WHEATON, Md. – Montgomery Parks is opening the doors for tours and hands-on activities at its cultural museums, including the historic Harper Family Cabin at Brookside Nature Center. The special openings are part of Montgomery County’s Heritage Days on June 29-30. The weekend will offer special insights into the history of African Americans and agricultural life in Montgomery County.
All Montgomery Parks Heritage Days activities are free to the public. This is the 25th annual Heritage Days weekend in Montgomery County.
Visit Heritage Montgomery.org for complete details on all 30 scheduled events.
Heritage Days at Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
3610 Brookeville Road, Olney, MD 20832
Augmented reality technology enhances the tour of this restored log cabin that was the center of an African American roadside community in the post-Civil War years. Using a mobile device, visitors can scan QR codes that provide audio tours with details of the community’s history. They will also be able to interact with three dimensional models of objects on their devices. Docent-led tours, storytelling, live music, and hands-on activities will also be featured.
Heritage Days at Agricultural History Farm Park
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 12:00-4:00 p.m.
18400 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD 20855
Three hundred years of farming traditions come into focus at the Agricultural History Farm Park. Visitors will learn about agricultural heritage from costumed historians, children’s activities, and by viewing heritage gardens and farm animals. The site is also a modern farming activity center. The 455-acre Agricultural History Farm Park offers spectacular views of rolling hills, fields, and orchards—a perfect backdrop to learn about the past, present and future of Montgomery County farming.
Heritage Days at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
16501 Norwood Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860
Enjoy free admission to Woodlawn Museum during Heritage Days weekend to learn about Montgomery County’s agricultural history, enslaved and free Black communities, and the Quaker experience. The museum, located in a historic stone barn, features three floors of self-guided exhibits. The Underground Railroad Experience Trail will also be available for self-guided exploration.
Heritage Days at Harper Cabin at Brookside Nature Center
Sunday, June 30, 2024, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
1400 Glenallen Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902
Join us for a look inside this historic log cabin built by Thomas Harper near Poolesville, in 1870. Originally located in the African American community of Jonesville, the cabin was in the Harper family for generations before it was sold and eventually relocated to Montgomery Parks for preservation. Hands-on activities and tours of the one room cabin and nearby homesite will shed light on the lives of African Americans in Montgomery County after the Civil War. The cabin is open to the public for only a few days each year.
Heritage Days at Josiah Henson Museum and Park
Sunday, June 30, 2024, 12:00-4:00 p.m.
11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852
(Parking at Wall Local Park, 5900 Executive Blvd, Rockville MD 20852)
Tour the Josiah Henson Museum and learn about the life of Reverend Josiah Henson. Born into slavery, Henson escaped to freedom, became a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and wrote an autobiography. His life story became the basis of the abolitionist novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The museum on the grounds of the plantation where Henson was once enslaved, depicts the experiences of the enslaved and explores the impact of Henson’s life and Stowe’s novel.
“Many people don’t realize that in addition to parks and playgrounds, Montgomery Parks is taking care of these fantastic cultural resources,” said Miti Figueredo, director of Montgomery Parks. “Heritage Days is a great opportunity for us to invite the public to see these treasured sites and learn more about the history that surrounds us.”
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is focused on promoting physical activity, social connectivity, and environmental stewardship, especially in diverse and urbanizing areas, with an emphasis on teens, working-age adults, and seniors. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. 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.
Accessibility
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.
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