List of National Park System areas in Maryland

This list of National Park System areas in Maryland includes the lands, trails, or park networks maintained by the National Park Service of the United States within the U.S. State of Maryland. The National Park Service controls 24 units in the state of Maryland. They range from sites of historical interest to sites of ecological interest to portions of the parkway system around Washington, DC. Many of the sites currently under the control of the National Park Service in Maryland were previously under the control of other agencies in the federal government, such as Antietam National Battlefield, which was originally managed by the Department of War.[1] There are eight units administered by the National Park System as part of the National Capital Parks. The most recent unit created in Maryland is the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, which was authorized by Congress in 2006.

National Park System areas

A view of Antietam National Battlefield, site of one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War
The C&O Canal at Swain's Lock. The canal runs between Washington, DC and Cumberland, Maryland.
The sally port, or main entrance, to Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812 inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner.
Close-up view of sign on the former bumper car pavilion at Glen Echo Park
Farmhouse and slave quarters at Hampton National Historic Site. Photo by James G. Howes.
View of the Potomac River at Piscataway Park
Haberdaventure, the home of Thomas Stone, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, centerpiece of the Thomas Stone National Historic Site.
NameLocationDescriptionEstablishedNotes
Antietam National BattlefieldWashington CountySite of the Battle of Antietam (Civil War)1890[B][2]
Appalachian National Scenic TrailWashington County2,175 mi (3,500 km) footpath stretching through 14 eastern states from Maine to Georgia.[3]1970[4]
Assateague Island National SeashoreWorcester County37 mi (60 km) long barrier island managed to conserve its plants and animals.[5]1965[6]
Baltimore–Washington Parkway[A]Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties29 mi (47 km) highway connecting Washington, DC with Baltimore, Maryland.[7]1954[6]
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic TrailChesapeake BayWater trail tracing Smith's explorations of the Chesapeake Bay, accessible from many points on Maryland's Chesapeake shoreline.[8]2006[8]
Catoctin Mountain ParkFrederick County5,810-acre (23.5 km2) forest park in the Appalachian Mountains.[9]1954[6]
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical ParkMontgomery, Frederick, Washington, and Allegany CountiesPark paralleling the Potomac River, preserving remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.[10]1938[6]
Chesapeake Bay Gateways NetworkChesapeake Bay shorelineNetwork of sites of historic and environmental interest across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.[11]1998[11]
Clara Barton National Historic SiteMontgomery CountyHome of Clara Barton (1821–1912), the founder of the American Red Cross.1975[12]
Fort Foote Park[A]Prince George's CountyWood and earthwork fort on the Potomac River that formed part of Washington, DC's military defenses in the Civil War era.1946c. 1946[13]
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic ShrineBaltimore CityStar-shaped fort that successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy during the War of 1812, in the battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner.1925[6]
Fort Washington Park[A]Prince George's CountyHad a long history of military use as a defensive fort protecting Washington, DC1946[6]
George Washington Memorial ParkwayMontgomery CountyParkway in Virginia and Washington, DC; the short Clara Barton Parkway section connects to Glen Echo Park and the Clara Barton National Historic Site in Maryland1930[6]
Glen Echo ParkMontgomery CountyPark was first established in 1891 as a National Chautauqua Assembly; later it became an amusement park, which closed in 1968.1971[14]
Greenbelt Park[A]Prince George's CountyA 1,176-acre (476 ha) recreational area within an urban environment.[15]1950[6]
Hampton National Historic SiteBaltimore County18th century estate including Georgian manor house, gardens and grounds, and original stone slave quarters1948[6]
Harmony Hall[A]Prince George's County18th-century country house surrounded by 65 acres (26 ha) of parkland.[16]1966[17]
Monocacy National BattlefieldFrederick CountyCivil War battlefield straddling the Monocacy River southwest of Frederick.1976[6]
Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm[A]Prince George's CountyLocated in Washington, DC and Prince George's County, Maryland, Oxon Cove Park provides recreational activities.[18]1959[19]
Piscataway Park[A]Prince George's CountyAcross the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, established to protect the view from Mount Vernon.1961[6]
Potomac Heritage National Scenic TrailPotomac River shorelineNetwork of trails along the Potomac River and its tributaries, from the mouth of the river near St. Mary's County to the headwaters.1983[6]
Suitland Parkway[A]Prince George's County9.35 mi (15 km) historic parkway built during World War II to connect Washington, DC-area military facilities1944[6]
Thomas Stone National Historic SiteCharles CountyHome and estate of Thomas Stone, a signer of the Declaration of Independence1978[6]

See also

Notes

A ^ Part of the National Capital Parks.[7][20][21][22][23]
B ^ Antietam National Battlefield was originally two separate units, a cemetery established in 1865 and the battlefield established in 1890 under the War department. Both the battlefield and the cemetery were transferred to the National Park Service from the War Department in 1933, and the two units were combined in 1974.[1]

References

External links