National Parks admission waived for King holiday

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and Fort Matanzas National Monument in St Augustine, along with the 395 other national parks across the country, will offer “free admission” from January 14 through 16 to commemorate Dr Martin Luther King, Jr Day.

You can literally walk in Dr. King’s footsteps at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Georgia, the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama, or the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC – just a few of the many national parks that have direct ties to Dr. King or the Civil Rights movement.

“Dr. King led the fight to realize his dream of a nation free of discrimination, where every citizen was able to enjoy the inalienable rights promised to all Americans,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “Dr. King’s story, and those of so many others whose efforts changed our country, are preserved in the national parks, places where history happened.”

Other parks that will hold special events honoring Dr. King that weekend include the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC, Morristown National Historical Park in New Jersey, Fort Donelson National Battlefield in Tennessee, and Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, DC.

Looking forward to the rest of 2012, the National Park Service says they will waive admission fees on 14 other days:

– National Park Week (April 21 to 29)
– Get Outdoors Day (June 9)
– National Public Lands Day (September 29)
– Veterans Day weekend (November 10 to 12)

Lindsey Phillips, Administrative Officer of Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, reminds Historic City News readers that you can get help keeping your New Year’s resolution at our two forts. Whether it is to get more exercise, spend quality time with family and friends, try a new sport, learn some history, expand your horizons, or enjoy the natural world, Phillips said our forts have opportunities for you.

If you are traveling, Phillips promises “something for everyone” at a national park — even in the middle of winter.

Choices include snowshoe hikes, canoe trips, campfire programs, film festivals, battle reenactments, and music jams. It is also a great time of year to view wildlife such as bison in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming or grey whales at Point Reyes National Seashore in California.

Photo credits: © 2012 Historic City News staff photographer