Historic site discontinues admission fee

Beginning today, Fort Scott National Historic Site will no longer charge a fee to enter the park.

The public will now be able to visit free of charge. After careful analysis of the administrative costs associated with the collection of entrance fees, it was determined that costs exceeded the amount collected.

National Park Service officials at the site believe they can still provide a quality visitor experience for the public without the fee.

In addition, the National Historic Site will no longer sell the America the Beautiful Interagency passes. These include the Access Pass, the Senior Pass and the Annual Pass. These passes will continue to be available at Harry S. Truman National Historic Site (Independence, Mo.), Wilson's Creek National Battlefield (Republic, Mo.), Pea Ridge National Military Park (Garfield, Ark.) and the following Kansas sites: Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Stafford. (senior and access only passes); Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita. (senior and access only); and Cimarron National Grassland, Elkhart. (senior, access, and annual passes).

Interagency Annual Passes can also be purchased online from the U.S. Geological Survey Web site at http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html. Instructions for obtaining the Senior and Access passes by mail can also be obtained from this Web site.

Fort Scott NHS will continue to offer regularly scheduled interpretive activities including living history, education programs, special events, and daily guided tours during the summer. The site is from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. For more information, call (620) 223-0310, or visit the park's Web site at www.nps.gov/fosc.