National Register of Historic Places

Glen Echo Park Historic District

Glen Echo, Montgomery County, Maryland
Listed
June 7, 1984
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
84001850

About this property

Glen Echo Park is an arts and cultural center in Glen Echo, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Located about 9 miles (14 km) northwest of the city's downtown area, the park's site was initially developed in 1891 as a National Chautauqua Assembly. After the foreclosure and sale of the Chautauqua grounds in 1903, leisure facilities were developed there to serve the city's growing population. In 1911, the site was expanded to become the privately owned Glen Echo Amusement Park, a popular facility that operated until 1968. The National Park Service (NPS) now operates the park, which functions as a regional cultural resource when offering classes, workshops, dances and performances in the visual and performing arts. The park is known for its Streamline Moderne architecture, an antique Dentzel carousel and its historic Spanish Ballroom, as well as for its children's theater and social dance programs. Visitors also come to the park to participate in its festivals and events, which include the Washington Folk Festival and a Family Day. The NPS maintains a visitors center and conducts park history tours. More than 350,000 people attend events and participate in instructional activities at the park during each year.

Location

Glen Echo, Montgomery County, Maryland
38.96611, -77.14332

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONEDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Glen Echo Park Historic District

This page lists Glen Echo Park Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Clara Barton National Historic Site
Early Republic
0.2 mi
Carousel at Glen Echo Park
Industrial
0.3 mi
Chautauqua Tower
Industrial
0.3 mi
Cabin John Aqueduct
Industrial
0.5 mi
Krieger, Seymour, House
Industrial
0.8 mi

Nearby Battles

DC Defenses — Fort DeRussy Engagement 1864
1864Civil War
4.5 mi
Lewinsville Skirmish
1861Civil War
4.7 mi
Fort Stevens — Early's Attack on Washington (July 11-12, 1864)
1864Civil War
5.8 mi
Mosby's Raid at Falls Church
1863Civil War
6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Glen Echo Park Historic District listed on the National Register?

Glen Echo Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Glen Echo Park Historic District?

Glen Echo Park Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Glen Echo Park Historic District?

The period of significance for Glen Echo Park Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Glen Echo Park Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Glen Echo Park Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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