A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that more than 218,000 visitors to Morristown National Historical Park in 2015 spent $12.5 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 166 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $17.6 million.

“Morristown National Historical Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Thomas Ross. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $16.9 billion of direct spending by 307.2 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 295,000 jobs nationally; 252,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $32 billion.

According to the 2015 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging, followed by food and beverages, gas and oil, admissions and fees, souvenirs and other expenses.

Morristown National Historical Park, the very first “national historical park,” preserves, protects, and commemorates the landscapes, structures, features, and museum collections of the Continental Army winter encampments, the headquarters of General George Washington, and related Revolutionary War sites at Morristown, NJ for the benefit and inspiration of the public.

For more information about the park, call 973-539-2016 ext. 210 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/morr.