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News Release Date: April 13, 2006 Decrease in Visitation for March 2006 at Petrified Forest National Park Petrified Forest, AZ – Park Superintendent Lee Baiza announced the visitation for March was down by 15% over last year with 39,835 visits compared to last year’s 47,002. Visitation for the year is 89,250. Due to a heavy snowfall on March 10 and 11, the park was closed for three days while roads and bridges were cleared of snow and ice. The Painted Desert Inn Museum has suffered from time, deferred maintenance, and the elements since it first opened in the 1920s. All this started to change last year when the inn was closed for rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is the process that maintains the existing integrity and character of a historic structure, but allows major additions or alterations to accommodate a compatible contemporary use. The work at the inn included replacing all of the plumbing and electrical, installing new security and fire suppression systems, replacing or fixing all windows and doors, and repairing and repainting all interior walls. According to Amanda Zeman, Historic Preservation Specialist, “We did all of this work in order to meet contemporary building codes and to accommodate its modern use as a museum and interpretive center.” For more information call (928) 524-6228 weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time; or write to the Superintendent, Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028; or e-mail the park Superintendent at e-mail us. |
Last updated: March 16, 2018