Metro Jacksonville

QuoteA sneak preview of Ken Burn’s new film “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” was presented by Jacksonville’s public television station WJCT on Tuesday night, September 22, 2009.  The event, attended by over 300 enthusiastic National Park supporters, was held at WJCT’s downtown studio.  Guests mingled with National Park personnel, some appearing in period costume, while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and refreshments.  The evening featured the showing of select segments of Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan’s film as well as segments of the six WJCT produced documentaries.  The exhibit space at WJCT featured educational displays from the event’s sponsors and the local National Park Service sites.

WJCT and the six local National Parks secured a grant from the National Park Foundation to produce documentaries of the local Parks.  WJCT’s own film director Stephen Jones created six individual 15-minute documentaries entitled “National Parks of the First Coast and the Golden Isles”.  These
documentaries feature living examples of the best things these parks offer â€" spectacular natural landscapes and sites that reflect important moments in our nation’s culture and history.  The six parks are Timucuan Ecological
and Historic Preserve, Fort Caroline National Memorial, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Matanzas National Monument, Cumberland Island National Seashore, and Fort Frederica National Monument.

The evening’s formal program opened with a welcome by Michael Boylan, President and CEO of WJCT, and introduction of Barbara Goodman, superintendent of the Timucuan Preserve and Fort Caroline.  During her opening remarks superintendent Goodman eloquently pointed out the significance of both documentaries.  She then introduced the special guest and speaker for the evening Joe Wiegand, renown for his portrayal of President Theodore Roosevelt.  The audience was delighted as “President Roosevelt” talked about his fascinating journey through life that led to his love and desire to create National Parks.

Following the screening of the film previews and a short question and answer period Superintendent Goodman closed the event by pointed out that there are 391 National Park Service sites throughout the nation, and that
the Ken Burns film features only those 55 that have “National Park” in their title.  She went on to say that “all six local National Park sites featured in the WJCT film are within an hour’s drive of Jacksonville.” 

She added teasingly of her experiences in seeing cuts of the Burn’s film,“these films will be an emotional 3 to 4 hanky experience.”

I think I remember WJCT saying on air they sold out the event so more PR probably would not have been helpful.  Watching the series on TV is the next best thing.

Last night, they ran the 2 hour first installment repeatedly, beginning at 4 PM.  I know at 2 AM the midnight showing was just ending!  At that showing rate, it should be easy to catch all the installments on the first run.  Otherwise, I am sure they will be rerunning the series over the next year or two repeatedly as they have done with other mega-shows before.

Wonder what "beast" they were talking about?  Teddy?

Caught the local documentaries on Cumberland Island National Seashore and Fort Frederica National Monument yesterday afternoon. Really good stuff.

Ken Burns is a fantastic heart tugging film producer, I have never seen anything he has done that wasn't artistic as hell and damn near poetic in lyric. That said, and of course always being neutral on every issue, he completely SCREWED up his "Civil War Series," (War of Yankee Aggression, if you want it correct). which came across sounding like 700 revisionist lies my history teacher's told me. So though I worked with two of the biggest producers in Hollywood (behind the scenes), now that he has done this masterpiece, I really hope his sail boat flips over and there are no survivors. Hell I'll even send Morse coded sonar messages to the local Shark community of the last GPS fix.

BRAVO FOR THE NPS! They have recently done some great things in my Oklahoma heritage. National Grasslands in two locations, Tall Grass Prairie (yes GRASS not unlike St. Augustine that is 5-7 feet high!) Sulfur Springs National Monument in the Arbuckle Mountains, The Wichita Mountains preserve, where we sent the LAST 11 Buffalo in North America, to become 100,000's again, today. Back in OKLAHOMA, I would like to see them grab Skyline Drive (which is the Southwests answer to the Blue Ridge Trail), atop the Ouchita Mountains. Black Mesa in the far NW corner of the state and the states highest peak, is an ancient volcano, and the Santa Fe trail foot prints, and wagon tracks have hardened into the rock along the stream. Some GREAT opportunities.  

OCKLAWAHA

Stephen, today, I am going to ask the city of St Augustine Commisioners to proclaim their support for a National Historic Park: St. Augustine National Historical Park, Scenic Seashore and Coastal Parkway.

QuoteBE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA:

Whereas, the St. Augustine National Historic District and associated historic sites are National Historic Landmarks and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as historic sites associated with the history of our Nation’s Oldest continually-occupied European-founded city;

Whereas, the City of St. Augustine was founded by the Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés on September 8, 1565 and retains significant archaeological, architectural features, archival materials, and museum collections illustrative of the Spanish, Minorcan, Greek and British settlers;

Whereas, St. Augustine’s historic resources provide unique opportunities for illustrating and interpreting indigenous (Native-American), African-American, Spanish, Minorcan, Greek, British, American colonial, Civil War and Civil Rights history and Northeast Florida’s contribution to the economic, social, and environmental history of the United States and provide opportunities for public use and enjoyment;

Whereas, the year 2013 marks the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Spanish explorers and colonists on these shores and 2015 marks the 450th anniversary of the City of St. Augustine;

Whereas, the year 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which was enacted by Congress and signed by President Johnson after what happened here;

Whereas, the National Park System presently contains only two National Monuments associated with one part of St. Augustine’s 11,000 years of human history.

