National Parks receive budget boost

Parks & Recreation, April, 2004

National Park Service (NPS) Director Fran Mainella testified before members of the House Resources Committee in late February that President George W. Bush's pledge to make much needed repairs throughout the park system is right on track.

And, according to a recently released study by the Travel Industry Association of America, 93 percent of parks visitors are "highly satisfied" with their national parks experience. Not surprisingly, 89 percent of Americans say the parks area mainstay of family outings.

The following are the top 10 parks that will benefit from the President's budget next year:

Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas) is slated to get $18 million to rehabilitate a collection of renowned bathhouses, fulfilling the mission of NPS to protect cultural resources and highlighting President Bush's campaign commitment to clean up the parks.

Kalaupapa National Historic Park (Hawaii) will receive nearly $4 million to restore the historic Hawaiian settlement to reflect the flavor and culture of an old Hawaiian village. The project includes making much needed renovations to the Visitor's Quarters, Bishop Home, Lighthouse Station and Baldwin Home Gates.

San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park (California) gets a $4.6 million face-lift from the President's budget. Repairs to the Sala Burton Museum's 65-year old Great Hall murals, marble tazzo floors and glass block walls, giving it its unique 'art moderne' feel, will preserve San Francisco's distinct seafaring contribution to American life.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (Arizona) gets nearly $18 million needed to bolster national security along the U.S.-Mexico border. An estimated 120,000 pounds of drugs enter the U.S. through the monument every year. The park and its wildlife have been heavily impacted by the illegal transport of drugs and people into the United States. Eliminating such activity along the border will protect the land and greatly improve the safety of employees and visitors.

Point Reyes National Seashore (California) is set to receive more than $4 million to restore the last remaining life boat station with a marine railway on the Pacific Coast. Built in 1927 to help the U.S. Coast Guard with emergency sea rescues, the structure has weathered 50 years in a harsh marine environment. The coast's watershed would also benefit from much needed repairs.

Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site (Georgia) would get $2.5 million to refurbish one of the most significant landmarks of the civil rights movement, the Ebenezer Baptist Church. The church is a focal point of the "Sweet Auburn" community where Dr. King lived, worked and worshipped, and where he is buried. Decades of neglect have begun to be reversed, yet much remains to be done to preserve the church.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Wisconsin) will receive about $1 million to restore the Raspberry Island Light Station. One of six lighthouses listed on the National Historic Register and managed by Apostles Island National Lakeshore, Raspberry Island Light is most readily accessible to the public. However, the keeper's quarters and assistant keeper's quarters are in need of this funding.

Boston National Historic Park and Boston Harbor National Recreation Area (Massachusetts) are slated to get nearly $6 million to preserve and protect critical icons of the U.S. Navy's colorful history. Floating docks to Little Brewster Island will ensure safe access to Boston Light, the oldest lighthouse in America (constructed in 1716). A handful of buildings in the Charlestown Navy Yard, including the site's oldest building, the Commandant's House, will also be refurbished to accommodate the 1.5 million visitors each year.

Cane River Creole National Historic Park (Louisiana) will receive $1 million to preserve several "Creole structures" on the historic Magnolia Plantation. Among them, the Blacksmith Shop, the Pigeonnier and the Gin Barn/ Screw Press predate the Civil War. The President's budget recognizes the plantation's rich cultural heritage.