National monuments are part of the historic fabric of the United States, as they preserve many aspects of the country’s history in regard to culture, nature, and wildlife. While Congress holds the power to designate areas as national parks, the President of the US can solely designate areas to be new national monuments without the approval of Congress. These monuments receive less federal funding and protection for wildlife than national parks do, but wilderness areas that extend within and beyond the boundaries of national parks, monuments, and forests can be afforded greater protection than any of these three alone, so there is some value in establishing national monuments. The greatest value of all is that these places will be protected for generations, to serve as symbols of the country’s history across many different planes.
President Obama decided today to designate five such places as national monuments, in light of this year being the first time in 60 years that no new land has been set aside by Congress for national parks. He said in a statement, “These sites honor the pioneering heroes, spectacular landscapes and rich history that have shaped our extraordinary country. By designating these national monuments today, we will ensure they will continue to inspire and be enjoyed by generations of Americans to come.” Here are the 5 new national monuments established in the US.
1. First State National Monument in Delaware and Pennsylvania
This monument will include 1,100 acres of land in the Brandywine Valley along the Delaware – Pennsylvania border, including the Brandywine River, where General George Washington’s troops defended against British forces in the American Revolution of 1777.
2. Harriet Tubman Underground National Monument, Maryland
Land in Dorchester County, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay was a key stop on the Underground Railroad, which will be honored as a national monument to the Railroad itself, as well as Harriet Tubman. March 10, 2013 was the 100 year anniversary of Tubman’s death.
3. Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico
This national monument will be comprised of the northern reaches of the spectacular Rio Grande, which feature historical remnants of past civilizations, including petroglyphs that date back 11,000 years, long before Spanish settlers and homesteaders chose the region to call home.
4. Charles Young Buffalo Soldier National Monument, Ohio
This national monument will pay tribute to Colonel Charles Young, the third person of African-American descent to graduate West Point and the first to achieve the ranking of Colonel in the US Army. The site of his former home in Ohio will be the official monument, made available by the Omega Psi Phi fraternity to which he belonged.
5. San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington
The San Juan Islands, located off the northwest corner of Washington state, are a pristine grouping of islands that play host to large numbers of native wildlife, including the infamous resident orca pods, as well as many different historical landmarks and buildings that speak to wonderful bounty of the United States of America, and will therefore be designated as a national monument.
Featured image from History in HD/Unsplash
