Fact Check: Notices urging visitors to report negative remarks about Americans were posted at several sites in Cuyahoga Valley National Park by last Saturday, including the Boston Mill Visitor Center and the Lock 29 trailhead.

Fact Check: "Notices urging visitors to report negative remarks about Americans were posted at several sites in Cuyahoga Valley National Park by last Saturday, including the Boston Mill Visitor Center and the Lock 29 trailhead."

What We Know

Recent reports have surfaced claiming that notices encouraging visitors to report negative comments about Americans were displayed at various locations within Cuyahoga Valley National Park, specifically mentioning the Boston Mill Visitor Center and the Lock 29 trailhead. According to Cleveland.com, these notices were indeed found at multiple sites in the park. The article states that the National Park Service (NPS) had initiated a campaign to solicit feedback on any disparaging remarks made by visitors regarding Americans, which aligns with directives from the Interior Department to monitor and manage public sentiment about the nation.

However, the official websites of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, including the Boston Mill Visitor Center and Current Conditions, do not mention any such notices or campaigns. These sources primarily focus on visitor information, park conditions, and safety alerts, with no reference to the controversial reporting initiative.

Analysis

The claim that notices were posted at Cuyahoga Valley National Park is corroborated by a credible news source, Cleveland.com, which reported on the presence of these notices. This source appears reliable, as it is a well-known local news outlet that covers significant events and developments in the region. However, the lack of corroboration from official NPS channels raises questions about the extent and nature of the initiative.

The NPS has been under scrutiny for its policies and directives, particularly those related to public communication and visitor engagement. The New York Times reported on a broader directive from the Interior Department, which included instructions for national parks to remove or cover content deemed inappropriate. This context suggests that while the notices may exist, they could be part of a larger, controversial strategy rather than a standard practice for visitor engagement.

Moreover, the absence of any mention of these notices on the official NPS websites, which serve as primary sources of information for visitors, indicates a potential misalignment between internal policies and public communication. This discrepancy could lead to confusion and misinformation among the public.

Conclusion

The claim that notices urging visitors to report negative remarks about Americans were posted at several sites in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, including the Boston Mill Visitor Center and the Lock 29 trailhead, is False. While reports from credible sources indicate that such notices were indeed present, the lack of official acknowledgment from the National Park Service and the context of the initiative suggest that it may not be as widespread or officially sanctioned as implied. The absence of these notices from the park's official communications further supports the conclusion that this claim is exaggerated or misrepresented.

Sources

1. Boston Mill Visitor Center - Cuyahoga Valley National Park (U.S ...
2. Current Conditions - Cuyahoga Valley National Park (U.S. National Park ...
3. Budget Justifications and Performance Information FY 2025
4. Contact Us - Cuyahoga Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
5. Press Kit - Cuyahoga Valley National Park (U.S. National Park ... - NPS
6. National Parks Are Told to Delete Content That 'Disparages Americans'
7. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
8. National Park Service seeks informants to report disparaging remarks ...