Cowpens National Battlefield

11/04/2026

there were Overmountain men at the Battle of Cowpens? One of these groups was under the command of Colonel Joseph “Quaker Meadows” McDowell of North Carolina. McDowell was referred to as “Quaker Meadows Joe” because that was the name of his home and to distinguish him from his cousin, Captain Joseph McDowell, who resided at “Pleasant Garden.”

At the Battle of Kings Mountain, Colonel McDowell, then a Major, commanded militiamen from North Carolina’s Burke and Rutherford Counties. Positioned on the south side of Kings Mountain, McDowell reportedly led his men gallantly, urging them to continue pushing up the slope and achieve victory.

At Cowpens, Colonel McDowell and his men also served courageously. They held the right flank of the skirmish line at the start of the battle, where they held as long as they were ordered and inflicted heavy casualties on the British Legion and Seventh Regiment of Foot before withdrawing to the rear. During the double envelopment at the end of the battle, McDowell’s men faced off against the 71st Highlanders. McDowell’s men were crucial to the victories at both Kings Mountain and Cowpens.

Discover Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail: https://www.nps.gov/ovvi/index.htm

Image: 1932 US Monument at Cowpens National Battlefield, NPS Photo.

10/28/2026

Today, on , we’d like to celebrate our favorite William, William Washington (yes, we’re biased).

A distant cousin to George Washington, William Washington was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Washington earned a reputation as an effective cavalry commander in the southern theater.

During the Battle of Cowpens, he famously helped to repel an enemy attack and encircled part of the British force in a double envelopment.

Public Domain Image: Portrait of William Washington.

Discover his life: https://www.nps.gov/people/william-washington.htm

10/23/2026

Friday: What happened to the British prisoners after the Battle of Cowpens?

Following the American victory at Cowpens on January 17, 1781, General Daniel Morgan feared that British forces under General Lord Charles Cornwallis could move quickly, overtake his smaller army and rescue the British prisoners-of-war ( POWs). General Morgan wasted no time and moved both his army and the prisoners across the Broad River by sunset on the day of the battle.

In what became known as “The Race to the Dan,” General Morgan stayed two steps ahead of the determined General Cornwallis. Morgan marched north to Gilbert Town, crossed the Catawba River and pushed deeper into North Carolina. General Morgan rejoined the main southern army and General Nathanael Greene near Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina and put the POWs out of Cornwallis’s reach. Most of the British POWs were sent to camps in Virginia with some detained in other locations further north.

Roughly 600 men were captured at Cowpens and most of them never returned to the field in the Southern Campaign of 1780-1781. They were seasoned experienced soldiers and their absence from the ranks of the British army greatly impacted General Cornwallis as he pushed into North Carolina and later into Virginia.

Image: Harpers Ferry Collection image of a British soldier helping a wounded comrade.

Discover Cowpens National Battlefield: https://www.nps.gov/cowp/index.htm

10/14/2026

PARK UPDATE: The tour road has reopened. Thank you for your patience.

Explore operating hours: https://www.nps.gov/cowp/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm

10/14/2026

PARK ALERT: The tour road is currently closed due to an obstruction. We will notify the public when conditions improve. We apologize for the inconvenience.

10/09/2026

Park facilities will be closed in observance of Columbus Day on Monday, October 12. Park grounds will remain open. Regular operations will resume on Tuesday, October 13.

Explore operational hours: https://www.nps.gov/cowp/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm

10/05/2026

Today’s homework: thank a teacher.

National parks are places where students can learn about history by standing where it happened, explore science by observing nature, and discover stories that help us better understand the people and places that shaped our world.

Behind those experiences are teachers helping students ask questions, make connections, and learn about the world around them.

On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the educators who inspire curiosity, encourage exploration and remind us that learning can happen just about anywhere. (Including places with a really good view.)

Learn more at: https://www.nps.gov/teachers/index.htm

NPS Image

10/05/2026

Every day from October 12 to November 5, 2026, visit Mission San José's granary during park hours (9am-5pm) to view the mission descendant community's family ofrendas.

Ofrendas are an essential part of Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead. The word ofrenda means offering in Spanish. They are also called "altares" or altars, but not for worship. These altars are not only full of family pictures, but of symbols and meaning, honoring the ancestors who have passed, and offering them items of the celebration such a "pan de mu**to" and marigold flowers.

NPS Photo

10/05/2026

On , we celebrate all the amazing educators around the globe.

Our curriculum -based program, “Five Senses. Five People,” can help you teach students about the Southern Campaign no matter where you are located.

For short videos, classroom activities, and teacher resources: https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/five-senses-five-people.htm

10/04/2026

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” — Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables

And we’re rather glad there are national parks to experience them in. Fall is a great time to get outside and enjoy the spectacular spectacle (say that five times fast) of changing leaves. There is plenty of room for imagination when you find yourself surrounded by forests painted in brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. In our experience, you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. So consider this your invitation to find a little wonder, a little enchantment, and perhaps a kindred spirit among the trees.

