Letter May 30, 2017

Sign on to Support Revolutionary War Parks

Revolutionary War Letter (352 KB)

Add your organization to a letter supporting more funding for Revolutionary War sites and the National Park System.

Support Revolutionary War Parks Add your organization

Join NPCA in calling on Congress to provide additional funding for our national parks. Read the letter below and then use our form to sign on your organization.

Dear [decision-maker],

Chipping paint, broken windows, crumbling bricks – this is what greets visitors at such hallowed grounds as Valley Forge in Pennsylvania or the Longfellow House outside Boston. Collectively, our Revolutionary War national parks represent more than 300 years of American history but unfortunately many need critical repairs. Congress needs to renew their commitment to preserving our history and provide the resources necessary to preserve these sites now and for future generations.

  • The National Park System faces a growing backlog of $12 billion in overdue repairs. Out of this backlog, $4 billion is needed to restore cultural and historic sites within the Park System. Many of these sites commemorate our nation’s path to independence. Revolutionary War sites sweep across 20 different states and territories, and none are exempt from the compounding effects of the $12 billion maintenance backlog. Boston National Historical Park – which includes Paul Revere’s home and the Old State House – needs $65.4 million to fix buildings and structures, some which date back to the early 1700s.
  • Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site, a structure that was transformed into a hospital during the Revolutionary War, suffers from warping and cracked windows along with other repairs such as interior sanding and exterior resurfacing at the more than 350-year-old church.
  • Independence National Historical Park needs $55 million to preserve what is commonly known as ‘America’s most historic square mile’ – the national park where visitors go to discover the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Congress Hall, among other iconic historic structures.
NPCA at Work

Help Prevent Revolutionary War Sites from Crumbling into History

America’s most treasured places face significant challenges, including insufficient funding to repair and maintain important pieces of our country’s past. We need Congress to increase funding for our national parks…

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These important sites commemorate America’s founding moments in unique ways, offering visitors an opportunity to discover the places that made America what it is today. Without sufficient funding to repair and maintain these important pieces of our country’s past, some of our nation’s oldest structures will degrade over time, impacting the way we tell the story of the American Revolution to our children and grandchildren.

The needs at Revolutionary War sites are just one part of the larger challenge facing our country’s irreplaceable national parks. As Congress looks to fund the infrastructure needs across the country, we urge you to provide increased resources to the places that protect the story of America, our national parks.

Sincerely,

National Parks Conservation Association

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