Parks
Festival celebrates success of the Eastern Bluebird
BOYDS, MD – Black Hill Visitor Center at Black Hill Regional Park is hosting the annual, free Bluebirds Forever Festival on Sunday, May 20 from 1-4pm, to celebrate the success of the Eastern Bluebird. The festival will feature a play created by children for children titled “Quest for a Nest,” as well as opportunities to hike a bluebird trail, create bluebird-themed crafts, play games and listen to music. Visitors will learn about the birds’ habitats and nest box monitoring, and how to support local bluebird populations in private yards and gardens.
In recent years, M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks has experienced an increase in the nesting success of bluebirds thanks to the work of many dedicated volunteers who have helped build and monitor some 540 bluebird nest boxes scattered throughout the 34,000-acre park system.
“2011 was our best year so far,” said Rob Gibbs, parks’ natural resources manager, “over 1,300 baby bluebirds were fledged from park nest boxes. Our numbers have been going up steadily since the program began keeping records in 1992, thanks to the dedication of our volunteers.”
Many of the parks’ bluebird boxes are built by Scout troops and other volunteers. Parks staff installs the boxes in appropriate nesting habitats, and adult volunteers and some families monitor them weekly during the nesting season from March through mid-September. Monitors remove nests of non-native house sparrows which often out-compete bluebirds for nest cavities. They also remove bees and other unwanted visitors, keep boxes in good repair, clean out used boxes after young have fledged so the bluebirds can re-nest (some will nest three times in one year) and document how many bluebirds, chickadees, tree swallows and house wrens are fledged from the boxes. 
“Some of our very dedicated volunteers have been working with our bluebird program for more than 15 years,” said park naturalist Denise Gibbs, who initiated the countywide data collection effort to help promote and share information among the county’s four nature centers, which coordinate the program.
Ed Escalante, who started as a bluebird monitor in 1997, said. “Before taking on the trail, I had never seen a bluebird, and here I was meeting them regularly, from a close distance!” Ed’s enthusiasm led him to become a founding member of the Maryland Bluebird Society.
“I take a special delight in those bluebird pairs who recognize me each time I show up,” said Jim Cook who monitors 25 boxes at Little Bennett Golf Course. “Others will swoop down and try to chase me off, but the ones that know I’m not doing any harm will just perch in a tree nearby and watch me.”
Homeowners and bird lovers can help to increase the number of bluebirds in Montgomery County by installing bluebird nest boxes in large open grassy areas and providing berry producing plants, other food sources and water. It is extremely important that all nest boxes be monitored regularly; otherwise they can provide nesting for house sparrows which compete with bluebirds for nesting space often killing adult and young bluebirds in the process.
The Bluebirds Forever Festival is co-sponsored by Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs and the Maryland Bluebird Society and will be held rain or shine. It is a free event and will be held in and around the Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Dr., Boyds, MD 20841. Some of the festival programs require advanced registration at www.ParkPASS.org. For a detailed schedule of events, please visit www.BlackHillNature.org.
Public Hearing to take place May 24, at *9:00 a.m. at Montgomery Regional Office, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
*Time subject to change: Visit www.MontgomeryPlanningBoard.org/agenda/ for updates
SILVER SPRING, MD –The M-NCPPC Montgomery Planning Board invites the public to provide testimony (limited to three minutes) at a public hearing on the draft 2012 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan Update. The hearing will take place:
Thursday, May 24 at 9:00 AM
M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20912
The time of the meeting is subject to change. Updates will be posted at www.MontgomeryPlanningBoard.org/agenda/ where members of the public can also download the staff report, sign up to testify and listen to the live public hearing. Sign up to testify at www.montgomeryapps.org/planning_board/testify.asp. (select May 24 from the date pull down menu) or call 301-495-4600. Online sign-up closes 4 p.m. the day prior to the meeting.
Written testimony may be emailed to mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org or mailed to Planning Board Chairman, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and must be received 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
The 2012 PROS Plan is developed to analyze and prepare for future needs for park and recreation facilities and natural and history resource preservation, and develop specific service delivery strategies to meet these needs. The 2012 plan will include chapters on: Recreation and Parks, Natural Resource Conservation, Historic and Cultural Resources Preservation and Agricultural Land Preservation.
