Last month, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the appointment of Mike Kuzar to manage Washington Crossing Historic Park in Bucks County.
“We are confident that the dedication and commitment to service Mike has exemplified at various roles within DCNR will translate to strong leadership at Washington Crossing,” Dunn said. “I am eager to see Mike take on the challenge of managing this amazing park, which has strong ties to our nation’s history, the local community, and to outdoor recreation in the region.”
Kuzar will oversee the 500-acre park that preserves the site of George Washington’s dramatic boat crossing of the Delaware River during the American Revolution and is a National Historic Landmark. The scenic park includes historic buildings, walking paths, picnic pavilions, picnicking, picnic pavilions, fishing, non-motorized boat launching fishing, historical and environmental education programs, and hosts special events and re-enactments.
“Washington Crossing is unique because of its historic legacy and the partnerships it has with the community that go along with the traditional park operations,” Kuzar said. “This is a great opportunity and I am grateful to have the privilege of working in this park and using my past experience to take on this new challenge.”
Kuzar succeeds Marisa Sprowles, who left Washington Crossing for a position in the DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks. Kuzar said he is eager to take on more responsibility and credited his former manager at the French Creek State Park Complex, James Wassell, with providing a leadership example he can follow at Washington Crossing.
Prior to joining DCNR, Kuzar was a seasonal ranger with the National Park Service until 2015 when he took a full-time role at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. He joined DCNR in the Park Operations and Maintenance Division in the Bureau State Parks in 2019. In July 2020, Kuzar accepted an assistant manager position at the French Creek State Park Complex.
A native of Carrolltown in Cambria County, Kuzar said he has always wanted to work for DCNR in some capacity. He obtained a bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock University in Park and Resource Management and served in the Pennsylvania National Guard from 2006 until 2012, including a deployment to Iraq in 2008. In his free time, Kuzar spends time with his dog, Captain.
