Atlanta's MLK National Historic Park visits spiked in 2024; Park Service now faces cuts

The historic Ebenezer Baptist Church is part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Park in Atlanta.
The original location for Ebenezer Baptist Church, used for services before the congregation moved to the Horizons Center sanctuary, is part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Park. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Park in Atlanta saw more visits last year than it had in decades, according to numbers recently released by the National Park Service.

The big jump is partially attributable to a change in how the park counts visitors, Marty Smith, chief of interpretation at the park, said.

Still, it comes as the National Parks as a whole welcomed a record number in 2024.