Concord Journal
Thursday, June 26, 2003

Letter: National Park needs protection

To the editor:

Recently we traveled to North Carolina to attend our grandson's graduation. We drove in order to spend some time at Gettysburg National Park to learn more about this epic three-day battle that changed the focus of this country. We employed a very knowledgeable guide from the National Park Service to drive us through the battlefield and explain the events that took place. He selected five or six locations where we would leave the car to stand quietly in the silence of the morning. He would explain the events that occurred at each site. We could almost hear the drumbeats and shouts of the advancing Confederate army as well as the roar of the cannons and see the ensuing smoke. I felt as if I were there, experiencing the horror of hand to hand combat - perhaps friend unknowingly killing friend or family member. These memorable moments will forever be etched in my mind.

Experiencing the battle in this manner could not have occurred at Minuteman National Park. Very often the Minuteman Park guides cannot be heard over the loud noise of the planes taking off or landing at Hanscom. We are the losers. It is not possible for visitors to feel and imagine the historic events that took place here.

History is one of our passions, so on our way home we stopped in Charlottsville, Va. to visit Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and James Monroe's Ashlawn, a mere one-and-a-half miles away down a lovely country road. We had marvelous guided tours of both estates and were able to wander the grounds admiring the gardens and enjoying the sounds of the countryside. We later learned that through the efforts of the National Trust and others that this area was saved from commercial intrusions. The FAA has designated this area to be a no fly zone because of its historic value.

Due to the proximity of Hanscom Field to Minuteman National Park, it is not reasonable to declare the area a no fly zone. Our efforts should be put toward minimizing the growth in air traffic that would further erode the usability of the Minuteman National Park. This park needs to be protected for current and future generations. We can learn so much from being able to experience the past and not make the same mistakes over and over again.

Ruth Chappell
Lowell Road

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