Fort Necessity NB & Friendship Hill NHS Winter Hours announced

Date: October 28, 2011
Contact: MaryEllen Snyder, 724-329-8131

Free Admission to National Parks Veterans Day Weekend

FARMINGTON - The National Park Service announces the winter hours of operation for visitor facilities at Fort Necessity NB and Friendship Hill NHS, located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Fort Necessity will be open Veterans Day November 11. Fort Necessity National Battlefield will join other sites managed by the National Park Service in honoring U.S. veterans waiving entrance fees for the weekend.

The Fort Necessity National Battlefield and National Road Heritage Corridor Interpretive and Education Center will remain open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the 2011-2012 winter season. The Mount Washington Tavern,located within the boundaries of Fort Necessity National Battlefield will be closed from November 1, 2011 through April 1, 2012. Braddock's Grave is open to foot traffic year-round. Vehicles access is dependent upon weather. Jumonville Glen will close November 1 and reopen May 1, 2010. The picnic area at Fort Necessity is closed November 1 through April 14.

The Historic Gallatin House, located at Friendship Hill National Historic Site will be open Saturdays and Sundays beginning November 1, 2011 through April 1, 2012. The park grounds will remain open sunrise to sunset all winter for visitors who enjoy walking in the park. Park staff will open the Mount Washington Tavern or Gallatin House for group programs with one week advance notice.

Both parks will be closed on the following winter holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, the Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and Washington's Birthday. During periods of severe weather, the Superintendent may adjust visiting hours as needed in the interest of visitor and employee safety.

For more information on Fort Necessity, please call 724-329-5512 or visit the park's web site at www.nps.gov/fone. For more information on Friendship Hill NHS please call 724-725-9190 or visit the park's web site at www.nps.gov/frhi.