Castillo one of first national parks to reopen post-Matthew

The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is one of three national parks on the Atlantic Coast to reopen today following the devastation visited on Historic City News’ reading area by Hurricane Matthew.

According to the Eastern Incident Management Team, altogether in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, nine national parks were closed.

“Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, South Carolina have each resumed regular operations effective today,” Mike Litterst, spokesman for the National Park Service, told local reporters. “The National Park Service’s Eastern Incident Management Team continues to coordinate the assessment and recovery operations at all of the affected parks.”

Check each park’s website for information on any continuing impacts from the storm or the ongoing cleanup.

The following parks are still closed until further notice, as damage assessments and recovery operations continue:

• Canaveral National Seashore (Florida)
• Cumberland Island National Seashore (Georgia)
• Fort Frederica National Monument (Georgia)
• Fort Matanzas National Monument (Florida)
• Fort Pulaski National Monument (Georgia)
• Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve (Florida)

Inspection teams are wrapping up the damage assessments at the parks this week and will then transition to recovery and repair of damaged park facilities and resources.

Visitors are reminded to respect the closed areas for their safety and the safety of the crews working in the parks. Additionally, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, is prohibited within the boundaries of all National Park Service areas.