Americans Seek
Solace in Parks
After September 11
Initial drop in park visitation expected to rebound.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The disbelief and brief suspension of daily life after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania reverberated to America's national parks. Visitation dropped 6 percent compared with the same month last year, according to the Park Service. The greatest declines occurred in the National Capital area, dropping more than 19 percent, followed by the Northeast, which fell 10.2 percent.
Some of the declines in the Washington, D.C., and New York areas were caused by the immediate and indefinite closures of some park units, such as the Statue of Liberty and the White House, because of security.
Only the Midwest and Southeast regions reported minimal increases, 1.5 percent and .1 percent respectively. The National Park Service (NPS) noted that anecdotal information suggests that more local residents came to the parks as opposed to the average visitor who normally travels from a greater distance.
At Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, 14,000 additional people visited the park in September than over the same time last year-a 3 percent increase. Park Ranger Kathy Brown said some people she spoke with had come to the park as a result of the attacks.
"Some said they wanted to get a fix on reality, and others said they just wanted to have a fun, safe day with their family," Brown said. "I think many were looking for a beautiful place to enjoy, and we fit the bill for that."
Unseasonably warm fall weather was a draw as well, she added.
Parks that host a high percentage of international travelers, such as Grand Canyon National Park, noticed an immense drop. The park recorded 50,000 fewer bus passengers, which are almost exclusively international travelers, and more than 125,000 fewer visitors in September, according to the agency. NPS does not expect to see a rise in international tourists while concerns about travel and safety persist.
Interior Secretary Gale Norton encouraged Americans to seek solace and enjoyment in the parks over the Veterans Day holiday weekend by waiving all entrance fees.
"It's tragedies like these [September 11] that make healing necessary," she said during a speech in Denver. "What better places to begin that healing process than in our parks, where Americans can draw strength from national icons of freedom and peace from splendors of nature. Federal Hall, though damaged [during the attacks], still stands as a beacon of hope and of American perseverance in adversity," she added.
Federal Hall in lower Manhattan was the site of the 1735 trial of John Peter Zenger over freedom of the press, where Washington took his oath as the first president of the United States, and where the Bill of Rights was adopted.
