2020 Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Highlights

National Park Service (NPS)

OUTREACH

Equipment — STSP trail staff developed a mobile visitor center for the Star-Spangled Banner NHT.

Programs & Partnerships — 

STSP trail staff collaborated with National Mall for a 10-day Facebook program that interpreted the story of the invasion of Washington (total 71,467 reach).

STSP trail staff partnered with Cool Progeny for a virtual program that highlighted Trail sites as ideas for family trips.

STSP trail staff partnered with the Coast Guard to provide a virtual Trail-related interpretive program for the annual FSK Buoy Drop (208,000 views)

STSP trail staff worked with a Fort McHenry seasonal ranger to film, edit, and post four videos of Trail partners locations as part of the Virtual Defenders’ Day event.

STSP trail staff entered into a new partnership with the Pride of Baltimore, Inc. to develop and implement the Trail Ambassador program which will entail the replica 1812 privateer schooner, the PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II, offering free sails to families of underserved communities at various port towns around the Chesapeake Bay. Trail-related interpretation will be part of the on-water programming and local Trail partners at each port town will be invited to participate.

PROTECTION

Preservation — NPS worked to challenge plans for the expansion of a self-storage facility next to the former site of the Methodist Meeting House, a High Potential Historic Site in the Trail’s Comprehensive Management Plan.

CAPACITY

Website — STSP website now features more diverse stories; biographies of prominent individuals, such as Francis Scott Key, include information about slave ownership and/or views on the issue.

Future — Funding requests for research on the Colonial Marines—formerly enslaved people from the Chesapeake region who fought for the British—have been submitted. 

Staff — NPS collaborated with Morgan State University to distribute intern announcements to undergraduate and graduate students to encourage a diverse candidate pool.