25 cents 2018 45th National Park Block Island

25 cents (a quarter) of 2018 from the National Parks series - the 45th National Reserve Island Block.

Block Island is located on the border of the Long Island and Block Island Straits, 19 km south of the coast of Rhode Island.

Presumably, the first of the Europeans who saw the island was in 1524 a certain Giovanni da Verazzano, who also named it
the island of Louise, in honor of Louise of Savoy (1476–1531), the mother of French King Francis I. The most vivid legend about her is the story that she died from fear of a comet that appeared in the sky. In 1614, the Dutch merchant and navigator Adrien Blok (1567–1627) re-discovered the island, described it and recorded the coordinates. In honor of his island and got its modern name. The first English settlements were founded on the island in 1661, later the town of New Shoreham emerged, which still exists today.

The reserve, located in the northern part of Blok Island, is one of the rare places where many migratory birds (more than 70 species) are concentrated in a small area. They appear here in large quantities every autumn, as the Atlantic migration route passes through the reserve. Block Island is a traditional place to stop and rest for birds before continuing the difficult path. Dozens of bird watchers (bird specialists) and photographers gather at this time in the reserve.

The reserve is home to a rare species of grave beetle (Nicrophorus americanus). The local colony is the only place east of the Mississippi River, where it is found today. For the conservation of rare zoo birds (Charadrius melodus), the reserve's management takes special measures. In total, the reserve is home to 15 rare and endangered species. Block Island is also the birthplace of the largest colony of gulls in Rhode Island.

The island has two historical monuments - the North Lighthouse and the Southeast Lighthouse. In clear weather, their signals are visible tens of kilometers from Blok. Southeast lighthouse since 1997 is an independent historical monument. Its construction began in 1874 and was completed in a year. The building was built in Victorian style. The lighthouse tower is a structure in the form of an octahedral pyramid, tapering upwards, its height is 20 m. Nearby is a two-storey house with an attic, designed for lighthouse attendants.

The administration of the reserve and the Visitor Center with a museum are located on the mainland in the city of Charlestown (Charlestown).

Obverse: In the center of the coin, the portrait of President George Washington is depicted to the left (shown in the restored version of the original portrait, used since 1932 on the coin-quarter). The top of the semicircle is the name of the issuing country: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the semicircle below shows the denomination of the coin - QUARTER DOLLAR. To the left of the portrait, the word LIBERTY (FREEDOM) is minted, to the right in several lines - IN GOD WE TRUST (WE BELIEVE IN GOD) and the letter of the mint.

Reverse: In the center is depicted the Black crowned night heron, flying over the beach of Kau Bay and looking towards Sachem Pond. In the background is the historical monument Northern Lighthouse. On the left edge of the coin is the inscription: "RHODE ISLAND" (Rhode Island), on the right - "E PLURIBUS UNUM". At the top, the name of the national park is minted in a semicircle: "BLOCK ISLAND" (Block Island). The year of coinage is indicated at the bottom of the coin: "2018".

Release date: November 13, 2018.