Despite Tough Budget, Hope Grows for Fort Monroe National Park

April 22, 2011

HAMPTON, Va. – As National Parks Week comes to a close and the nation observes the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, many are focused on the historical significance of Fort Monroe, and hopes have grown for it to become a national park after the U.S. Army vacates the property in September. This week, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) toured the area and expressed his support for the idea, but also indicated concern over the budget.

Alan Spears, legislative representative for the National Parks Conservation Association, says creating a national park will preserve the history of a story that began with three slaves who escaped to freedom there.

"And when word got out that, essentially, freedom's fortress was open for business, about 10,000 more enslaved Africans followed these three pathfinders to the fort."

Not only would the history be preserved, but Spears says the north beach area would be preserved as the only public access beach in the Chesapeake Bay area.

"It is just one of the most amazingly beautiful places, where you can lay out on one side and look at the Chesapeake Bay, and sit on the other side in the sea grass – and there's a little marsh area that you can overlook."

To those who say it would cost too much, Spears has this reply:

"By having a national park unit go in there, our money-generation models tell us that, for every one federal dollar that gets invested in a national park, on average you get four returned to the local economy."

Complicating Fort Monroe's prospects is a $9 billion backlog of maintenance projects facing the National Parks Service. Nonetheless, says Spears, legislation to give Fort Monroe its national park status has bipartisan support.

Mary Anne Meyers, Public News Service - VA