Trump administration says it will appeal order to restore National Parks exhibits, including in Philadelphia
The Trump Administration says it's looking into appealing the ruling by a federal judge requiring all national parks to fully restore recent changes to historic exhibits, including the President's House Site on Independence Mall in Philadelphia.
During one of the busiest seasons in Philadelphia in a long time, hundreds of tourists visited Old City to learn, but the fragmented display at the President's House left them with questions.
Kenya Warner was trying to make sense of the exposed glue and missing panels on the brick walls.
"I didn't think it was an exhibit or anything to really see, because most of it's like torn apart. I really had no idea what I was looking at," Warner said.
The President's House, an outdoor exhibit steps from the Liberty Bell, tells the story of the nine enslaved people who lived at that property with George Washington.
This past winter, the exhibit was dismantled following an executive order by President Trump, but a federal judge ruled the displays had to be fully restored. The Trump administration then appealed, which paused the restoration. That's why about half of the panels are still missing.
Jeff Weaver was visiting from Rochester, New York, Monday and brought his daughter to Independence Mall to see some of Philadelphia's historic sites. He stopped to take pictures of President's House.
"It mystifies you, kind of stumps you a little bit. It's like why and what are we hiding, and why are we erasing history? You know, this is what our country was built on, and it should be out in the open, and you know that's why we come down here to see this," Weaver said.
Now, in a different lawsuit, a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley in Massachusetts also orders a pause on any additional changes, writing that the plaintiffs have shown these efforts are meant "to rewrite the Nation's history with a white-out pen."
"Under the guise of promoting American dignity, this Administration seeks to share a limited history by ordering the removal of all signs, displays, and interpretive exhibits at National Parks that do not align with its preferred narrative, thereby telling half-truths," Kelley wrote.
On Monday, the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, told CBS News Philadelphia, "This ruling is from a Biden appointed judge. The Department is looking at our appeal options."
It's unclear how the pending appeal on that first ruling could impact this order, which gives the Park Service until July 3 to comply.
