FREE weekend & schedule of events @ Fort Pulaski National Monument & other National Parks & Sites on Veterans Day Weekend
Free fee weekend Nov. 9-11 2013 @ Fort Pulaski National Monument
To commemorate Veterans Day, the National Park Service will waive all entrance fees throughout Veterans Day weekend. Savannah’s national park – Fort Pulaski National Monument – will be fee free from Saturday, November 9 to Monday, November 11, 2013.
Fort Pulaski National Monument will honor our nation’s veterans with a full schedule of special activities in the historic fort. The 48th New York Infantry Regiment will recreate many aspects of daily life at a major Civil War-era post. A variety of programs will be offered throughout the weekend allowing visitors to learn about military inspections, mail calls, bayonet drills, barracks life, and infantry drills. A special military salute to veterans will be offered at 4:00 PM on Saturday, November 9.
The 48th New York Infantry was stationed at Fort Pulaski from June 1862 through June 1863. During their year-long stay, the unit remained vigilant, always prepared for a Confederate counter attack, an attack that never materialized. Their stay was documented in a series of early photographs that are displayed in exhibits throughout the park.
“The everyday life of the Civil War soldier has always been fascinating to the American public,” commented Superintendent Melissa Memory. “This weekend, we’ll bring that subject to life as a salute to the veterans of all conflicts who have served our country.”
The schedule for the weekend of Veterans Day is as follows:
Saturday, November 9, 2013
10:00 Company Drill
11:00 Cannon Demonstration
12:00 Guided Fort Tour
1:00 Special Program – The 48th New York Volunteers at Fort Pulaski
1:30 Quartermaster and Mail Call
2:00 Cannon Demonstration
3:00 Bayonet Drill & Musket Demonstration
4:00 Salute to Veteran’s Day
Sunday, November 10, 2013
9:00 Barracks Cleaning
10:00 Barracks Inspection
11:00 Guided Fort Tour
12:00 Baseball Game
1:00 Special Program – The 48th New York Volunteers at Fort Pulaski.
2:00 March out of Fort
3:00 Guided Fort Tour
Monday, November 11, 2013
10:30 Guided Fort Tour
12:00 Musket Demonstration
1:00 Ranger’s Choice (Subject of program varies)
2:00 Musket Demonstration
3:30 Guided Fort Tour
Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on U.S. Highway 80, 15 miles east of Savannah. Learn more at www.nps.gov/fopu and visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/
Call the park at (912) 786-5787 for details or visit the park’s official website at nps.gov/fopu.
More information on free entrance days in the National Parks can be found at www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm .
JUNIOR PARK RANGERS
When you take kids to tour national parks, you never know how much they are getting out of the visit. Especially for those of us moms who aren’t exactly history experts.
Which is why you need to pick up the Junior Ranger booklets at the visitor centers of national parks you visit. The Junior Ranger program kids engage more during the visits.
Junior Ranger booklets have activities about the national parks for ages 5-12. Junior ranger books are free to any visitor and usually are available at the visitors’ centers. Often, similar programs with more advanced activities are also available for older kids. Just ask at the site’s visitor center.
While doing the activities, children enjoy earning a badge and a certificate.
Various national parks that have Junior Ranger programs include:
*Fort Pulaski National Monument, on U.S. 80 en route to Tybee Island. Info on the Fort Pulaski Junior Program here.
*Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie national monuments, Charleston, S.C. Info on these forts Junior Ranger program here.
*Cumberland Island National Seashore, Ga. More info here.