West Orange, NJ - Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Thomas Edison National Historical Park (NHP) is increasing access at the park. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
Beginning Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, Thomas Edison NHP will reopen access to the Glenmont Estate Grounds. The grounds will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11AM to 4PM. In order to visit the grounds of Glenmont, a special pass must first be picked up at the Laboratory Courtyard Visitor Contact Station (211 Main Street West Orange, NJ). No visitors will be admitted to the grounds of Glenmont without the pass. While at Glenmont there are wayside exhibit panels and a cell phone tour around the grounds to tell you about life at Glenmont.
In addition, entrance fees are waived, and the following spaces will be open from 11AM to 4PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday:
* Visitor parking lots located on Main Street and at the Glenmont Estate
* Blacksmith Shop, Pattern Shop and Black Maria
* Laboratory Courtyard cell phone tour
* Glenmont Estate grounds - pass required and obtained at the Laboratory Courtyard Visitor Contact Station
Prohibited activities include:
* Large group gatherings and activities
* Picnicking
Permanent restroom facilities will be closed; however, portable restroom units with hand sanitizer will be available for public use. With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:
* All public buildings
* Glenmont Mansion
“We hope our visitors enjoy exploring both the Laboratory Complex and the grounds at Glenmont," said Tom Ross, superintendent of Thomas Edison NHP. “As a reminder, please continue to follow recommended social distancing practices at all times. Many of the park’s outdoor exhibits may bring visitors into areas hard to safely social distance. Wearing a face covering while at the park is strongly encouraged."
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Thomas Edison NHP our operational approach continues to be centered on examining each facility function and service to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and are regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public areas and workspaces are safe and clean.
A safe and enjoyable park experience begins at home. The NPS encourages visitors to plan their visit by checking the park’s website and social media for current conditions and travel tips. The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We ask the public to be our partner in recreating responsibly, by following CDC and state and local guidance, social distancing, and wearing a face covering when social distance cannot be maintained.
Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website www.nps.gov/edis or on Facebook and Instagram using our social media handle: @ThomasEdisonNHP. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
