George Washington Carver

https://www.nps.gov/gwca/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Carver_National_Monument George Washington Carver National Monument is located in Newton County, Missouri. George Washington Carver (1860s – January 5, 1943) was an American agricultural scientist and inventor. He promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was the most prominent black scientist of the early 20th century. The site preserves of the boyhood home of George Washington Carver, as well as the 1881 Moses Carver house and the Carver cemetery. His boyhood home consists of rolling hills, woodlands, and prairies. The park has a nature trail, film, museum, and an interactive exhibit area for students. The young child known as the "Plant Doctor" tended his secret garden while observing the day-to-day operations of a 19th century farm. Nature and nurture ultimately influenced George on his quest for education to becoming a renowned agricultural scientist, educator, and humanitarian. From Interstate 44, drive south on either: Interstate 49: Exit at Diamond (exit 35), then drive five miles east on highway V, and drive ¾ mile south on Carver Road to the park entrance. Highway 59: In Diamond, turn west on highway V and drive for 2 miles, and drive ¾ mile south on Carver Road to the park entrance. George Washington Carver National Monument 1/6/23 When COVID Community Level is "high" according to the CDC, masks are required inside buildings at George Washington Carver NM. The visitor center is a multilevel facility that houses a museum, theater, park store, interactive exhibits areas, classrooms, additional restrooms, library, museum collection facility, offices space, and a large multipurpose area that also serves as a tornado shelter. It is open daily, 9am to 5pm, except Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1. From I-44 Westbound: Take exist 18-A and travel south on Highway 59 to Diamond. Turn west onto Highway V and travel two miles to Carver Road. Travel south ¾ mile to the park entrance. From I-44 Eastbound: Take exit 11-A and travel south on I-49 to Highway V. Turn east onto Highway V and travel five mile to Carver Road. Travel south ¾ mile to the park entrance. From I-49 Northbound: Turn east onto Highway V and travel five miles to Carver Road. Travel south 3/4 mile to the park entrance. Statue of young George Washington Carver on the Carver trail Bronze status of young George Washington Carver atop a large boulder, on the Carver trail. "Boy Carver Statue," sculpted by Robert Amendola in 1960. George Washington Carver NM Entrance An entrance sign to George Washington Carver National Monument with wildflower and plants. Entrance sign to George Washington Carver NM will wildflower and plants. George Washington Carver NM Prairie Sunflowers in a prairie at George Washington Carver NM. Prairie at George Washington Carver NM with sunflowers. George Washington Carver NM Science Classroom Park's science classroom with lab tables and wall exhibits on George Washington Carver. George Washington Carver NM science classroom modeled after one of the George Washington Carver's lab at Tuskegee Institute. George Washington Carver Bust A cast concrete bust of George Washington Carver and prairie in the background. A cast concrete bust for George Washington Carver by Audrey Corwin, 1952. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. statue and forest trail 2013 Recipients: George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service More than 200,000 volunteers provide invaluable time and energy to the National Park Service. Meet the people and groups being honored with a 2013 Hartzog Award. Group of cleanup volunteers with full trash bags Commemorative Cultural Landscapes of the Midwest Behind the scenes at every NPS memorial site, a team of preservation professionals works to plan, design, and specify the type of treatment that is needed to preserve the physical place and the associated memories. Here are just a few examples of commemorative landscapes in the Midwest Region along with their treatment documents. Trees line both sides of a rectangular plaza of short grass, leading towards a tall flagpole. Reconstruction During Reconstruction, the Federal government pursued a program of political, social, and economic restructuring across the South-including an attempt to accord legal equality and political power to former slaves. Reconstruction became a struggle over the meaning of freedom, with former slaves, former slaveholders and Northerners adopting divergent definitions. Faced with increasing opposition by white Southerners and some Northerners, however, the government abandoned effor Picture depictsing former slaves and free blacks voting following the passage of the 15th amendment Emancipation and the Quest for Freedom Although the abolition of slavery emerged as a dominant objective of the Union war effort, most Northerners embraced abolition as a practical measure rather than a moral cause. The war resolved legally and constitutionally the single most important moral question that afflicted the nascent republic, an issue that prevented the country from coalescing around a shared vision of freedom, equality, morality, and nationhood. Slave family seated in front of their house Finding George Washington Carver’s Birthplace Archeologists found the location of George Washington Carver's birthplace home in Diamond Grove, Missouri. There, as a boy, George formed the basis of his interests that became his lifelong passion. Later in his life he said, “From a child I had an inordinate desire for knowledge, and especially music, painting, flowers, and the sciences.” Through archeology, we can visit the precise place where his extraordinary achievements have their roots. George Washington Carver's Birthplace Wildland Fire in Tallgrass Prairie: Midwestern United States Prairies depend on fire to maintain the ecosystem stability and diversity. One benefit of fire in this community is the elimination