You can help open the doors to the past at Joshua Tree National Park!

The Partners in Preservation program was created by American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and seeks to increase the public’s awareness on the importance of historic preservation, and inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic places at the heart of their communities.

In honor of the National Park Service’s centennial, the 2016 Partners in Preservation campaign has been dedicated to National Parks, and will award $2 million in grant funding to historic sites within the National Parks that are in need of preservation. The grant will be shared by 5 National Parks, as decided by popular vote on VoteYourPark.org

If selected, Joshua Tree National Park will use the grant to rehabilitate the historic Keys Ranch, which preserves the remarkable story of Bill Keys, and his life of resourcefulness and ingenuity as one of the early settlers in the high desert of Joshua Tree. It’s a fascinating story of survival and success, involving cattle ranching and mining, and of building a homestead and raising a family in a tough and remote location. This preservation project will unlock a very meaningful part of Joshua Tree National Park’s past, and preserve it for future generations to come.

We encourage you to visit www.nationalgeographic.com/voteyourpark and vote for Joshua Tree National Park!

Vote daily until July 5, 2016.