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Historic national parks show signs of financial strain After years of diverting money from contruction and needed repair to maintenance of day-to-day operations, U.S. national parks struggle to keep their doors open.
A road closed due to storm damages limits access to visitors. Inadequate funding means park roads will be closed longer than expected for repairs.
Courtesy of John Garder
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National Parks Conservation Association
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Aug. 16, 2012
Sharon Slavinski, left, and Maureen Britt walk along Lee Drive at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park in Fredericksburg, Va.
Matt McClain
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For The Washington Post
Aug. 16, 2012
Seasonal park ranger Becky Oakes, left, gives a tour the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park. The park faces financial constraints that affect staffing and repairs.
Matt McClain
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For The Washington Post
Aug. 16, 2012
Oakes, left, gives a park tour alongside Micah Iwan, 2, dressed in his Union soldier outfit.
Matt McClain
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FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
The Josiah Benner Barn was used as cover for skirmishers on both sides during the fighting on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Later in the day, it was pressed into use as a temporary Confederate hospital. The park acquired the barn in 2001 and had a funding request of $614,000 to repair and rehabilitate the structure.
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Courtesy of Gettysburg National Military Park
The Springhouse at the Josiah Benner farm was also used as temporary cover for skirmishers of both armies and would have provided water and "refrigerated" food for wounded in the hospitals of the Benner house and barn. Until the park purchased the property in 2011, the springhouse was in grave danger of collapsing. Last winter, park staff completed emergency stabilization on the structure, which included archaeological work and rebuilding several of the walls.
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Courtesy of Gettysburg National Military Park
Aug. 16, 2012
Jamie Revis works on a statue of Major General Andrew Humpreys in Fredericksburg National Cemetery.
Matt McClain
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For The Washington Post
Aug. 16, 2012
Ryan Lindskog of Los Gatos, Calif., looks in the window of the Innis House at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park.
Matt McClain
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For The Washington Post
The Blue Ridge parkway covers 460 miles and offers close-ups of the rugged mountain features and landscape views of the Appalachian Highlands. The parkway has $385 million worth of uncompleted work, mainly in road maintenance.
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National Park Service
A group of park visitors view wildlife at Denali National Park in Alaska. Among many other national park sites, Denali needs adequate funding to protect park wildlife and maintain park resources for visitors to enjoy.
Courtesy of Kent Miller
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National Park Service
Children observe an active geyser at Yellowstone National Park. Lack of funding could mean fewer park rangers to provide educational programs.
Courtesy of Varina and Jay Patel
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123RF
Park visitors admire rushing waterfalls at Yosemite National Park
Courtesy of Scott Kirkwood
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National Parks Conservation Association
A visitor stops to take a photo at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Scott Kirkwood
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National Parks Conservation Association
A lack of funding will require the National Park Service to think about more affordable ways to restore sites, like this building at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
Scott Kirkwood
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National Parks Conservation Association
Sites such as Arches National Park face budgetary constraints. Federal officials and park advocates admit that the national park system is at a maintenance and monetary crossroads.
Scott Kirkwood
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National Parks Conservation Association
Fourth graders pointing to a plant species at Saguaro National Park. Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional National Parks Caucus. Kind lobbied both the administration and his colleagues to restore park funding.
Scott Kirkwood
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National Parks Conservation Association
Aug. 16, 2012
Morning light bathes a cannon on Marye's Heights at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park. Spotsylvania County tourism manager Debbie Aylor says the military park is one of the county’s largest tourism draws.
Matt McClain
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FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
The Richardson House at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park. Repairs were put on hold to fund day-to-day operations. The structure does not date to the Civil War and would be torn down if money allowed.
Matt McClain
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For The Washington Post
Aug. 16, 2012
Mathew Cooper, Brandon Kellam and Sherry Sears walk along the Sunken Road at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park.
Matt McClain
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For The Washington Post
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Section:/national/health-science
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