Skip to main content

Smithsonian Celebrates: America’s National Parks at 100

To help celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial this summer, the Smithsonian Channel has announced a brand new one-hour special aimed at telling the story of the NPS’ genesis and its enduring spirit. Officially titled America’s National Parks at 100, the special premieres August 28, otherwise known as three days after the National Park Service’s official 100th anniversary. Beginning by examining the “radical idea” to preserve American land, the Smithsonian Channel dives into how this idea flourished and came to serve as the very bedrock for one of the United States’ most cherished agencies.

Related: The crown jewel of Montana, Glacier National Park is an absolute wonder

Recommended Videos

While many National Park goers recognize the scenic beauty of such parks like Glacier National Park or Yosemite, there exist hundreds of areas managed by the Park Service which continue to be preserved for more than just their natural beauty. Be it historical backstories, a haven for national treasures, or penchant for modern mysteries, National Parks across the country are as eclectic as they are many. For the Smithsonian, it’s incredibly important to shed light on these histories.

Glacier1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

From the depths of Carlsbad Caverns to the former Civil War battlefield at Rock Creek Park, the Smithsonian leaves no stone unturned in celebrating the National Park Service. By examining the way current technology helps people better understand the parks, the filmmakers provide an unprecedented view of a side of the NPS few even know exist. All told, the Smithsonian traveled to Arizona’s Petrified Forest, Oregon’s Crater Lake, the Channel Islands in California, and Las Vegas’ Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument — in addition to the parks listed above.

Produced and written by Dan Wolf, America’s National Parks at 100 is the perfect way to help the NPS ring in its incredibly impressive centennial anniversary. Even if you consider yourself a passive fan of America’s National Parks, the one-hour special will surely please the senses and move viewers to appreciate the country’s abundance of natural beauty. The show is scheduled to premiere August 28 at 8 p.m. PST/EST on the Smithsonian Channel.

Photos courtesy of National Park Service and the Smithsonian.

Rick Stella
Rick is a staff writer for The Manual, covering everything from men's fashion and accessories, to the best new brands and…
Don’t ruin your cigars: here’s how to properly season a new humidor
Seasoning secrets every cigar lover could use
faceless man presenting a cigar humidor with cigars inside with gloved hands

If you're a newcomer to the world of cigars or just bought a brand-new humidor, you'll need to season it. And no, I'm not saying to add salt and pepper to it. If you've never heard of it, you might ask, "What is seasoning for a humidor?"

Don't think you need to flavor the box or anything — seasoning is really about getting the wood inside your humidor so as not to rob your cigars of precious moisture. Easy to understand, and getting it done is relatively straightforward as well. The trick is figuring out the "why," and we'll get into that in a bit. But let's first discuss seasoning a humidor.

Read more
The NBA’s ultimate celebration tool: The victory cigar
A look at the players and coaches who smoke to celebrate
Jordan smoking a cigar image on a bag

Sports are synonymous with celebration. After winning the biggest trophy of their lives, athletes want to indulge in the payoff that comes with seeing their dreams realized. Teams go into the locker room, where a waterfall of champagne hits them in the eyes, and swimming goggles seem to be a requirement, lest you walk around on the best night of your life half blind. While drinking is often the activity of choice after winning a championship, the NBA has an alternative symbol of greatness that other sports don't use nearly enough: the victory cigar.

Basketball is a team game, but it's also an individual canvas for solo superstardom. After winning an NBA championship, the coaches and players who sit atop the throne have long smoked a cigar in the locker room, during the parade, or even on the bench before the clock has hit zero. There's nothing quite like a good stogie to signify the ultimate win over the rest of the league, but how did the victory cigar get so ingrained in NBA championship celebrations? We want to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the historical moments and people who made the cigar what it is within the NBA today.
Red Auerbach's victory cigar on the bench
Red Auerbach: The Story Behind the Victory Cigar + His Disdain of NBA Officials - Red on Roundball

Read more
The best medical shows of all time to binge now
From ER to The Pitt, these are the best medical shows ever made
Noah Wyle in the Pitt

Throughout TV's long history, the medical drama has occupied a somewhat unique place in the landscape. Medical shows are often some of the most reliable on TV precisely because there's so much drama built in to working in a hospital.

Personally, I've found the medical drama to be deeply comforting for years, even if I have no desire to be a doctor myself. Understanding the stress of people in the healthcare profession is fascinating in and of itself.

Read more