Piscataway Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Piscataway Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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View of the Potomac River at Piscataway Park
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 Piscataway Park
Location in Maryland
Piscataway Park
Location in the United States
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| Location | Prince George's County, Maryland, USA |
| Nearest city | Accokeek, MD |
| Established | October 4, 1961 [1] |
| Visitors | 176,174 (in 2005) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Piscataway Park |
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Piscataway Park
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| Nearest city | Accokeek, Maryland |
| Area | 4,216.5 acres (1,706.4 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000144 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Piscataway Park is a special protected area managed by the National Park Service. It's located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Washington, D.C. in Accokeek, Maryland. This park helps protect important historical places like the National Colonial Farm and Marshall Hall. It also includes the Accokeek Creek Site.
One cool thing about Piscataway Park is its location. It sits right across the Potomac River from George Washington's famous home, Mount Vernon. The park is named after Piscataway Creek, which got its name from a Native American tribe called the Piscataway.
This park is a home for lots of wildlife! You might see bald eagles, beavers, and osprey here. It has different kinds of natural areas, like wetlands (swampy areas), meadows (open grassy fields), and woodlands (forests). The National Park Service takes care of the park, specifically through a group called National Capital Parks-East.
A Look Back in Time: How Piscataway Park Began
The story of Piscataway Park started in 1928. That's when Henry and Alice Ferguson bought over 100 acres (0.40 km²) of land in the area. This land included a very old Native American village called Moyaone. The Piscataway tribe lived there, and it was last used by them in 1623.
The Fergusons loved this land and wanted to protect its natural beauty. They bought even more property over time. They also encouraged their friends to move nearby. This way, more people could help protect the environment together.
Protecting the Views from Mount Vernon
After Alice Ferguson passed away in 1951, Henry created the Alice Ferguson Foundation. This foundation helped manage the land they had bought. The foundation then made plans to give this land to the National Park Service. This big gift was completed in the 1960s.
Giving the land to the National Park Service did two important things. First, it protected the environment and the wildlife living there. Second, it protected the historic viewshed from Mount Vernon. A viewshed is what you can see from a certain spot. By keeping the land natural, it looks much like it did in George Washington's time. This prevented new buildings and modern development from spoiling the view along the river.