of invasive plants, thereby helping to shape and maintain the prairie. Bison grazing in recently burned area. Wildland Fire in Oak Woodlands and Savannas of the Midwestern United States Oak woodlands depend on disturbances like fire to survive. Frequent fire created and maintained the open structure and make-up of the woodlands. Today, there are fewer oak woodlands across the central United States. Oak woodlands are converting into forests due to a lack of fire. Oak trees with an understory of grasses and forbs. George Washington Carver National Monument Cultural Landscape George Washington Carver National Monument in Missouri is significant for its association with George Washington Carver, accomplished botanist, agronomist, and teacher. Born in 1865 to an enslaved mother, Carver's appreciation for the natural world began at a young age, as he collected plant specimens from the nearby woods and streams. The site is also significant for the commemorative features added between 1943-1960, including the Mission 66 visitor center. A row of bare walnut trees lines one side of a path, surrounded by open fields The Civilian Experience in the Civil War After being mere spectators at the war's early battles, civilians both near and far from the battlefields became unwilling participants and victims of the war as its toll of blood and treasure grew year after year. In response to the hardships imposed upon their fellow citizens by the war, civilians on both sides mobilized to provide comfort, encouragement, and material, and began to expect that their government should do the same. Painting of civilians under fire during the Siege of Vicksburg The Civil War in American Memory America's cultural memories of the Civil War are inseparably intertwined with that most "peculiar institution" of American history - racial slavery. But in the struggle over Civil War memory which began as soon as the war was over and continues to this day, rival cultural memories of reconciliation and white supremacy have often prevailed. Therein lies the challenge as the National Park Service - a public agency - seeks to "provide understanding" of the Civil War era's lasting impact upon the development of our nation. Elderly Union and Confederate veterans shake hands at the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg Prairie Community Monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument Prairies and savannas were common where George Washington Carver spent his childhood in Southwest Missouri but now less than 1% of Missouri's tallgrass prairie remains. George Washington Carver National Monument reconstructed tallgrass prairie on the park in 1985 and uses prescribed burns, mowing, and herbicides to maintain the prairie. The restored prairie is doing well and the diversity of plant species hasn't changed very much over time. Bright orange flowers in a field of green plants Fish Communities at George Washington Carver National Monument Agriculture and urban land use affect water quality of streams and the animals that live in them. Many fish are sensitive to poor habitat and water quality conditions and serve as good indicators of stream health. Banded Sculpin Volunteer Bird Monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument Heartland Network staff and volunteers monitor birds within the park during the Spring-breeding season. Volunteers are key to the success of this monitoring effort as they are able to survey birds in years when the Heartland Network is not scheduled to do so. This allows Heartland staff to establish continuous records on bird population trends for the park. Northern Cardinal National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Aquatic Invertebrate Monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument The types of aquatic invertebrates living in a stream can tell us about stream water quality conditions. Some invertebrates can live in poor-quality water, while others need cleaner water to survive. We monitor aquatic invertebrates at streams in George Washington Carver National Monument to understand status and trends in water quality. A scientist standing in a stream bending over a net submerged in the water. Plan Like a Park Ranger-Top 10 Tips for Visiting George Washington Carver NM Plan Like a Park Ranger: Top 10 tips for visiting George Washington Carver National Monument. Bronze statue of George Washington Carver as a young child holding a plant. Bird Community Monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument, 2020 We have recorded 100 bird species in the park over the last 13 years, and 97 of these have the potential to breed in the park. About 28% of these breeding birds are in decline in the region and six species are species of conservation concern. We measure changes in birds and their habitats to determine the health of bird communities and park ecosystems. A small brown bird with a white stripe over its eye and a longish bill Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Things to Do in Missouri Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Missouri. Purple flowers bloom on a grass-covered landscape under a partly cloudy sky. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. The NPS Wellness Challenge at George Washington Carver National Monument Welcome to your wellness challenge at George Washington Carver National Monument! Personal wellness is well within reach if you get out and explore. NPS Wellness Challenge logo in front of state of young George Washington Carver on a trail Problematic Plant Monitoring at George Washington Carver National Monument In this study, we found 50 problematic plant species from 2006 to 2020. Most of these species were not very abundant in the monument. Three cool season grasses were widespread in 2020, including Bald brome, bluegrass, and tall fescue. Other species, such as crown vetch, are decreasing at the park. Photo of Lespedeza cuneata, an invasive plant. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera.