News Release No. 472

MISSOURI MINES STATE HISTORIC SITE WILL CLOSE TEMPORARILY FOR SPECIAL PROJECT

Volume 33-472

Contact: Sue Holst

(For immediate release)

573-751-6510

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, NOV. 17, 2005 -- Missouri Mines State Historic Site in Park Hills will be closed temporarily again this winter so work can be done on special projects to enhance interpretation at the site. The site will close Dec. 1 and will reopen April 1, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced today.

Missouri Mines State Historic Site preserves and interprets the history of lead mining and the Old Lead Belt region in Missouri. It contains a museum with restored underground mining equipment, a large display of minerals, and exhibits on mining history. Throughout the winter months, staff will be working to sort and catalog an extensive collection of artifacts and minerals in preparation for future additional exhibits at the museum. The closure will also give construction crews time to renovate portions of the museum to expand the interpretive areas. This work will be one phase in a multi-stage effort of museum reconstruction and exhibit development.

Although the museum and mine-mill complex will be closed to the general public, group tours can still make reservations to tour those parts of the facility not disrupted by construction. Also, the Missouri Mines parking area access to the St. Joe State Park bicycle trail will remain open seven days a week as usual.

Missouri Mines State Historic Site is located in Park Hills on the south side of Highway 32 at the Flat River Drive overpass. For more information, call the site directly at 573-431-6226 or the Department of Natural Resources toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf). For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit the Web at www.mostateparks.com.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/parkssearch.do.

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