U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service History

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service History The USFWS Museum/Archives at NCTC holds nearly 500,000 items relating to the history of the Fish and Wildlife Service and American Conservation History.

Currently the USFWS Museum/Archives at NCTC holds in excess of 492,424 items: 31,591 objects, 10,324 historic books, 41,689 historic photos, 4,855 historic films, 922 oral histories, and 403,133 historic research papers from the Fish and Wildlife Reference Library. The Archive scope of collection includes all aspects of American Conservation History with a focus on the USFWS including extensive re

cords on refuges, endangered species, law enforcement, and migratory birds. The state of the art facility is open to the public 7:30am-5:00pm on Mondays, 6:30 am-5:00pm Tuesdays-Fridays, and other times by appointment. A Museum Aide, the FWS National Historian, an oral history transcriptionist, and a Museum Curator staff the USFWS Museum/Archives at NCTC.

This summer, revisit or read for the first time the classic of conservation literature, A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Le...
06/23/2026

This summer, revisit or read for the first time the classic of conservation literature, A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold.

Join America’s Wild Read on August 5th, 2026 at 3 PM ET to discuss A Sand County Almanac and its legacy. Link to register in the comments.

Our discussions are open to everyone. Even if you haven’t finished (or started!) the book, we invite you to join.

TRivia: Fun Facts About Theodore Roosevelt.Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Rider uniform was custom made by Brooks Brothers.“...
06/23/2026

TRivia: Fun Facts About Theodore Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Rider uniform was custom made by Brooks Brothers.

“Rough Riders” was the unit's nickname. They were officially known as the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry and more than 1,000 "Rough Riders" fought in the Spanish-American War of 1898.

Image: Theodore Roosevelt in Rough Riders uniform (1898). Credit: Library of Congress.

Winner of last week's "You Write the Caption Contest!" Congratulations to Mark Johnson for his clever caption: "How man...
06/22/2026

Winner of last week's "You Write the Caption Contest!" Congratulations to Mark Johnson for his clever caption:

"How many biologists does it take to boil water?"

Thanks to Mark and all the clever captioneers for bringing some whimsy to our week!

This photo was taken in D.C. at the U.S. Fish Commission's Central Station hatching facility in the 1890s.

The first refuge in the Northeast was Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.​Established in 1933 by President Franklin Del...
06/15/2026

The first refuge in the Northeast was Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.​

Established in 1933 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as a sanctuary for waterfowl migrating along the Atlantic Flyway. It currently encompasses more than 32,000 acres and contains one-third of Maryland's tidal wetlands.​​

Known as the "Everglades of the North," Blackwater has earned recognition as both a priority wetland under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and an Internationally Important Bird Area.​

But its significance extends beyond wildlife. Harriet Tubman was born in the vicinity of the refuge. In 2021, the site of Tubman's father Ben Ross's cabin was located on newly acquired land. Here, she learned the to read the terrain and live off the land, skills that proved essential as she guided many enslaved people to freedom along the Underground Railroad. Today, the refuge, along with the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, plays a vital role in protecting and stewarding that storied ground.​​



Harriet Tubman in 1868 or 1869. Library of Congress.​

View of wetlands from the boardwalk at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Michael Carlo/USFWS

06/10/2026

Join us on Thursday, June 25 at 7:00 PM for a special evening with author Andrew Moore, presenting his new book: "The Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America's Eastern Wilderness"​​

Before skyscrapers and suburbs, eastern America was home to elk, bison, wolves, and cougars. Industrialization nearly wiped them out — but they're making a comeback. Bison on Illinois prairies. Red wolves in North Carolina marshes. Thousands of elk in Kentucky coal country. Andrew Moore takes us on the journey to understand how, and what it means for the future of eastern ecosystems.​​

Moore is also the author of Pawpaw: In Search of America's Forgotten Fruit (a James Beard Foundation Book Award finalist), and his writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and more.​​

📍 National Conservation Training Center — Byrd Auditorium 698 Conservation Way, Shepherdstown, WV 🕖 Doors open at 6:30 PM | Program begins at 7:00 PM​

🎟️ FREE and open to the public! Registration Required!​

To register, email [email protected] with the program date in the subject line, and ALL the names of attending adults in the body of your message.​​

Can't make it in person? The lecture will be recorded and available online July 1, 2026 at youtube.com//streams

You Write the Caption Contest!Place your caption below and the winning entry will be chosen next week and receive a book...
06/10/2026

You Write the Caption Contest!
Place your caption below and the winning entry will be chosen next week and receive a book from the archives.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Museum and Archives at the National Conservation Training Center has more than 100,000 historic photos, many sadly not captioned. This is your chance to suggest the missing caption.

