In honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of New York’s park and historic site system, we knew we wanted to do something special. Telling our full story in-house in a documentary style — and ensuring that the agency’s 100-year legacy was shared accurately and completely — seemed like a daunting task for our small (but mighty!) Public Affairs team.
Above all else, it required bringing the right voices to the table:
Professional storytellers who value public resources.
Team members with vast institutional knowledge, from Indigenous history to environmental conservation and New York State’s recreation evolution.
Powerful visuals that do our 250+ facilities justice.
Staff and like-minded individuals who are passionate about our open spaces and rich cultural resources, and are working to preserve and protect them, day in and day out.
Get your popcorn ready and click the play button above to watch the full documentary.
Thankfully, from discussions early on, Capital region PBS affiliate WMHT demonstrated enthusiasm for working on a documentary that would share our state park and historic site system’s Centennial story with New Yorkers. And it was this author’s honor to play a small role in seeing the enormous undertaking come to life.
In celebration of our Centennial anniversary this year, we have been telling the story of New York State parks and historic sites through our interactive history timeline, Blazing a Trail. Since our last update on the blog, we’ve covered a lot of ground with three densely packed additions illuminating two eras of State Parks history.
Picking up where we left off in 1929, the new additions to the online exploration of our history span from the start of the Great Depression in 1930 until the end of post-war recovery in 1959.
Throughout 2024, our staff have celebrated the Park and Historic Site Centennial by recounting moments in their careers through the Share Your Story project. Ladders to the Outdoors Statewide Coordinator KeJuan Harmon reflected on his upbringing in a disadvantaged community and what it means to provide children of a similar background with their first outdoor experiences. Environmental Educator Conrad Baker recalled his awe at seeing neurodiverse visitors connect with nature through the nation’s first Autism Nature Trail at Letchworth State Park. And Melissa Ann Miller looked back fondly on the experience of raising her children within Grafton Lakes State Park.
In this latest staff account, Gabriella Cebada Mora shares how her defining State Parks moment began with something simple but profound: a sound. Cebada Mora is the Director of the Division of Environmental Stewardship and Planning, “basically the environmental wing of the agency,” she explained. Having limited experience with wildlife initially, she first moved to the Albany area for her career and was eager to get outdoors. To become acquainted with the region and with the agency, she visited Moreau Lake State Park in Gansevoort, roughly 40 miles north of the city.
It was there, by the lake, that she heard the eerie sound.
Watch Gabriella Cebada Mora’s story and hear the cry of the loon for yourself!
“I absolutely freaked out. I was like, ‘what is that?’ Sounds like a rabid dog. Maybe it’s a chupacabra. Maybe I should go inside,” she said, laughing.
After her initial fright had passed, she noticed that none of the people around her seemed distressed by the loud, haunting cry that had pierced the air. A fellow park employee pointed out the source of the sound: a common loon, gliding on the lake.
“That absolutely blew my mind, that an animal I had no idea about could sound like that. It was just embedded in my soul. It was the most haunting sound I’ve heard in my life, and now I actively seek it out,” she said.
For those who spend a lot of time hiking, camping, or birdwatching, Cebada Mora’s story may seem unremarkable and routine: a simple bird cry, leading to a pleasant conversation with a team member nearby. But in addition to leaving her with an affection for loons, the experience illuminated the greater purpose of the agency and illustrated how Cebada Mora’s daily work forges connections and affects lives.
“Being there and being able to have that in-person connection with wildlife and with other people is just truly an experience that Parks provides to everybody,” she said.
Now that you’ve experienced Gabriella Cebada Mora’s story, we invite you to share yours. Use the online form, email stories@parks.ny.gov, or post on social media using #NYStateParksStory and tell us about a memorable moment you experienced at one of our parks or historic sites.
– Written by Kate Jenkins, Digital Content Specialist, Public Affairs
Across New York State, visitors took time during the summer to cherish the lands they love by attending events honoring the system’s Centennial. Our parks and historic sites held numerous activities celebrating the 100-year anniversary , which ranged from community commemorations and canalside concerts to kayak parties and other festivities. This sampling demonstrates the breadth of unique experiences available to visitors, with more to come as we approach the final months of 2024!
Many people who visit state parks and historic sites year after year think of them as a second home. But Grafton Lakes State Park is truly home to park manager Melissa Ann Miller.
Grafton Lakes has always been a special place for Miller. As a child, she visited frequently. She has worked there for 20 years and lived in the park for over a decade, raising her family on site. She moved in when her oldest son was two years old, and her youngest son has never known any other home.
“He was raised here… born, raised, done every activity in the park, been a part of everything. Even knowing that we ever lived in another place just blows his mind,” Miller said. “He’s 11… he can’t even fathom.”
As one of several Parks employees who lives permanently at their park or historic site facility, Miller has a unique perspective and story to share.
New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 