The 2012 PROS Plan Update is required under State law, and will build on earlier public comments and findings from the Vision 2030 Strategic Plan, finalized by M-NCPPC- Montgomery Parks and the Montgomery County Recreation Department in 2011.
Questions and written comments regarding the 2012 PROS Plan Update should be sent to MCP-PROSPlan2012@MontgomeryParks.org
M-NCPPC-Montgomery Parks, manages more than 35,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 416 parks. Montgomery Parks is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. The M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems. www.montgomeryparks.org
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Join team members to learn about their work at a special open session, Sunday May 13 at 2:00PM at the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail in Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park.
May 9, 2012 – The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team, a national non-profit dedicated to maintaining and preserving open climbing environments, will provide much needed enhancements to the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail at Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park in Silver Spring, Maryland this weekend. The group will work with the Mid-Atlantic Climbers to improve the public access points.
- 30 volunteers participated in last year’s Northwest Branch trail renovation and clean-up
The weekend enhancements will wrap up with a special public open session on Sunday, May 13, at 2 PM where Access-Fund Jeep Conservation Team members will discuss their work at Northwest Branch Park as well as other sites around the United States. The session will be at Northwest Branch Park, located at 10701 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20910 – immediately south of the strip mall where Trader Joe’s is located. More information can be found at http://midatlanticclimbers.org.
Mid-Atlantic Climbers at the 2011 Access Fund Adopt-a-Crag trail work and park cleanup at Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park
The Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park is part of a system of trails managed by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Montgomery Parks, and is located alongside Northwest Branch, which is part of the Potomac River watershed. Because of its location on the fall line, the park has scenic waterfalls and enormous boulders that are reminiscent of mountainous areas. Frequent use of the park combined with its location in the middle of a heavily urbanized area, have caused erosion to park access points. The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team will be improving the trail near the public access point and parking lot by building stone steps and addressing other park needs.
The Conservation Team is the Access Fund’s newest stewardship program, in which two trail specialists travel the country ten months out of the year to help local climbers and volunteers maintain climbing areas. The team assesses climbing area conservation needs, works with local residents and community groups to address those needs, and provides training on planning and stewardship best practices to keep those areas healthy.
The sustained growth of climbing as an outdoor pursuit has put strain on popular climbing areas around the country. There are literally thousands of climbing areas in the United States, though the brunt of the impact occurs on several hundred of the most popular areas. As the sport continues to increase in popularity, unacceptable levels of impact could ultimately lead to partial or full closures. Many areas are in desperate need of expert trail building and multi-year stewardship plans. The Conservation Team was launched to meet this need.
“We are extremely excited and appreciative of the work that the Access Fund Team will be doing on this trail,” said Jim Corcoran, Trail Volunteer Coordinator for Montgomery Parks. “Trail renovation requires special skills and experience that is sometimes difficult to find in volunteers. It is this kind of contribution that enables Montgomery Parks to protect and preserve these amazing resources that are so cherished by the community.”
The Conservation Team is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Jeep® brand, as well as REI, Outdoor Research, CLIF Bar, MSR, and Thermarest. These companies have an outstanding commitment to supporting the grassroots conservation which protects climbing resources and access.
For more information about the Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team, visit www.accessfund.org/ct.
About Access Fund
Having just celebrated its 20th anniversary, the Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 2.3 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: climbing management policy, stewardship and conservation, local support and mobilization, land acquisition and protection, and education. For more information visit www.accessfund.org.
SILVER SPRING, MD—Leaders from M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks and Montgomery County gathered with members of the Germantown community this week at the site of the future Germantown Town Center Urban Park for a groundbreaking ceremony. Montgomery Parks Director Mary Bradford was joined by Montgomery Planning Board Member and Commissioner Casey Anderson, Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen, Montgomery County Upcounty Regional Services Center Director Catherine Matthews, staff from U.S. Congresswoman Donna Edwards’ office and Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice’s office, as well as business leaders and residents from the area.
“This park has been a long time in the making and we are so pleased that all of the hard work and planning is now bringing it to the citizens of Germantown.” said Bradford. “We genuinely appreciate the patience and support from the community throughout this process. It shows that building a village center really takes a village.”