TRivia: Fun Facts About Theodore Roosevelt.Theodore Roosevelt started what became the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...
06/09/2026

TRivia: Fun Facts About Theodore Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt started what became the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System. Between 1903 and 1909 TR created 51 Bird Reservations and 4 National Game Preserves.
The full list is:
1. Pelican Island (Florida)
2. Breton Island (Louisiana)
3. Stump Lake (N. Dakota)
4. Siskiwit Islands (Michigan)
5. Huron Islands (Michigan)
6. Passage Key (Florida)
7. Indian Key (Florida)
8. Tern Islands (Louisiana)
9. Shell Keys (Louisiana)
10. Three Arch Rocks (Oregon)
11. Flattery Rocks (Washington)
12. Copalis Rock (Washington)
13. Quillayute Needles (Washington)
14. East Tirnbalier Island (Louisiana)
15. Mosquito Inlet (Florida)
16. Tortugas Keys (Florida)
17. Key West (Florida)
18. Klamath Lake (Oregon and California)
19. Lake Malheur (Oregon)
20. Chase Lake (North Dakota)
21. Pine Island (Florida)
22. Matlacha Pass (Florida)
23. Palma Sole (Florida)
24. Island Bay (Florida)
25. Loch-Katrine (Wyoming)
26. Hawaiian Islands
27. Salt River (Arizona)
28. East Park (California)
29. Deer Flat (Idaho)
30. Willow Creek (Montana)
31. Carlsbad (New Mexico)
32. Rio Grande (New Mexico) mation.
33. Cold Springs (Oregon)
34. Belle Fourche (South Dakota)
35. Strawberry Valley (Utah)
36. Keechelus (Washington)
37. Kachess (Washington)
38. Clealum (Washington)
39. Bumping Lake (Washington)
40. Conconuily (Washington)
41. Pathfinder (Wyoming)
42. Shoshone (Wyoming)
43. Minidoka (Idaho)
44. Tuxedni (Alaska)
45. Saint Lazaria (Alaska)
46. Yukon Delta (Alaska)
47. Culebra (Puerto Rico)
48. Farallon (California)
49. Behring (Bering) Sea (Alaska)
50. Pribilof (Alaska)
51. Bogoslof (Alaska)
52. Wichita Game Preserve (Oklahoma
53. Grand Canyon National Game Preserve (Arizona)
54. Fire Island National Game Preserve (Alaska)
55. National Bison Range (Montana)



Image: Theodore Roosevelt on Breton Island Bird Reservation (est. 1904).

Happy World Ocean Day June 8, 2026!Today we celebrate all that connects us to the ocean, including the wild places and c...
06/08/2026

Happy World Ocean Day June 8, 2026!

Today we celebrate all that connects us to the ocean, including the wild places and creatures that call it home.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the conservation steward of 759 million cooperatively managed acres of submerged lands and waters, as well as a variety of marine creatures such as seabirds, salmon, sea otters, walrus, polar bears, manatees, and a plethora of migratory fish.

Our beautiful oceans provides over 50% of the world’s oxygen, is home to a multitude of species (with an estimated 91% still to be classified!), and covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface.

But what is even more impressive is the ocean’s innate inspiration, awe, and wonder that capture the imagination and hearts of people.

Rachel Carson wrote in her book "The Sea Around Us" (1951): “If there is poetry in my book about the sea, it is not because I deliberately put it there, but because no one could write truthfully about the sea and leave out the poetry.”

Today, we hope you find your inspiration in the wildness of the water. Let us know—how has the ocean inspired you?

Images: Rachel Carson on University of Miami research boat Nauplius, to do shallow diving with copper helmet. 1949. Credit: Shirley A. Briggs.

Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS.

June 4, 1942, marked a pivotal moment in American history. On this day, the Battle of Midway began—an intense and heroic...
06/04/2026

June 4, 1942, marked a pivotal moment in American history.

On this day, the Battle of Midway began—an intense and heroic engagement that became the turning point of World War II in the Pacific. Though outnumbered and outgunned, American forces at Midway Island withstood the initial Japanese assault and ultimately forced a retreat, sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers and altering the course of the war.

While much of the fighting occurred 100–200 miles north of the atoll, fierce aerial combat raged directly overhead. Thirty-one aircraft crash sites—22 American and 9 Japanese—have been identified, and today they are honored as war graves. In recognition of its historical significance, Midway Atoll has been designated a National Memorial to the Battle of Midway.

But Midway’s story doesn’t end with war—it continues as a beacon of conservation. Now part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is a thriving sanctuary. It is home to the world’s largest colony of Laysan albatrosses, endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, and hundreds of other species that depend on its remote, protected habitat.

Photo of American flags at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway Memorial. Credit: USFWS

Raise your hand if you've never actually read Silent Spring ✋Now is your chance to revisit (or experience for the first ...
06/02/2026

Raise your hand if you've never actually read Silent Spring ✋

Now is your chance to revisit (or experience for the first time) the classic that was once controversial. This June, join us in reading Silent Spring by Rachel Carson as a part of the 250 Years of America’s Best Nature Writing Book Club.

Rachel Carson faced intense scrutiny and backlash after publishing Silent Spring in 1962. Despite attacks on her and her credentials, her message, both scientifically sound and eloquently delivered, overcame criticism to inspire a shift in public attitudes about pesticides and led to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. Learn what everyone was talking about 64 years ago and why Silent Spring's legacy still continues today.

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