Josiah Henson Park- Renovation Project
Division: Park Development
Project Description
The Josiah Henson Park is a 3.34-acre park located at 11420 Old Georgetown Road in the Luxmanor Community of North Bethesda. The goal of the park project is to create a museum dedicated to telling the story of resilience and perseverance in overcoming slavery, based on the detailed words and experiences of Josiah Henson – enslaved in Montgomery County for much of his life. The project includes:
- The conversion of the historic Riley/Bolten House into a public museum
- The construction of a new 2,900 SF visitor center with a bus-drop off
- Additional parking on the former Rozier property
- The installation of exhibits that educate and interpret African American History in Montgomery County
- The exhibits will include a first-person narrative of Josiah Henson
Background
In June 2013, the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Josiah Henson Park Facility Plan. The facility plan included the recommendation to rehabilitate Josiah Henson Park including the conversion of the historic house into a museum, the construction of a new orientation building, and a new site design that would make the park more accessible for visitors.
Calendar and Meeting Notes
Links to review meeting notes and presentation materials will be attached to each applicable calendar event as it is scheduled and completed.
| DATE/TIME | DISCUSSION AND MEETING NOTES | LOCATION |
| December 2010 | Planning Board Meeting – Master Plan (Approved) |
M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Building Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| June 6, 2013 | Planning Board Meeting – Staff Report – Facility Plan (Approved) |
M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Building Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| July 2016 | The design team, led by Ziger/Snead Architects, selected to design and permit the project | |
| May 25, 2017 | Community Meeting – |
Luxmanor Citizens Association |
| January 10, 2018 | Community Meeting – |
Friends of White Flint |
| February 5, 2018 | Community Meeting – |
Luxmanor Citizens Association |
| September 17, 2018 | Community Meeting | Luxmanor Citizens Association |
| October 18, 2018 | Community Meeting
Fall general meeting |
Luxmanor Citizens Association |
| October 18, 2018 | Planning Board Meeting – CIP Amendment and Special Appropriation (Approved) – Staff Report |
M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Building 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| October 30, 2018 | Montgomery County Council Public Hearing – CIP Amendment and Special Appropriation |
Council Office Building Third Floor Hearing Room 100 Maryland Avenue Rockville, MD 20850 |
| November 13, 2018 | Montgomery County Council Work Session – CIP Amendment and Special Appropriation (Approved) |
Council Office Building Third Floor Hearing Room 100 Maryland Avenue Rockville, MD 20850 |
| Fall 2018 | Complete construction documents and obtain final permits | |
| February 2019 | Construction begins | |
| January 2023 | Park is Open |
Dates and times are subject to change. Please contact the Project Manager for updates
M-NCPPC Staff Contacts
David Linton, Construction Manager
David.Linton@MontgomeryParks.org
(301) 495-2597
Samantha Shron, Project Manager
Samantha.Shron@MontgomeryParks.org
(301) 495-2542