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New Orleans Jazz Historical Park among shutdown closures

Written by: Nancy Parker, Anchor
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Plaque on Perseverance Hall in Armstrong Park. Plaque on Perseverance Hall in Armstrong Park.

NEW ORLEANS - National parks and landmarks in the area are still turning tourists away due to the government shutdown. Louisiana is not one of 12 states using its own funding to keep the attractions open.

We talked to tourists who wanted to see museums in the New Orleans area run by the National Park Service. It's an experience they may not get this week.

"It's closed, it's a pity," said Carlo Vanni. 

Vanni and his wife and daughter, all visiting from Italy, found the doors locked to Perseverance Hall in Armstrong Park. They may not get to see the museum ever again.

"It's not good - we would love to go there. It's too bad," said Vanni's daughter, Maria. She used her camera to snap a picture of the Louis Armstrong statue and the open area of the park that surrounds it.

The old U.S. Mint is going without some services, too. The National Park Service's portion of the operation is locked tight, and daytime jazz concerts offered by the NPS during the week in a third floor performance hall are canceled.

The Pickrums, from Illinois, wanted to hear jazz here and are aggravated.

"We're only here for a week, and we can't enjoy that because of the shutdown. In the scheme of things, it's a small thing - but it's not good," said Mike Pickrum.

Hundreds of people attend the concerts at the Mint every week. Many of them are locals. Businesses like the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen behind the Mint see the difference.

"Usually we get three for four people a day, and we're missing some of that," said Andrea Adrian.

Tourists like the Pickrums now have limited choices during their short stay, courtesy of the Washington standoff.

"We wanted to go to the Lafitte National Park. I was reading about that," said Sherry Pickrum. "Wow, we're going to have to change our game plan."

New York's Statue of Liberty, South Dakota's Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon are open because state governments are footing the bill. Nine other states did the same to accommodate some tourists who build their vacations around the National Parks.

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