Historic Site admission free for veterans Nov. 11

In gratitude for the sacrifice and courage of the men and women of our nation's armed forces, Fort Scott National Historic Site joins with other National Park Service areas in granting free admission for all military personnel-past and present-along with their families on Veteran's Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11. This will be the third consecutive year that the National Park Service has honored our nation's military in this fashion.

Many of our nation's parks preserve the battlefields, forts and other places where our nation's veterans fought and served in defense of their nation. Fort Scott National Historic Site is a restored 1840s military fort that served as a base for soldiers who protected the nation's frontier, patrolled the overland trails, and fought in the Mexican-American War. The Army abandoned Fort Scott in 1853, but returned periodically to keep peace during the "Bleeding Kansas" era (1854-61). During the Civil War, the Union Army used Fort Scott as a supply base, recruitment center, and training ground. Several military regiments were raised in this area including the First Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment, the first African American unit to engage in combat during the Civil War. There were also three companies of American Indian soldiers mustered into the Union Army on the grounds of Fort Scott. Fort Scott NHS commemorates the contributions of all these soldiers who played a role in the growth of our nation and the advancement of freedom and equality in the mid 19th century.

The site is now operating on its winter schedule, which runs from November 1-March 31, and is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The site will be closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

There is an entrance fee of $3for each adult 16 and above, although as mentioned above, this fee will be waived on Nov. 11, 2008 for all military personnel and their families. For more information, call (620) 223-0310 or visit the park's Web site at www.nps.gov/fosc.