Minute Man National Historical Park (Massachusetts) will receive approximately $27 million from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to address maintenance needs for the park’s buildings, structures, landscape, trails, signage, and monuments.
A $14.8 million contract was recently awarded to start phase 1 of the project, including interior and exterior rehabilitation and preservation work on 16 historic structures, including the repair or upgrade of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, according to a news release.
“Thanks to the funding from GAOA, the park will bring many of our iconic structures, monuments, and trails back into good condition. The timing of this funding will improve the visitor experience beyond the nation’s 250th anniversary and allow future generations to be inspired by what happened right here in the struggle for liberty,” said Park Superintendent Simone Monteleone.
The work will take place throughout the park beginning in late fall 2022 and will continue into 2025, the 250th anniversary year of the opening battle of the American Revolution. A video about this transformative project is available- Minute Man National Historical Park and the GAOA Video.
The later phase of the project will include landscape improvements such as preserving stone walls and enhancing views and vistas. The Battle Road Trail, the core of the park’s interpretive and recreational connections, will be repaired to provide a seamless and informative path for visitors.
Additional work will enable the landscape to highlight the agricultural history of Massachusetts in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries through replanting and vegetation maintenance, and improved wayfinding signage.
In 2021, Minute Man National Historical Park had 983,000 visitors who spent an estimated $64 million in local communities.
These expenditures supported a total of 810 jobs, $38.7 million in labor income, $60.4 million in value-added, and $97.7 million in economic output in local gateway economies.
GAOA, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and other construction funding sources are part of a concerted effort to address the extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog in national parks.
Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA’s Legacy Restoration Fund provides up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.
Isn’t it exciting that Minute Man National Historical Park is gearing up for some awesome improvements with that huge $27 million coming its way? I can’t wait to see how they enhance the visitor experience and bring history to life through educational programs and cool digital tech like virtual tours!