🇺🇸 WEEKLY AMERICAN HERITAGE: Devils Tower National Monument

(Explore the history and landscape of the United States as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence. Get out your atlas and almanac and follow along!)

Wyoming is our homeschool state-of-the-week, so why not spend a few minutes today with your students learning about one of Wyoming’s most important natural and historical places: Devils Tower National Monument, which protects and interprets one of the most recognizable geological features of the American West.

“Devils Tower National Monument was originally designated for its unique geology. Natural history forms the foundation of why this place was protected. Although recognized today as an important cultural site, the geologic processes and ecology of the Black Hills remain paramount to the Tower’s significance.”

To understand the place called Devils Tower requires many perspectives. Ancient peoples have lived around the Tower for thousands of years; their modern descendants still maintain a connection with this place on a physical and a spiritual level. Oral histories passed down by various American Indian tribes, as well as their present-day ceremonies, offer us important perspectives of the Tower.

The first white settlers and explorers offer us another perspective – how this land was viewed and used during the late 1800s. The Tower and surrounding area received early protection at the behest of Wyoming’s first residents and political representatives. It was used as a summer gathering place for locals, drawn to the massive rock just as humans were from antiquity.

More perspectives were added as the Tower received national recognition and protection. The National Park Service was created 10 years after its designation as the first national monument. The dual mission of protecting this place and providing recreation opportunities for the public are an ongoing challenge as people’s perspectives of the Tower continue to evolve.

Today, the perspectives of the Tower are as varied as its faces. The park service, American Indians, rock climbers, local residents, and visitors from around the world contribute to these perspectives. (nps.gov)

You can find a wealth of additional information about this monument’s history, landscape, location(s), and visitor facilities on the webpage for Devils Tower National Monument from the National Park Service, and also on the monument’s page on Wikipedia.

Explore America’s National Parks, National Historical Parks, National Historic Sites, National Monuments, and more via Wikipedia and via the U.S. National Park Service’s website today.

What American treasures are you and your students exploring in your homeschool this Hercules Term? 🇺🇸

❡ The great globe itself: This is one of our regular Homeschool Geography posts featuring important natural and historical sites in the United States. Print your own copy of our River Houses American Heritage Calendar and follow along with us, and add your name to our weekly mailing list to get great homeschool teaching ideas delivered right to your mailbox all through the year. 🌎

❡ We set to-day a votive stone: If you want a great long-term history and geography project for your homeschool, explore the Historical Marker Database online (hmdb.org) and make a plan to find all the markers that are listed in your local area. Add any new ones you know of that are missing, and add new photos or descriptions for the ones already included. Your students will gain a better appreciation for your local community and will learn a wealth of new information about history and geography. 🏛️

❡ Print this little lesson: Down at the bottom of this post you’ll find a special “Print” button that will let you create a neat and easy-to-read copy of this little lesson, and it will even let you edit and delete sections you don’t want or need (such as individual images or footnotes). Give it a try today! 🖨️

❡ Books in the running brooks: You can always turn to your River Houses atlas and almanac for more information about any of our homeschool states-of-the-week. The almanac has detailed profiles of all the U.S. states and territories, and the endpapers of the atlas are indexes that will show you where all of the individual national and regional maps may be found. 📚

❡ Homeschool calendars: We have a whole collection of free, printable, educational homeschool calendars and planners available on our main River Houses calendar page. They will help you create a light and easy structure for your homeschool year. Give them a try today! 🗓️

❡ Support our work: If you enjoy our educational materials, please support us by starting your regular Amazon shopping from our very own homeschool teaching supplies page. When you click through from our page, any purchase you make earns us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping us to keep going and growing! 🛒