State Historic Parks "Endangered"

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve in California.

Photo: S. Greg Panosian/ Istock

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Among the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places is the entire California parks system, and by extension, state parks throughout the nation.

California was the focus because Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had suggested closing 48 parks because of a budget shortfall, an idea he has since taken off the table. But the ailing infrastructure at and flagging investment in state parks is an issue that affects states across the country, National Trust president Richard Moe told USA Today.

These properties have already been preserved from development, but neglect from tight budgets means the states often can't maintain them adequately.

The group's stated goal is to preserve historic properties, and the bulk of its list reflects that. However, the benefits of protecting historic parks extend to wildlife and those who enjoy open space as well. In New York's Hudson Valley, for instance, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum, a national property, together with Norrie, Vanderbilt and Mills Mansion state parks, provide a nearly continuous block of green space along the Hudson River. The two estates, Vanderbilt and Mills, are preserved because of their historic significance, but they're magnets for hunters and habitat for a variety of species.

Here's a list of the 10 other endangered historic places.

1. Boyd Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa.
2. Charity Hospital and the Adjacent Neighborhood, New Orleans, La.
3. Great Falls Portage, Great Falls, Mont.
4. Hangar One, Moffet Field, Calif.
5. The Lower East Side of Manhattan, N.Y.
6. Michigan Avenue Streetwall, Chicago, Ill.
7. Peace Bridge Neighborhood, Buffalo, N.Y.
8. The Statler Hilton Hotel, Dallas, Tex.
9. Sumner Elementary School, Topeka, Kans.
10. Vizcaya and the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Miami, Fla.

History Channel's Look at the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places of 2008

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