#otd in 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed the bill authorizing the establishment of Cape Cod National Seashore. At the time, The Berkshire Eagle, of Pittsfield, MA editorialized that the bill "…can probably be labeled the finest victory ever recorded for the cause of conservation in New England."

The seashore's establishment was unique in that it was the first time the federal government had created a national park out of private and town-held lands. Months of local hearings and meetings were required to negotiate a bill that balanced private and public interests. The seashore encompasses more than 43,000 acres and attracts more than 4 million visitors each year.

#AltText An Atlantic sunrise, with calm water and sun filtering through gray and orange sky with scattered clouds. Image by Philip Keohan.

#preservation #seashoreanniversary