Glen Echo Park Historic District | |
Location | 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, Maryland |
---|---|
Coordinates | 38°57′58″N 77°08′19″W / 38.96611°N 77.13861°W |
Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
Built | 1891 |
Architect | Multiple |
Architectural style | Moderne, Queen Anne, Shingle Style, Spanish Colonial Mission Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 84001850[1] |
Added to NRHP | June 8, 1984 |
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.
Following 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.[2]
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.