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(from the Santa
Clara County Pioneer Historian)
The news last week out-lined the
governor’s proposed budget cuts.
Among them were some of our very
best Historical Parks. These
parks bring in visitors from all
over our state, the United
States and world travelers.
Visitors to our heritage sites
pay fees to see them. They also
spend money to eat, sleep and
travel. I can’t imagine that he
cleared this list with the
California State Visitor’s
Bureau. The state employees who
would be out of jobs would also
swell the ranks of the
unemployed.
We are all quite aware of what
happens to empty historical
buildings. We have seen some
closer to home. They attract
vandals, fire-bugs, rot and
decay. Many do not survive and
those who do pay the price of
standing empty. He would
actually cause larger bills for
the state in the long run.
The list of State Historical
Parks he gave include the
Governor’s Mansion, Sutter’s
Fort, State Indian Museum,
Petaluma Adobe, Benicia Capitol,
Railtown, 1897, Wm. B. Ide
Adobe, California State Mining &
Mineral Museum, Wassama Round
House, La Purissima Mission,
Santa Susana Pass, Los Encinos,
California Citrus, Will Rogers &
Pio Pico.
Several of these are used
heavily by the school systems
for fourth graders studying
California History, so that
would be another blow to the
educational system as well.
I urge you to write or phone
your state Representatives to
tell them the folly of closing
these State Historic Parks.
Stand up for Preservation of our
History.
Your Pioneer Historian, Mary Lou
Lyon |
