I can scarcely believe it was nearly two months ago that I urged everyone to visit a National Park for free. Where has the summer gone? (By the way, you’ve got just one more weekend to take advantage of the National Park Service’s offer — Aug. 15 through 16.) Well, there are a few things to look forward to as summer ends. For one, digging out the boots with the fur from the back of your closet. And for another, the premiere of Ken Burns’ latest documentary series on PBS, titled “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”

The United States may not have centuries-old castles or aqueducts to boast about, but we’ve got some gorgeous landforms and historical sites that we’re immensely proud of. This is part of what the series aspires to celebrate. It’s about more than the Grand Canyon, though. It’s also about the brazen notion that places of natural and national interest ought to be protected. Imagine how silly that might’ve seemed when it was first proposed: “Dear Mr. President, perhaps you’re aware of the very, very tall redwood trees in California. I think they should never, ever be cut down.”

I jest, of course, but it would’ve seemed rather counterintuitive to preserve such commodifiable natural resources when the United States was developing and trying to assert itself as a power on the international economic stage. PBS remarks that the series “is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone.”

We can expect to see gorgeous panoramic footage, hear Andy Garcia’s gorgeous voice narrating said footage and be uplifted by the people, places and ideals that have shaped the United States. “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” premieres on PBS Sept. 27.

Until then, some online sightseeing at HowStuffWorks.com:
Ultimate History Image Gallery
President Pictures
Civil War Pictures
Men of War Image Gallery
The Changing Tides of Fashion Image Gallery