When a Detour Led Straight into the Revolution
Some of the best journeys aren’t on the itinerary
One of the things I love most about the National Park Service is that it protects who we are. Not just our landscapes, not just our history, but our national identity—the places that shaped us, the stories that define us.
With more than 400 sites across the country, there’s always something new to find. A vast canyon carved over millennia. A battlefield where freedom was fought for. A home where an idea was born. And what you find is always beautifully curated by public servants who represent the best of us—NPS employees who have dedicated their careers to preserving these places and telling their stories.
Which brings me to an unexpected trip to Minute Man National Historical Park back in May of 2022.
My wife and I were living in New England and decided to set out on a weekend trip to visit some literary landmarks. For her, it was Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House, where Little Women came to life. For me, it was Walden Pond—a pilgrimmage…