“This groundbreaking for the Germantown Town Center Urban Park is the culmination of years of hard work between Montgomery Parks, the County and the community,” said Councilmember Rice. “This is especially bittersweet for me because, as one of the first residents in Germantown Town Center, I was presented with a phenomenal environmentally-sensitive design that finalized the last piece of a vibrant Germantown Town Center.”
The Germantown Town Center Urban Park is slated for completion in 2014 and will be located on 8.8 acres of land adjacent to the Germantown Library on Century Blvd. The park will create plenty of inviting open space, as well as interpretive trails and boardwalks, gathering areas and enhanced wetland areas for education.
Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen, pictured left, shares some thoughts about the park. (also pictured: Montgomery Parks Director Mary Bradford).
“This is a great day for Germantown,” said Councilmember Floreen. “The park completes the town center, making it not only a great place for dining, shopping and culture but now outdoor enjoyment as well. It makes Germantown Town Center the total package.”
The park will also feature public art components created by artist David Hess that will inspire the imagination and complement the cultural setting of the Library and Black Rock Arts Center while serving as gathering spaces.
Hess will create three large pergolas using over 14,000 feet of twisted stainless steel material formed atop six large natural boulders. The pergolas will create gathering places within a raised plaza overlooking a formal lawn and the existing wetlands. Hess will also build sculptural handrails and benches within the Park.
“I wanted to bring a natural looking form into this beautifully controlled space,” said Hess. “The twisted stainless steel can be welded together and is extremely durable. It gives the impression of something architectural in nature, like a nest or beaver dam. Simultaneously, visitors might even think it was somehow “grown” this way.”
The Germantown Town Center Urban Park will be passive in nature and ADA compliant for universal access. The park will feature a fully integrated stormwater management system and improvements to the pond and naturalized wetlands to nurture and protect the various plant and animal wildlife native to the region.
- Andy Frank Montgomery Parks project manager for Germantown Town Center Urban Parks joins Montgomery Parks Director Mary Bradford to celebrate the ground breaking.
“There are a surprising number of birds that visit the wetlands within the park throughout the year, and we wanted to make sure we were able to preserve this natural area within the developed town center,” noted Andy Frank, project manager for the park.
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FIFTH-GRADER WINS ARBOR DAY POSTER CONTEST, AS A RESULT CEDAR GROVE ELEMENTARY IS SELECTED FOR SPECIAL ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION
Woody the Tree, Montgomery Parks Director Mary Bradford, Cedar Grove fifth-grader Rachel Ma and Principal Lee Derby
SILVER SPRING—Students at Cedar Grove Elementary in Germantown were treated to a special Arbor Day celebration at their school this week thanks to one of their classmates artistic talents. Fifth-grader Rachel Ma’s winning entry into Montgomery Parks Arbor Day Poster Contest gained the school a robust day of hands-on tree-focused activities, culminating in a sky-high-bucket truck trip to the canopy of a mature tree accompanied by members of the Montgomery Parks Tree Crew. Ma’s poster showcasing the benefits of trees in Montgomery County will be displayed at park facilities around the county.
Rachel Ma's winning poster submission
Other activities students participated in with experts from Montgomery Parks Arboriculture Section included:
- A live composting demonstration using the Park’s “secret” recipe
- Planting three trees (from the Park’s Nursery, Pope Farm) on school grounds
- A tree walk to learn how to identify different types of trees
- Learning about the anatomy of a tree including studying its growth rings and how it gets food and water from any location
- Photos with the Park’s mascot Woody the Tree
The school was presented with the Arbor Day Foundation Tree City Award Flag by Maryland Department of Natural Resources In addition Montgomery Parks donated a collection of tree themed books to the school’s library. Each student received a tree seedling to take home.
“Montgomery Parks has an extensive tree care program and one of the highlights is getting out into the community to share our knowledge with students and help them fall in love with trees as we have,” said Department of Parks Senior Urban Forester, Holly Thomas.
