On Wednesday, 8/28/96, at 7:00 PM, a hearing was held at the Boone County Administration Building in Burlington, KY, to discuss the rezoning of 40 acres of land near Big Bone Lick State Park from agricultural use to recreational. The land, which is being purchased by a religious ministry called "Answers in Genesis", will be used to develop "Genesis Park", a "Creation Museum and Family Discovery Center". This "museum" will not be a scientific museum but, rather, a religious amusement park displaying natural artifacts to promote creationism -- a literal interpretation of the creation story of the bible to supplant the scientific theory of evolution.
The Boone County Comprehensive Plan for development of the county describes the rich paleontological and archeological finds in the Big Bone Lick area and encourages further research. It states:
Properly interpreted, Big Bone Lick State Park has the potential for becoming a unique educational site, as well as a National Historic Landmark. The State Parks Department, and local citizens groups, are actively promoting the construction of a proper museum for Big Bone Lick, with ongoing archaeological and paleontological research as part of its interpretive mission. It has been estimated that the development of this site as an archaeological "theme" state park would triple tourist visitation, and provide non-invasive economic development for western Boone County.
"Answers in Genesis" uses part of this passage in their application for rezoning to suggest that their "museum" is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's intentions for the area. They state:
The plan encourages tourism in the form of a "proper museum" at Big Bone Lick. Certainly a "proper" and professionally designed and managed museum only four miles east of Big Bone Lick would also be advantageous to Boone County. A major plus in our plan is the fact that the county will benefit at absolutely no expense to tax payers and with no government funds being used. (Double the attractions for Boone County at no additional cost!)
What "Answers in Genesis" fails to say is that their "museum" would feature paleontological and archaeological artifacts only to misinterpret their historic and scientific significance. They would degrade the integrity that the area now possesses and stifle the chances of any real scientific research from continuing to develop.
The Free Inquiry Group, Inc. encourages anyone who is interested to help defend this area from the intrusion of yet another amusement park. We especially hope that members of the scientific community will speak out against the harm that such a facility will do to the credibility of the Big Bone Lick site. Hearings are open to the public, residence in Boone County or Kentucky is NOT a requirement.
The "Answers in Genesis" site is on US 42 at a junction with SR 338. This is approximately half-way between the State Park and the intersection where I-75 and I-71 divide. The area is fairly rural and the site itself farmland. Local residents are protesting the rezoning of the forty acre plot as they fear it will disturb their bucolic quiet, and increase auto traffic. The County authorities and their professional planning staff take the attitude the validity of the ideas being displayed in the future museum are not an issue in this Zoning Case, only the adequacy of the noise, visual, and sanitary provisions of the site.
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