Whereas, St. Augustine and St. Johns County are imbued and blessed with great natural beauty and biodiversity, including threatened and endangered species, including beach mice, butterflies, bald eagles, pelagic turtles, right whales and manatees.

Whereas, our coasts are threatened by erosion a nd require protection from hurricanes and the effects of global climate change;

Whereas, the St. Augustine area’s precious environmental, historic and cultural heritage is in danger of destruction due to large-scale, rapid development and a lack of planning for parklands, preservation and public transportation.

Whereas, several significant properties have been lost to development forever and more are imperiled.

Whereas, roads are clogged and the enjoyment of the area’s beauty is marred by lack of public transportation;

Whereas, there is an urgent need for action on the part of the federal government to preserve the history and beauty of the area and to provide public transportation to serve the millions of visitors annually, while relieving local residents from traffic congestion, air pollution and energy waste associated with rapid development.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Commission of the City of St. Augustine calls upon Congress to provide national park legislation and funding:

(A) to help to preserve, protect, and interpret the splendid environmental and historic resources in our city and county, including architecture, seashores, vistas, settings, and associated archival and museum collections;
(B) to collaborate with the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, State of Florida, the cities of St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach, the Town of Hastings and the government of St. Johns County, Florida and with associated historical, cultural, environmental, tourism and preservation organizations to further the purposes of the park established under this section;
(C) to provide opportunities for the inspirational benefit and education of the American people;
(C) to protect us from hurricanes by protecting wetlands;
(D) to respond to coastal erosion with a coherent management plan;]
(E) to protect endangered species and scenery forever;
(F) to grow20our economy and encourage historic and environmental tourism; and
(G) to preserve St. Augustine’s history and natural beauty for future generations.

Come show your support. The St Augustine City Commissioner meeting starts at 5:00 PM

Quote from: stephendare on September 28, 2009, 03:19:54 PM
Faye what a great idea!

Hope they do it!

I would love to join you, but as today is my birthday, I am having dinner with family to celebrate, and am planning on lightly sampling the nightlife!  but consider me there in thoughts!

Yay, happy B-day!!!!

Libras get along well with Geminis. Both can see two sides to a story and are really "fair and balanced" in the literal sense of those words ;)

^^

What research have you completed or compiled that would counterpoint the work that Burns and his sources (such as Shelby Foote, Mary Chestnut,etc.) provided as to the history of the Civil War?

In my book, being 'neutral' or 'objective' is exactly what I find desireble, yet woefully lacking, in what passes for journalism these days.

It has been my experience that 'revisionist history'  is the stock-in-trade of the neo-confederate/Confederate defenders.    

Quote from: vicupstate on September 28, 2009, 03:24:34 PM
^^

What research have you completed or compiled that would counterpoint the work that Burns and his sources (such as Shelby Foote, Mary Chestnut,etc.) provided as to the history of the Civil War?

In my book, being 'neutral' or 'objective' is exactly what I find desirable, yet woefully lacking, in what passes for journalism these days.

It has been my experience that 'revisionist history'  is the stock-in-trade of the neo-confederate/Confederate defenders.    

Book: The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Nation
Book: Mr. Lincoln's little war
Book: The South Was Right, (and before blowing this book out as radical, check  its references which are beyond argument).
Book: Black Confederates in Gray
Books: The official records of the war of the rebellion.
Books: The official Naval records of the war of the rebellion.

These last two are absolutely chock full of proof that it isn't the neo-Confederates, who have spun the revision. First you must have the information, then for clarity, revision. In this case clarity has equaled a complete rewrite of the history. You will also find many hundreds of accounts where: (my paraphrase) "Last night a group of contraband's (negroes) came into our camp SUPPOSING we were sent here to grant them freedom. We did what it took to teach them to the contrary, after which we returned them in chains to the Confederate Provost Marshall commanding Pensacola..."

Bet you didn't hear that on a Ken Burns tape!

The only thing this revision line of "all the souths fault", has brought to our country is hate, murder, and beatings. Young Black men and women taught that every white Southron wants/wanted them in bondage. "Hate that white man, he owes me..."

It has also caused an increasing amount of self isolation and hate by (generally) poorer Southern Whites, often searching for their heritage, who are taught "your ancestors hated Black folk and (implied) you should too..."

I think this story, far more then a accurate story of sectional strife, may lead the young people into a racial split unlike anything ever seen before. Certainly the Yankee Revionists have sewed the seeds.  

OCKLAWAHA

they can also be watched at the PBS website through October 9th

I attended this event last Tuesday, it had a mature "art walk" vibe before the presentation. Good food and wine, lots of schmoozing, very enjoyable.  The presentation was great, along with the actor who dressed up as Teddy Roosevelt who went over the history of the nation parks system.

The only reason I caught it is because PBS is on all the time since I no longer have cable, there was a small blurb about it a few days beforehand saying to go to wjct.org/events and rsvp. By the time I invited some friends to sign up the next day, it was sold out.

wtf