Tourist stops, parks falling on hard times

— -- State parks and historical sites are facing cuts as governors seek to plug budget holes.

From scenic vistas and campgrounds to historical buildings, the cuts have forced closures and curtailed visiting hours.

Illinois has taken among the most drastic actions so far, closing seven parks and cutting the historical preservation budget in half, from $5.6 million to $2.8 million, according to David Blanchette, spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

That has meant the shuttering of 12 historical sites, including the Lincoln Log Cabin, where Lincoln's father and stepmother lived, and the Dana-Thomas House, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, effective Dec. 1, Blanchette said.

"There's a hole, a sadness — we wanted to put a black wreath on the door because we're certainly in mourning, said Gayle Manning, 67, of Petersburg, Ill., a longtime Dana-Thomas House volunteer.

The closures could bring wider economic problems, including delayed maintenance, parks advocates say.

"As all states are promoting tourism, what kind of message does this send?" asked Jim Peters, president of Landmarks Illinois, a historic preservation advocacy group. "There is the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars for restaurants … retail shops and hotels."

State park cuts put in place nationwide include:

•New York: Seventy-five parks and historical sites will see a service reduction, from features closed for the winter to early closure of 10 campgrounds, said Eileen Larrabee of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

•New Jersey: The state backed off a plan to close nine parks and instead closed administrative offices at 19 parks, affecting access to restrooms and shops, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

•Ohio: Three cuts, amounting to $5.7 million, were ordered this year, according to Dan West, chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. "It's getting progressively hard to take these types of cuts and yet keep state parks open," he said.