For the 15th year, Montgomery County has been recognized with the designation of Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to tree planting and tree care. Montgomery County met the four standards necessary to become a Tree City USA by having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Montgomery Parks Arboriculture section provides a comprehensive tree care program that supports the protection, management and long-term health of trees and forests on parkland and provides a safer environment for park patrons, through the removal of high risk trees and limbs. The program also provides consultation for park renovation and development projects and preserves the most significant and highest valued parkland trees. In addition the Arboriculture section utilizes all green waste produced in the management of parkland to generate compost, soil conditioners and wood products. The Arboriculture section is part of the Montgomery Parks Horticulture, Forestry and Environmental Education Division supporting the acquisition, conservation, development, maintenance and management of parks.
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After a distinguished 24-year career with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, Chief Darien L. Manley has announced his retirement plans effective May 1, 2012. “It’s been a good ride,” Chief Manley said. “I am proud to say that I have served with the best of the best. I’m looking forward to a new challenge but will miss my colleagues.” Chief Manley has served in both Montgomery County and Prince George’s County as an Officer, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and for the last four years as the Chief of the Montgomery County Division.
Chief Manley is best known for his innovative technology solutions to everyday policing. Under his watch, the Division has been on the cutting edge of technology and communications. Chief Manley was a Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions’ Police Training and Firearms Instructor for more than two decades. He will be joining the State Highway Administration.
Chief Manley received numerous commendations and awards from the community, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and other public safety agencies and organizations, including national recognition as the APCO Public Safety Communications Center Director of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic Region. He was awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Prince George’s Parks & Recreation Meritorious Achievement Award. Chief Manley has completed the Maryland Leadership Challenge and the DEA National Drug Enforcement Academy.
“Commander Manley managed his Park Police division with strength and kindness, and with a deep commitment to the parks and community he served,” said Mary Bradford, M-NCPPC Montgomery County Parks Director. “He directed his force through some difficult times and leaves them stronger and well-prepared for the future. He was a key part of the management team for Montgomery Parks, and his shoes will be hard to fill as we search for a new Division Chief for the Park Police. I relied upon Commander Manley’s skills, and respect him both personally and professionally. We will truly miss him.”
M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks Wins Seven Awards from the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association
Montgomery Parks also recognized with several community awards
SILVER SPRING, MD—M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks received seven awards from the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association (MRPA) last week, including the Citation Award, the highest honor, presented to M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks Enterprise Division Chief Christine Brett.
Montgomery Parks Enterprise Division Chief Christine Brett
Brett was selected by peers from thousands of park and recreation personnel across the state for her service to the park and recreation profession. She oversees numerous facilities across Montgomery Parks, including ice rinks, tennis, and event centers; a campground; a splash park; two boating centers; and a miniature train, among other facilities. Christine has been a member of MRPA for 29 years, assuming increasing levels of responsibility including serving as the Association’s president in 2001-2002, as well as mentoring many young people entering the field.
In addition, Montgomery Parks received the following MRPA awards:
- Planning and Design with Environmental Protection in Mind Award for the stream restoration project at Maydale Conservation Park featuring improvements to pedestrian bridges and a fish ladder to protect and restore 1,600 feet of the stream
- MRPA Therapeutic Recreation Branch Volunteer Award for a program in cooperation with Ivy Mount School, Inc., at Locust Grove Nature Center
- Best Program Guide for the “GUIDE to Recreation and Parks Programs,” produced by both the Montgomery County Recreation Department and M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks
- Best Website for the Connect with Parks website which provides a gateway for visitors to the Department’s broad array of communication channels from Facebook and YouTube to a monthly e-newsletter and “How are we doing?” survey
- Best Logo for the Parks Green Thumb logo developed for Energy Savings/Efficient projects throughout the parks
- Best Social Media Site for The Brookside Gardens YouTube Channel featuring over 80 videos with Gardening How-To Projects, Plant Identification, and Best Practices in Green Matters
“We are so pleased to be honored by MRPA as the best in Maryland,” said Mary Bradford, Director, M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks. “This recognition is a testament to the quality work of our staff and the dedicated members of our community. We know parks matter to Montgomery County residents, and we are pledged to providing safe, clean, high-quality parks to meet their needs.”
