Rangers March In Maryland Governor's Inaugural Parade

The “Grey and Green” marched proudly through the colonial city of Annapolis on January 17th as rangers from Assateague Island National Seashore, Antietam National Battlefield, Hampton National Historic Site and Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine participated in the inauguration ceremonies for Governor Martin O’Malley.

Members of Fort McHenry’s living history unit, the Fort McHenry Guard, accompanied rangers with stirring fifes and drums, flags and muskets. The governor serves as a colonel in the guard. 

This is the first time that National Park Service rangers have participated in the two-mile inauguration parade. The parks represent some of Maryland’s best-known natural and cultural treasures. Resource preservation was a major component of the governor’s inauguration speech as he spoke of fusing science, government and personal responsibility to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and limit poorly-planned suburban sprawl.  The governor has said that he will remain a member of the NPS Volunteers-In-Parks program.

The event was covered by five major television networks and over a dozen newspapers.