Date: June 22, 2017
Contact: Joel Cadoff, 912-786-8182 X 1103
SAVANNAH, GA – Fort Pulaski National Monument will reopen to the public on Thursday, June 29, 2017, after being closed since an EF2 tornado impacted the park on May 23rd. After a month of recovery operations conducted by Fort Pulaski staff, with the assistance of the National Park Service’s Eastern Incident Management Team and other National Park Service resources, Cockspur Island and Fort Pulaski will be accessible to visitors in time for the Fourth of July holiday.
“While we have been challenged by Hurricane Matthew and the tornado, our staff has shown great resilience and dedication,” said Superintendent Melissa Memory. “We are elated to welcome visitors back to the park in time to celebrate the Independence Day holiday with us.”
Fort Pulaski National Monument’s operating hours will return to normal from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. While the park visitor center will remain closed to the public, a visitor contact station and bookstore will be open inside historic Fort Pulaski. Water and restroom facilities will be available near the visitor center and at the picnic area.
There is a lot of work to be done before Fort Pulaski National Monument will be fully operational. Please help us by observing all safety alerts and closures. Due to the continued construction of the new Cockspur Island Bridge, the park entrance will close to incoming vehicles at 4:45 p.m. Pedestrians and bicyclists are prohibited from crossing the bridge during construction. Be advised, when entering the park there may be up to a five-minute wait for the construction traffic lights to cycle. The public’s patience is greatly appreciated.
For information on trail closures, tour schedules, and ranger program descriptions, please visit us online at www.nps.gov/fopu or call (912) 786-8182. You can also follow the park on Instagram at www.instagram.com/FortPulaskiNPS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FortPulaskiNPS, or like the official Fort Pulaski National Monument Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FortPulaskiNPS. Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on U.S. Highway 80, 15 miles east of Savannah.
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