In addition to the MRPA awards, Montgomery Parks received the Maryland People Loving And Nurturing Trees (PLANT) Community Award from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Service, and the Maryland Community Forestry Council for tree planting and tree care efforts. Also, The 28th Annual Wheaton and Kensington Chamber of Commerce Community Award will be presented to Montgomery Parks’ Brookside Gardens at an event on April 18th.
Montgomery Parks’ employees received special honors as well. Martin Luther King Park maintenance worker Oliver Manuel was recognized by the Montgomery County Executive with the “Everyday Hero” Award for his quick actions alerting residents of a house fire and escorting them out of the building.
Finally Maryland-National Capital Park Police Communications Supervisor Deborah Hagberg received the APCO-International Public Safety “Communications Center Director of the Year” Award for 2012.
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SILVER SPRING – The County Council’s decision last week to approve a redevelopment plan for Wheaton includes relocating the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission-Montgomery County staff from offices in Silver Spring to downtown Wheaton.
Moving the Planning Board, Planning Department and administrative functions of the Department of Parks to a consolidated Wheaton headquarters would both improve the agency’s efficiency and help boost the local Wheaton economy, says Planning Board Chair Françoise Carrier. Moreover, she says that the effort invested between planners and the Silver Spring community two years ago in designing a new headquarters at the agency’s current site on Georgia Avenue is time well spent, as much of that knowledge can be transferred.
MNCPPC-Montgomery County headquarters potential location
Councilmembers last week approved a Wheaton redevelopment plan that features a 150,000- square-foot headquarters building for M-NCPPC on a parking lot bounded by Reedie Drive, Triangle Lane and Grandview Avenue. If it were to move forward, the project would take place in phases, and would be funded as part of the six-year county Capital Improvements Plan starting in 2013.
Three years ago, staff from the Department of Parks and Planning Department oversaw an effort to redevelop the MNCPPC-Montgomery County headquarters on Georgia Avenue into a new, mixed-use development called Silver Place. Silver Place would have housed both departments – now in separate office buildings about a mile apart – as well as the Planning Board.
The Silver Place plan called for structured parking and residences built on what is now a surface parking lot. A week-long public design workshop involved residents from Silver Spring, who reached consensus on how the property might develop. The workshop resulted in a set of goals, such as an emphasis on great design and a spacious public park populated with mature oak trees.
The Silver Place plans fell victim to the recession. Three years later, with changing priorities and an improving economic climate, Council members support moving the agency to Wheaton as a way to jumpstart the community’s economy with an infusion of more than 400 workers. In addition, officials hope the steady stream of customers who regularly visit the agency also will support the Wheaton community.
In Silver Spring, development of United Therapeutics, which has transformed Spring Street near the M-NCPPC headquarters, will help bring new office workers into the area, offsetting the economic impact of the agency’s potential move.
If the move takes place as proposed, the Planning Board will consider the possible sale of the Silver Spring property to help finance the new headquarters, or its possible use by another government agency. The Board will encourage any potential purchaser of the Georgia Avenue site to take into serious consideration the recommendations of the community design workshop in forming their redevelopment plans.
The potential new agency headquarters would also benefit from the work completed as part of the Silver Place project, such as a series of design and space requirements, planners said.
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NORTH BETHESDA, MD— Take “A Walk in Father Henson’s Footsteps” as M-NCPPC, Montgomery Parks offers free tours and a spoken word poetry event to celebrate Black History Month at Josiah Henson Special Park, 11420 Old Georgetown Road.
Learn about the extraordinary life of Reverend Josiah Henson, whose autobiography inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famous novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, during FREE guided tours of the Josiah Henson Special Park. Tours will be offered each Saturday, February 4, 11, and 18 between 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm. On Saturday, February 25 tours will be offered between 12:00 noon and 3:00 pm. Visitors will also retrace the footsteps of Reverend Henson from enslavement to escape on the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada, and walk the grounds where Henson toiled as a slave on the Isaac Riley plantation.
“Reverend Josiah Henson was an extraordinary man,” said Shirl Spicer, Museum Manger for M-NCPPC, Montgomery Parks. “He was a slave, a preacher, an Underground Railroad fugitive and conductor, an entrepreneur; an author…the list goes on and on. This tour will be a fantastic way for children, adults and groups of all ages to learn about Josiah Henson and Montgomery County’s rich African American heritage.”