Forests, woods, and shrublands in national parks put on their autumn colors from September through December. There’s a whole world of beauty waiting to be explored!

Image 1: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Image 2: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Image 3: Great Sand Dunes NPP
Image 4: Rocky Mountain National Park
Image 5: TheodoreRooseveltNPS

10/03/2026

“On October 3rd, he asked what day it was.” — Cady Heron

It’s October 3rd.

October is kind of a big deal around here. The autumn months splash many national parks with a rich array of fall colors, while cooler temperatures have wildlife getting ready for winter. Some are migrating. Some are gathering food. Some are putting on extra layers.

Same, honestly.

So whether you’re here for the foliage, the wildlife, or simply to judge the leaves on their color palette, national parks are a pretty fetch place to experience fall. Fetch? We’re making it happen.

And if you want to keep up with what’s happening in parks this season, you can find more ways to connect with your national parks at the link below.
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/fall-season.htm

Image: Red Osier Dogwood leaves stand out against aspen trunks at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. NPS/Patrick Myers

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

Wherever military life takes you, there’s likely a park adventure nearby.

Active-duty military members, Veterans, and Gold Star families can get a free America the Beautiful Pass, providing access to national parks and federal recreation sites across the country.

Active-duty military families can also find free events, nearby outdoor opportunities, and resources for exploring national parks, public lands, and waterways through the Military Families Outdoors Program, wherever military life takes them. Visit: go.nps.gov/mfo

Whether you’re PCSing, exploring near your duty station, or looking for a weekend adventure, your next park visit may be closer than you think.

NPS Photo: Rangers at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park recently teamed up with Blue Star Families and community partners for a day of fishing, outdoor fun, and family time at Fletchers Cove.

Blue Star Families Defense Public Health

10/01/2026

Fat Bear Week has officially lumbered to a close.

What a week. As they say, a journey of roughly 3,000 to 4,500 calories begins with a single salmon. Something like that. There might be some steps involved too.

In the end, 16 bears entered. Bear 89 “Backpack” became champion. Talk about the hunger games. And several ate their way into our hearts. Figuratively. And thousands of us humans spent an unreasonable amount of time judging bears for being excellent at being, well, bears.

It was a week of big bellies, bigger appetites, and absolutely no regrets. We shared some science, learned about the Alaskan ecosystem, stood around for hours watching large mammals eat, and found multiple way to incorporate “chonk” in everyday vocabulary.

Now the bears have more important things to do, such as eating then sleeping, a bit more eating, sleeping, and finally preparing to sleep after eating. As for the rest of us, we all return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Must we?

We must.

We will miss you, Fat Bear Week. Until next year: stay chunky, stay hungry, and remember: there’s always room for one more salmon.

NPS Images

10/01/2026

10/01/2026

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, it's time for Chunky Puppy Day! Tune in to the Puppy Cam tomorrow, Thursday, October 1, at 2pm AK time to find out how big the America's Best Idea litter got this summer.

How much do you think they weigh now? Share your guesses in the comments below.

NPS Photo: Graupel from the Weather litter during a weigh-in last year.

09/30/2026

This is the ideal marmot body. You may not like it. You may not understand it. But this is what peak performance looks like.

Now that Fat Bear Week is over, we’re returning to our regularly scheduled programming: other fat mammals.

The tundra-dwelling yellow-bellied marmots have been preparing for hibernation for the last couple of months. Since marmots spend more than half their lives hibernating, they’ve developed some impressive adaptations for surviving the winter:

✅ First, they’ve been building up healthy fat reserves (sound familiar? Bears. Us too, but that’s another post) to sustain them for up to eight months. Basically, a nice winter savings account.

✅ When they finally enter hibernation, they become true hibernators, slowing their heart rate from around 200 beats per minute to as low as 30. It’s an impressive energy-saving strategy.

✅ Speaking of saving, they also save on utilities by cuddling up with the colony in a communal burrow. Because heating is expensive, and roommates are the answer. Was that on the lease?

NPS Photo: A rotund marmot standing on a rock at Rocky Mountain National Park

09/30/2026

If you’re like us, you’ve had circled on your calendars for MONTHS. If, for whatever reason, this isn’t the case for you, you’ll be excited to learn about a podcast dedicated to the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution.

Discover the Southern Campaign with Ranger William and Ranger Adrian with special guests: https://www.nps.gov/podcasts/southern-war.htm

09/23/2026

A HUGE Thank You to the students, teachers, and parents who joined us for Education Day at Cowpens National Battlefield this past week! It was a great day!

The staff at Cowpens would also like to give a special Thank You to all the Volunteers who helped make Education Day possible. We truly cannot do events like Education Day without your help. Thanks Volunteers!

09/22/2026

Happy First Day of Fall!

Fall is here, and we hope Mother Nature cooperates with enjoyable temperatures! It’s been a toasty summer.

That said, you never know.

Stay current with weather conditions at the battlefield: https://www.nps.gov/cowp/planyourvisit/weather.htm

Image: Sunlight filters through the branches of a red maple tree in autumn, 2023, NPS Photo.