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Arizona To Close Half its State Parks

On Dec. 23, 2009, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed legislature reducing the state parks budget by $8.6 million. In the face of these cuts, last week the Arizona State Parks Board voted to close 13 of its 27 state parks by June.

"It's a seismic change to our department," says Renée Bahl, executive director of the Arizona State Parks Board. "Basically, we'll have zero dollars at the end of this year."

By the end of March, seven of Arizona's eight state historic parks will be shuttered, including the 1882 Tombstone Courthouse, the Yuma Territorial Prison, and the 1904 Arts and Crafts Riordan Mansion in Flagstaff. In fact, the only historic park that will remain open to visitors will be the Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park, spared thanks to support from the city of Yuma....
Read entire article at National Trust for Historic Preservation