The Department of Parks will close out its Black History Month celebration at Josiah Henson Special Park on Saturday, February 25, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm with a special poetry event, “Lyrical Rhythms: The Sounds of Freedom.” Tours will not be conducted during the event.
Poets are invited to create their own “sounds of freedom” in the form of original poetry focused on any of the following themes: slavery, freedom, Underground Railroad, Reverend Josiah Henson, “Uncle Tom,” Civil War, or any other topics related to the African American experience. During the event, poets will read their original works. A reception with light refreshments will immediately follow.
For more on these upcoming events and volunteering, see www.JosiahHensonSite.org or call M-NCPPC, Montgomery Parks Museum Manager Shirl Spicer at 301-650-4373.
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Guided Tours: “A Walk in Father Henson’s Footsteps”
Saturdays, February 4, 11, 18, 2012
12:00 noon – 4:00 pm
Saturday, February 25, 2012
12:00 noon – 3:00 pm
Josiah Henson Special Park
11420 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda
Cost: FREE
More information: www.JosiahHensonSite.org
Poetry Event: “Lyrical Rhythms: The Sounds of Freedom”
Saturday, February 25, 2012
3:00 – 4:00 pm
Josiah Henson Special Park
11420 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda
Cost: FREE
More information: www.JosiahHensonSite.org
Parking for these events is available only at the Shriver Aquatic Center, 5900 Executive Boulevard (about 1.5 blocks away).
SILVER SPRING, MD—M-NCPPC- Montgomery Parks Director Mary Bradford announced today that the Riley/Bolten House, a historic structure located within Josiah Henson Special Park, has been added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places.
Named for its former owners, the original structure was built between 1800-1815. It once stood at the center of the 260+ acre Isaac Riley Farm where the Reverend Josiah Henson lived and worked as a slave from 1795 to 1830. Josiah Henson escaped to freedom via the Underground Railroad and in 1849 wrote his autobiography. Henson’s life story served as the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famed Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
“The Riley/Bolten House is the only remaining structure associated in the United States with the Reverend Henson and, as such, is a critical piece of our African American history,” said
Shirl Spicer, Museum Manager for the Montgomery Parks. “Preserving this important structure will allow future generations to learn about slavery in Montgomery County and to touch actual pieces of history.”
Throughout its 200+ year history, the Riley/Bolten House was sold and modified several times, including the 1850-1851 addition of a log kitchen with loft above. The house also underwent a major renovation between 1936 and 1939 when a prominent architect was commissioned to renovate the main house in the Colonial Revival style. The Riley/Bolten House, therefore, has historic significance from multiple periods of architectural history, and boasts original features including fireplaces and some decorative trim.
In 2006, the site was sold to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission so that the property, designated as a local historic site in 1979, could be opened to the public. M-NCPPC- Montgomery Parks currently opens the 2–acre property and house for tours and special programs eight time per year, while continuing extensive historical research on the property. Plans are currently underway to transform the Riley/Bolten House into a museum and educational center focusing on Reverend Josiah Henson and the history of slavery in Montgomery County.
In 2009, the M-NCPPC-Montgomery Parks received a $100,000 grant towards the preservation of the Riley/Bolten House through the National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures Grant Program. One of the conditions of the grant was the listing of the structure on the National Register. The grant is being put towards preservation of the structure.
The National Register of Historic Places formally recognizes the historical, architectural, archaeological and cultural significance of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects. In addition to honoring sites that meet the highest criteria for significance, the National Register also encourages preservation of historic properties through planning, public awareness, federal and state tax incentives and grants.
The addition of the Riley/Bolten House to the National Register of Historic Places was spearheaded by M-NCPPC-Montgomery Parks’ Cultural Resources Stewardship Section and supported by the County Executive, the County Council, the Planning Board, and the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission. The nomination was submitted to the National Park Service, the keeper of the Register, by the Maryland Historical Trust.
“I am delighted with this national recognition for such an important place,” stated Bradford, “and we welcome visitors to take a tour with us during Black History Month in February.”
Visit www.JosiahHensonSite.org for more information.
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