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MLK Historic Site Reopens After Shutdown

October 17th, 2013

Doors to the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site reopened Thursday after being closed for more than 16 days due to the partial shutdown of the federal government.

Visitors like Maurice Bailey were once again able to walk through exhibits and take tours of the site.

“just so happy that it is open. I would have been very disappointed, because this is the number two thing on my list of coming to Atlanta.”

Visitor Camille Smith was also pleased.

“I’m ecstatic. I’m a visitor from New York, so I’m glad that it is open, because we came yesterday and it was closed. I was quite depressed.”

The reopening also meant National Park Service employees were back on the job. Judy Forte is Superintendent of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site.

“Financially it was really tough, but I think the tough part was we love this park. We love working for the national park service and sitting at home was not what we enjoy doing.”

Forte says Park Service Employees will soon receive back pay.