If you're anything like me, whenever a historic site is closed due to a lack of funding, you get a bit angry and ask, "Why?"
Well, the answer is rather simple: we simply assumed "the government would take care of it."
The truth is, though, is very different.
Whilst more reknown historical sites are well-funded and staffed, increasinigly more historical sites are operated largely by volunteers - normal everyday people just like you and me. They volunteer their time, sweat through the summer months and shiver during the winter months doing all they can to preserve the connections to America's past. The hammer nails, mow grass, pull weeds, organize fundraisers and shout from the roof tops trying to bring attention to, and support for, the places they love.
A quick search of MySpace pages will reveal many such sites.
Some are historic homes. Some are Civil War battlefields. For every one you're familiar with, there are dozens more that you're not aware of.
One plight that is truly inspiring is Fort Mifflin on the Delaware (
www.fortmifflin.us).
Sitting on the banks of the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 'The Fort Saved America' has a long and storied past. Its roots are older than America itself.
But this blog isn't about the Fort Mifflin of yesteryear, it's about the Fort Mifflin of today.
Today, Fort Mifflin is in need of assistance. The window sashes on the Quartermaster's Building are in desperate need of replacement, chimneys need repointing, structures need attention.
The Fort Mifflin of today isn't closed, isn't abandoned, isn't forgotten - not by everyone, anyway.
Thanks to a dedicated, committed and passionate group of volunteers, the Fort Mifflin of today is open to the public. It is open to our children so they can learn about the events that took place there. It's open to you and me so we can try and understand the valiant men and women who once populated its buildings and shed their blood upon its grounds. It's open because a group of men and women refuse to let it simply close and refuse to let it be added to the list of historical sites that have "No Trespassing" signs.
They belong to groups like "The Olde Fort Mifflin Historical Society" (
www.fortmifflin.com) and have taken it upon themselves to create websites (
www.savefortmifflin.org) and social networking website pages (
www.myspace.com/savefortmifflin) to briing Fort Mifflin into the public's awareness. They've taken it upon themselves to write articles (
http://www.examiner.com/x-2272-Philadelphia-Landmarks-Examiner~y2009m1d7-Fort-Mifflin-could-close-doors-forever) and books (
http://aparanormalhistory.com/). They organize events to raise funds (
http://www.fortmifflin.us/events/cal_list.php?op=evlist&catview=0).
They have names like Ed, Tony and Wayne, Lorraine, Nance and Jane.
These are the people who sweat and shiver. These are the modern day towne criers. Ordinary people with extraordinary passion and devotion.
We, ourselves, don't have to volunteer and sweat and shiver. We don't have to because these people are.
We can sit in the comfortable confines of our homes and let life pass us by, ignoring the needs of Americ'a historical sites and failing to recognize the diehard devotion exhibited by those rare few. We can because these people refuse to.
We don't have to volunteer, but we should. We can sit comfortably, but we shouldn't.
If you can volunteer, do. If you can give a few dollars, do.
The very least we can do is send them a note or an email telling them how much they're appreciated. Tell them how grateful you are for all they do to keep us connected with America's past.
Support the efforts of these modern day patriots, honor the Fort Mifflin of yesteryear and help keep open the gates of 'The Fort That Saved America' by re-posting this blog and/or emailing it to everyone you know.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:www.fortmifflin.uswww.fortmifflin.comwww.savefortmifflin.orgwww.myspace.com/savefortmifflinhttp://aparanormalhistory.comFOR A CALENDAR OF FORT MIFFLIN EVENTS:http://www.fortmifflin.us/events/cal_list.php?op=evlist&catview=0