Pamplin Historical Park to resume weekday hours of operation

DINWIDDIE -- After two months of opening by reservation only, Pamplin Historical Park will open to all visitors Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. effective March 2.

The Civil War attraction will be open only by reservation on weekends.

A. Wilson Greene, president and chief executive of Pamplin Historical Park, said park managers will decide on summer hours in mid-May.

He said he hopes to be able to open the park daily for all visitors in the summer.

The privately owned park began opening by reservation only Jan. 2 with a minimum fee of $100 because of the sagging economy and decreased funding from the Pamplin Foundation, which owns the park.

The foundation is the philanthropic arm of Oregon-based R.B. Pamplin Corp., founded by Robert B. Pamplin and his son, Robert B. Pamplin Jr. The Pamplins trace their roots to Dinwiddie County and the site of Pamplin Historical Park.

The news of Pamplin's reopening during the week struck a positive note in the midst of the struggling economy.

"We were very enthusiastic to hear that whatever financial difficulties the trust and the park were in seemed to be ending," said Richard A. Anzolut Jr., president of the Petersburg Area Tourism Corp. "Pamplin is one of the premier attractions in the region. We were disappointed when they had to scale back."

Christy Coleman, president of the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, said cultural institutions have to be nimble during this economic climate, finding ways to save money and hold on to donors.

"For a community to be healthy, its cultural institutions have to be healthy," she said.

Greene said the park opened 16 days in January and is on a similar pace for February.

Since changing its hours, Greene said, the park's members have increased donations that have gone into the operating budget. It's the park's policy not to disclose its yearly budget, the number of employees and visitation numbers, he said.

Also, the park had an aggressive campaign to attract volunteers. Nearly 30 new volunteers responded to help with the day-to-day park operations.

"It's very gratifying, and we're humbled by it," Greene said.

Pamplin opened its 422-acre campus in 1994. It features the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, an interactive exhibit that brings visitors face-to-face with the nearly 3 million Americans who became soldiers during the Civil War.

The park's decision to adjust its hours coincides with a heavy school field-trip season. Greene expects nearly 32,000 students to visit the site from March until mid-June, generating revenue to keep the park open for walk-in visitors.

Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6861 or .