MEET THE RANGERS
of Minute Man National Historical Park
T
BY JENNIFER PIERCE
The U.S. National Park System is one of our nation’s most treasured resources and Minute Man National Historical Park (MMNHP), established in 1959, is one of the most important of the parks. Comprising 1,038 acres, the park preserves historic sites, structures, properties, and landscapes associated with the opening battles of the American Revolution that took place on April 19, 1775. It also preserves resources related to an emerging literary tradition that signaled cultural independence from Europe.
KAREN WEITZ, Budget Analyst “I am really interested in understanding the ‘why’ of how national parks operate. I enjoy helping my co-workers understand and navigate administrative laws and policies that drive our work. I feel like I am making a difference when I can help others.” Karen earned her history degree in Maryland, literally surrounded by historic places in the National Park Service system. Fascinated by the history of Antietam, Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry, and the C&O Canal, it was a perfect fit for her to seek a career with the National Park Service. Karen manages the budget systems at MMNHP, assists other units of the National Park Service, and acts as logistics section chief on an Incident Management team for large park events and natural disasters across the country such as volcanic eruptions in Hawaii and flooding of the Ozark River. 58
Discover CONCORD
| Fall 2021
While the term “park ranger” might bring to mind the brown-hatted, uniformed men and women that we see so often, managing a national park requires a diverse staff of dedicated employees to conduct the many facets of park operations including visitor safety, building preservation and maintenance, landscape restoration, public education, and administrative duties. They may not all wear the brown hat every day, but they are all part of the park ranger system. Here is a snapshot of just a few of the rangers who work at MMNHP.
JON GAGNE, US Park Ranger “The work is different every day, and a park ranger wears many hats. One day I may be stopping a distracted driver in the park, another day I may be responding to a medical emergency or even helping a visitor find a lost dog. No matter what I do day to day, I am supporting the mission of the National Park Service.” Jon is a graduate of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Academy and has worked in a variety of parks across the nation, from as far away as Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to Acadia National Park in Maine. Prior to joining the National Park Service, he was a State Park Ranger for Massachusetts, working to support 12 parks in the state system. The duties of a law enforcement park ranger are varied but all of Jon’s duties help protect park resources as well as the visitors who enjoy MMNHP. One of his daily highlights is stopping to talk with families in the park.
