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MVB site to offer three free weekends
By Paul Crossman
KINDERHOOK — One hundred and forty-seven national parks and monuments, including Columbia County’s own Martin Buren and National Historic Site, will be waiving their entrance fees on three separate weekends this summer: June 20-21, July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16.
“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” said National Park Service Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at a news conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio recently. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer, and especially to take advantage of the free-admission weekends.”
Though the weekends are free to the public, they will cost the National Park Service an estimated $500,000 a day in lost entrance fees.
There are a total of 394 national parks and monuments open to the public in the United States, but only 147 that charge entrances fees; the other 244 are already free.
The Martin Van Buren house was the home of our country’s eighth president, who acquired the house and 137 acres of land around it in 1839 and began improving the estate and amassing more property, until 1845 when he acquired nearly 225 acres.
In his own words, this is where Martin Van Buren spent “the last and happiest years of my life, a farmer in my native town.”
According to the site’s Chief Ranger Jim McKay, national parks have one fee-free weekend every summer, usually in August, but due to the tough economic times, the Park Service has decided to expand it to three.
“It’s a great thing,” he told the Register-Star. “We hope the people from Columbia County will come here.”
Tours of Martin Van Buren’s 36-room retirement home start every half-hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily throughout the summer, and further information as well as signup sheets for the tours can be found at the park ranger kiosk adjacent to the parking lot. As usual, holders of National Park passes are always admitted free.
Since the usual $5 admission is completely waved for everyone on the fee-free weekends, there’s really no reason not to go, especially those with have a large family.
“It will definitely save you some money,” said McKay, “and if you’re not careful, you might just learn something really exciting and interesting about our nation’s history.”
To reach reporter Paul Crossman, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2266, or e-mail pcrossman@registerstar.com.
“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” said National Park Service Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at a news conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio recently. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer, and especially to take advantage of the free-admission weekends.”
Though the weekends are free to the public, they will cost the National Park Service an estimated $500,000 a day in lost entrance fees.
There are a total of 394 national parks and monuments open to the public in the United States, but only 147 that charge entrances fees; the other 244 are already free.
The Martin Van Buren house was the home of our country’s eighth president, who acquired the house and 137 acres of land around it in 1839 and began improving the estate and amassing more property, until 1845 when he acquired nearly 225 acres.
In his own words, this is where Martin Van Buren spent “the last and happiest years of my life, a farmer in my native town.”
According to the site’s Chief Ranger Jim McKay, national parks have one fee-free weekend every summer, usually in August, but due to the tough economic times, the Park Service has decided to expand it to three.
“It’s a great thing,” he told the Register-Star. “We hope the people from Columbia County will come here.”
Tours of Martin Van Buren’s 36-room retirement home start every half-hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily throughout the summer, and further information as well as signup sheets for the tours can be found at the park ranger kiosk adjacent to the parking lot. As usual, holders of National Park passes are always admitted free.
Since the usual $5 admission is completely waved for everyone on the fee-free weekends, there’s really no reason not to go, especially those with have a large family.
“It will definitely save you some money,” said McKay, “and if you’re not careful, you might just learn something really exciting and interesting about our nation’s history.”
To reach reporter Paul Crossman, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2266, or e-mail pcrossman@registerstar.com.
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