North Point State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Point State Park |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 North Point State Park
Location in Maryland
|
|
| Location | Edgemere, Maryland, United States |
| Nearest city | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Area | 1,328 acres (5.37 km2) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Designation | Maryland state park |
| Established | 1987 |
| Administrator | Maryland Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | North Point State Park |
North Point State Park is a fun public park located on the Chesapeake Bay in Edgemere, Maryland. It's in Baltimore County, Maryland. This state park is special because it includes the land where a famous amusement park, called Bay Shore Park, once stood. That amusement park was one of the best in Maryland during the early 1900s.
Today, the park has parts of the old amusement park that have been fixed up. You can also go swimming, have picnics, ride bikes, and hike here. About half of the park is a special wildlands area called Black Marsh, which is about 667 acres. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources manages the park.
Contents
North Point State Park: A Look Back in Time
This park is located on a piece of land called Patapsco River Neck. For a very long time, this area was used for farming. People have lived here for a super long time, possibly as far back as 9,000 years ago!
During the War of 1812, British soldiers marched through this area when they tried to attack Baltimore. Some small battles happened here. After centuries of farming, the land became home to the popular Bay Shore Amusement Park.
Bay Shore Park: A Historic Amusement Park
Bay Shore Amusement Park, also known as Bay Shore Park, was built in 1906. It covered 30 acres of land. A company called United Railways and Electric Company of Baltimore built it. Architects Otto Simonson and Theodore Wells Pietsch designed the park.
Bay Shore Park was a lively and exciting place. It offered lots of fun activities and ways to relax by the Chesapeake Bay. Visitors could enjoy a dance hall, a bowling alley, a restaurant, and a pier. People could get to the park by trolley (a type of streetcar) from Baltimore or by steamboat to the park's pier.
In 1925, a famous pilot named Jimmy Doolittle won the Schneider Trophy seaplane race at the park. Important aviation pioneers like Orville Wright and Glenn L. Martin were there to watch.
In 1947, a big steel company called Bethlehem Steel bought the amusement park and took it down. Some of the rides were moved to a new park, Bay Island Beach, in the 1950s. But Bethlehem Steel also tore that park down in the 1960s.
Later, in 1987, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources bought the land from Bethlehem Steel for five million dollars. This is how North Point State Park was created. At first, it was called Black Marsh State Park.
In 1992, experts looked at Bay Shore Amusement Park and its old trolley station. They found that these places were important to history. This was because they showed how streetcars were used for fun and recreation back then.
What You Can Do at North Point State Park
North Point State Park offers many fun things to do today.
- The park has several piers where you can enjoy the views.
- You can go wading or swimming at the beach.
- There are picnic tables and grills if you want to have a meal outdoors.
- The park has fixed up the old historical fountain.
- The old trolley station has also been restored. You can use it for big gatherings if you get a permit.
The Takos Visitor Center
The Takos Visitor Center opened in 2002. It was named after Volunteer Ranger Steve Takos. He worked hard to help fix up the park. The center looks like the old hotel and restaurant that used to be at the amusement park.
Inside the visitor center, you'll find:
- An educational science room.
- Many exhibits about history and nature.
- A large saltwater fish tank.
- A conference room.
