Nomenclature of the National Park System

The National Park Service uses over 20 different titles for the park units it manages, including national park and national monument.
Classification as of 2009[27] 	Number 	Area 	Visitors[28]
National Military Park, National Battlefield Park, National Battlefield Site, and National Battlefield 	
25
	
71,502.49 acres (289 km2)
	
8,360,261
National Historical Park, National Historic Site, and International Historic Site 	
125
	
228,260.60 acres (924 km2)
	
34,407,217
National Lakeshore 	
4
	
228,995.14 acres (927 km2)
	
3,728,821
National Memorial 	
29
	
10,588.45 acres (43 km2)
	
30,559258
National Monument 	
78
	
2,027,864.58 acres (8,206 km2)
	
22,646,428
National Park 	
59
	
52,095,045.71 acres (210,821 km2)
	
62,950,968
National Parkway 	
4
	
177,339.69 acres (718 km2)
	
29,948,911
National Preserve and National Reserve 	
20
	
24,191,311.63 acres (97,899 km2)
	
2,956,325
National Recreation Area 	
18
	
3,700,277.20 acres (14,974 km2)
	
50,645,414
National River and National Wild and Scenic River and Riverway 	
15
	
746,262.99 acres (3,020 km2)
	
5,999,161
National Scenic Trail 	
3
	
239,659.27 acres (970 km2)
	not available
National Seashore 	
10
	
595,013.55 acres (2,408 km2)
	
17,920,507
Other Designations (White House, National Mall, etc.) 	
11
	
36,826.96 acres (149 km2)
	
11,156,670
Totals 	
401
	
84,331,948.26 acres (341,279 km2)


National parks of the United States

National Parks preserve nationally and globally significant scenic areas and nature reserves.

National Monuments preserve a single unique cultural or natural feature. Devils Tower National Monument was the first in 1906.
[show]

    v
    t
    e

National Historical Parks of the United States

National Historic Sites protect a significant cultural resource that is not a complicated site. Examples of these types of parks include Ford's Theatre National Historic Site and William Howard Taft National Historic Site.

National Historical Parks are larger areas with more complex subjects. Appomattox Court House National Historical Park was created in 1940. George Rogers Clark National Historical Park was dedicated in 1936. Historic sites may also be protected in national parks, monuments, seashores, and lakeshores.

National Military Parks, Battlefield Parks, Battlefield Sites, and Battlefields preserve areas associated with military history. The different designations reflect the complexity of the event and the site. Many of the sites preserve important Revolutionary War battles and Civil War battlefields. Military parks are the sites of larger actions, such as Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Vicksburg National Military Park, Gettysburg National Military Park, and Shiloh National Military Park—the original four from 1890. Examples of battlefield parks, battlefield sites, and national battlefields include Richmond National Battlefield Park, Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, and Antietam National Battlefield.
[show]

    v
    t
    e

United States National Lakeshores, National Seashores, and National Rivers

National Seashores and National Lakeshores offer preservation of the national coast line, while supporting water–based recreation. Cape Hatteras National Seashore was created in 1937. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, created in 1966, were the first national lakeshores.

National Rivers and Wild and Scenic Riverways protect free-flowing streams over their length. The riverways may not be altered with dams, channelization, or other changes. Recreational pursuits are encouraged along the waterways. Ozark National Scenic Riverways was established in 1964.
[show]

    v
    t
    e

National Recreation Areas of the United States

National Recreation Areas originally were units (such as Lake Mead National Recreation Area) surrounding reservoirs impounded by dams built by other federal agencies. Many of these areas are managed under cooperative agreement with the National Park Service. Now some national recreation areas are in urban centers, because of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (ORRRC). These include Gateway National Recreation Area and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which encompass significant cultural as well as natural resources.
[show]

    v
    t
    e

U.S. National Trails System

The National Trails System preserves long-distance routes across America. The system was created in 1968 and consists of two major components: National Scenic Trails are long-distance trails through some of the most scenic parts of the country. They received official protection in 1968. The Appalachian Trail and the Continental Divide Trail are the best known. National Historic Trails commemorate the routes of major historic events. Some of the best known are the Trail of Tears, the Mormon Trail, and the Santa Fe Trail. These trails are administered by several federal agencies.

National Preserves are for the protection of certain resources. Activities like hunting, fishing, and some mining are allowed. Big Cypress National Preserve and Big Thicket National Preserve were created in 1974 as the first national preserves.

National Reserves are similar to national preserves, but the operational authority can be placed with a local government. New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve was the first to be established in 1978.[29]



A National Heritage Area is a site designated by United States and intended to encourage historic preservation of the area and an appreciation of the history and heritage of the site. There are currently 49 National Heritage Areas, some of which use variations of the title, such as National Heritage Corridor.[1]

National Heritage Areas (NHA) are not National Park Service units or federally owned or managed land. National Heritage Areas are administered by state governments or non-profit organizations or other private corporations. The National Park Service provides an advisory role and limited technical, planning and financial assistance.

NHAs are created by Congress. Each area has its own authorizing legislation and a set of unique resources and goals. Areas considered for designation must have specific elements. First, the landscape must be a nationally unique natural, cultural, historic, or scenic resource. Second, when the related sites are linked, they must tell a unique story about the U.S




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Virginia-related_lists


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Norfolk,_Virginia



VA National Heritage Areas
http://www.hallowedground.org/

Coal Heritage
http://coalheritage.org/

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields
http://www.shenandoahatwar.org/