Pass It On By Linda Stowe
I am not a taciturn person. If something pops into my mind, my first inclination is to relay it to someone else. I am not good at keeping secrets, those of my own or anyone else. But it’s not just the juicy stuff I want to share, it’s everything. I am like a little kid who just found a stone that’s shaped like a star and all the rest of the day I carry that stone around and show it to everyone I come across so that they, too, can marvel at the cool stone.
When I learn something interesting I always try to to pass it on. I do this for two reasons: I get to see someone else be surprised and I get to relive my initial surprise. Yesterday morning I read a piece about all the gold paint in the Oval Office and the article mentioned that the White House is considered a National Park. That surprised me. Later, my friend came to take me for a drive around town. There was much to talk about and see but I managed to insert the bit about the White House/National Park into the conversation. Like me, she was surprised, and I felt a bit of pleasure from sharing this with her.
Later in the day I was talking with another friend and again mentioned the White House. This was news to him as well, and I felt the same surge of pleasure as when I told my other friend that morning. And now, I am telling you the reader that the White House is a National Park, and once again I am uplifted. Those taciturn folks don’t know what they’re missing.
Wordle guess words: about, learn, relay
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I did not know that the White House is a National Park.
And wow. I can feel the joy.
And now I shall spread some of that goodness.
The United States currently has 63 national parks managed by the National Park Service.
These parks are spread across 30 states and two U.S. territories.
The largest is Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska, while one of the smallest, is Gateway Arch National Park.
The first national park in the world was Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872. The most recent addition to the list is New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, which gained national park status in 2020.
And.
The most visited national park in the United States is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee and North Carolina).
In 2025, it received about 11.5 million visitors. The park has ranked #1 for many years because it is free to enter, easy to reach from much of the eastern U.S., and famous for its mountains, forests, waterfalls, and fall colors.
The least visited national park was Kobuk Valley National Park (Alaska).
It had fewer than 8,000 visitors in 2025. The park is extremely remote — there are no roads leading into it. Most visitors must arrive by bush plane. It is known for its Arctic wilderness and massive sand dunes.
Some other highly visited parks include:
– Zion National Park
– Yellowstone National Park
– Grand Canyon National Park
– Yosemite National Park
And so much more.
