border wall). So when the President approved the budget, he also (quietly) created a new national park. Just another confusing day in the world of U.S. politics, folks.
Semantics aside, this new designation is lovely news. The Indiana Dunes stretch for 15 miles along the shores of Lake Michigan, making it a popular spot for swimming?and even surfing?during the summer. It's also one of many beloved day trips from Chicago, reachable by car and the South Shore Line from the city. While the dunes themselves are the star attractions, the park also encompasses prairies and forests, attracting hikers and snowshoers during the colder months. (Note: The Indiana Dunes State Park is located inland of the Lakeshore, and will be managed separately by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.)
It's easy to see why the site has long been an attraction for Midwesterners: 3.6 million people visited last year, according to the Chicago Tribune, and this shiny new title of "National Park" is only going to make it more popular for the entire country. As the 61st member of a prestigious club, the Indiana Dunes will now appear anywhere national parks are featured?think books, calendars, tourism sites, and must-visit lists?making it an even more official essential road trip stop and bucket list item. The park will not receive any new funding or special treatment (it's been protected by the NPS since 1966, when it became a national lakeshore), but hey, that publicity boost is truly priceless.
The news also marks a major win for Indiana, which has been trying to upgrade the famous dunes for 103 years. Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Parks Service, made the first push back in 1916, but the government had to devote its time and resources to WWI and never saw it through. The state's current legislators have continued to fight the good fight, but it was U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky who successfully added the provision into House Joint Resolution 31 last week. No disrespect to the gentlemen from Indiana, but we think Leslie Knope
