Piscataway Park
Encyclopedia
Piscataway Park, located 20 miles (32.2 km) southwest of downtown Washington, D.C.
, near Accokeek
, Maryland
, protects Marshall Hall
and the National Colonial Farm. The park is located across the Potomac River
from George Washington's Mount Vernon
estate.
Piscataway Park is named after Piscataway Creek
, itself named for a historic Native American tribe. The park is home to bald eagle
s, beaver
s, osprey
, and other wildlife and encompasses areas of wetland
, meadow
and woodland. It is administered by the National Park Service
and is managed by National Capital Parks-East
.
village last occupied in 1623. The Fergusons bought more property and encouraged friends to settle nearby, where they could protect the environment. After Alice's death in 1951, Ferguson created the Alice Ferguson Foundation, which administered the land. The foundation made arrangements to donate property to the National Park Service
for parkland, a transaction completed in the 1960s. This both protected the environment, as well as the "historic viewshed" as seen from the Mount Vernon mansion, keeping the parkland as it was in George Washington
's day, and preventing modern development along the shore of the river.
example of a 1770s tobacco
farm typical of a common planter. Many of the structures on the site are open to visitors, including a barn, smokehouse
, out-kitchen, and the farm house. Costumed interpreters demonstrate various techniques, including candlemaking, gardening
, and sewing
.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, near Accokeek
Accokeek, Maryland
Accokeek is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located about 8.5 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The population was 7,349 at the 2000 census. It is home to Piscataway Park....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, protects Marshall Hall
Marshall Hall, Maryland
Marshall Hall, Maryland is the site of the Marshall family mansion. Marshall Hall is located near Bryan's Road in Charles County, Maryland, next to the Potomac River, more or less across from Mount Vernon, Virginia, the home of George Washington. The home was one of the finest built on the...
and the National Colonial Farm. The park is located across the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
from George Washington's Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
estate.
Piscataway Park is named after Piscataway Creek
Piscataway Creek
Piscataway Creek is an tributary of the Potomac River in Prince George's County, Maryland. The creek is a tidal arm of the Potomac for its final , entering the Potomac at Fort Washington Park. Tinkers Creek is a tributary to Piscataway Creek, converging from the north upstream of the mouth of the...
, itself named for a historic Native American tribe. The park is home to bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
s, osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
, and other wildlife and encompasses areas of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
, meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
and woodland. It is administered by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and is managed by National Capital Parks-East
National Capital Parks-East
National Capital Parks-East is an administrative grouping of a number of National Park Service sites generally east of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., but also nearby in Maryland. These sites include:* Anacostia Park...
.
History
Henry and Alice Ferguson bought more than 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land in the area in 1928. It includes the area of Moyaone, a Native American PiscatawayPiscataway (tribe)
The Piscataway are a subtribe of the Conoy Native American tribe of Maryland. At one time, they were one of the most populous and powerful Native polities of the Chesapeake Bay region. They spoke Algonquian Piscataway, a dialect of Nanticoke...
village last occupied in 1623. The Fergusons bought more property and encouraged friends to settle nearby, where they could protect the environment. After Alice's death in 1951, Ferguson created the Alice Ferguson Foundation, which administered the land. The foundation made arrangements to donate property to the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
for parkland, a transaction completed in the 1960s. This both protected the environment, as well as the "historic viewshed" as seen from the Mount Vernon mansion, keeping the parkland as it was in George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's day, and preventing modern development along the shore of the river.
National Colonial Farm
The National Colonial Farm is a living historyLiving history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
example of a 1770s tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
farm typical of a common planter. Many of the structures on the site are open to visitors, including a barn, smokehouse
Smokehouse
A smokehouse is a building where meat or fish is cured with smoke. The finished product might be stored in the building, sometimes for a year or more.-History:...
, out-kitchen, and the farm house. Costumed interpreters demonstrate various techniques, including candlemaking, gardening
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
, and sewing
Sewing
Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era...
.
External links
- National Park Service Piscataway Park official website
- "Piscataway Park" – Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network