Troy Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Troy Park |
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|---|---|
| Type | County |
| Location | 6500 Mansion Lane Elkridge, Maryland |
| Area | 101-acre (0.41 km2) |
| Created | 2014 |
| Operated by | Howard County |
| Status | Open Ongoing Construction |
Troy Park is a large park in Elkridge, Maryland. It covers 101 acres, which is a lot of space for outdoor fun! You can find it at 6500 Mansion Lane, close to major roads like Washington Boulevard and I-95.
Right now, Troy Park has awesome athletic fields for sports, a playground for kids, and trails for walking or biking. In the future, the park will have even more cool stuff. This includes new paths, restrooms, an indoor sports center, and a community building. The old Troy Mansion is also being fixed up. All these improvements were planned to be finished by 2018.
Contents
Discover Troy Park's Past
The Mansion's Long History
The land where Troy Park sits has a very old story. It was first surveyed way back in 1694 by John Dorsey. A stone house, later called "Troy Hill," was built around 1808. It was built on the foundation of an even older house. This house was a good example of the Georgian style of buildings.
The house had a large stone basement with four rooms. It also had other buildings nearby, like a stone barn and a smokehouse. Over the years, the house changed quite a bit. A fire in 1830 damaged the inside. Later, in 1880 and 1942, it was updated with different styles.
From Private Home to Public Park
In 1958, the state bought the property. They planned to tear down the house for the I-95 highway project. But the house was left alone for many years. Then, in 1971, Howard County bought the house and 52 acres of land. They paid $67,500 for it.
There were ideas to turn the house into a gardening center. In 1989, the state even offered money to help fix it up. Sadly, a fire in 1991 badly damaged the building before the repairs could start.
Building the Park We See Today
Howard County bought more land for the park, making it 101 acres in total. They started planning the park in 2011. Construction officially began on June 22, 2013.
When Troy Park opened, it became the eighth big park in Howard County. It was also the second large park in Elkridge, along with Rockburn Branch Park. It's a great place for everyone to enjoy the outdoors!
Images for kids
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A map showing the layout of Troy Park.
