PGParks History

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PGParks History

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History Lives in Prince George's County! Follow us & find out about upcoming programs & what's new!

Prince George's County was named for Prince George of Denmark, the husband of England's Queen Anne, and is steeped in notable history. History buffs can learn more about the county's intriguing past by visiting historic sites and museums that have been restored and preserved for public use by M-NCPPC. Special events and programs bring history alive for visitors and allow guests to experience history with hands-on activities, geocaching, lectures, workshops, guided tours, living history encampments, African American heritage site tours, teas, scavenger hunts, period dinners and archaeological explorations.

10/22/2026

Join us on November 7 at Concord Historic Site in Capitol Heights for the FREE Maryland Emancipation Day Celebration!

★ Maryland Emancipation Day ★
••• Saturday, November 7 | 12–5 PM
••• FREE | All Ages Welcome
••• Concord Historic Site | Capitol Heights, MD

Experience an afternoon of living history, music, storytelling, food, family activities, and community as we commemorate the abolition of slavery in Maryland.

Through demonstrations, performances, hands-on activities, and storytelling, discover the knowledge and creativity African Americans carried into freedom and used to build lives, families, businesses, and communities.

10/21/2026

📜 Behind the Research: Uncovering Riversdale’s History

This past August, Riversdale Historic Site & Museum staff Gina Lewis and Kaili Lockbeam, along with volunteer Jo Deutsch, spent a day at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis conducting research for Riversdale’s ongoing interpretation and exhibition work.

The team examined original documents, including the 1864 Equity Case following Charles Benedict Calvert’s death, which reveals details about settling and dividing his estate. They also reviewed probate records for George and Charles Benedict Calvert, uncovering how enslaved individuals and families were recorded and transferred through estate proceedings.

The team also explored Montgomery County records for evidence of early 19th-century manumissions.

🔎 Each document brings us closer to understanding the people who lived and worked at Riversdale—and sharing a fuller story of its history.

📚 History is always being uncovered!

https://www.pgparks.com/facilities/riversdale-historic-site-museum

10/19/2026

No need to be scared! This is just a sweet reminder to register for the 27th Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Show at Darnall’s Chance! This year’s theme calls on contestants to bring the nation’s past and present to life in gingerbread! From revolutionary moments to iconic landmarks, entries must depict historic sites, monuments, events, places, or people that helped shape America’s 250th story. Prizes will be awarded to winners in each of the three categories as well as the Viewer’s Choice Awards.

Do not wait! Registration is due by Friday, November 6th. Want to know more about the rules, categories, prizes, and how to enter? Visit our website for all the details! https://www.pgparks.com/facilities/darnalls-chance-house-museum

10/17/2026

As the fall air cools, we pull out our warm sweaters. If we are lucky, someone has made them for us by hand.

Working with fiber is a wonderful endeavor for leisurely chilly days and evenings. Nothing quite brightens the time indoors as quilting, knitting, crochet, rug hooking or felting. Need some inspiration to launch or revitalize a fiber craft? Come to the Montpelier Historic Site & Museum for our annual Regional Textile Showcase featuring a variety of fiber artwork. While visiting Montpelier, you can shop for holiday gifts in our popular Artists’ Boutique.

Details:
November 5 through December 26 (except Nov 26 and Dec 25)
Montpelier Historic Site & Museum, 9650 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, Maryland 20708
Museum open Thursday through Sunday from 10 AM until 4 PM
FREE; All Ages

Call 301-377-7817 or visit pgparks.com/MontpelierMuseum for more information!

10/16/2026

Please join us in welcoming Tonika Berkley to the Historic Resources team within the Natural and Historic Resources Division!

Tonika joins us as our new Inclusive Interpretation Coordinator, bringing more than 20 years of experience working in archives, museums, cultural institutions, historical research, museum education, and curation.

She previously served as the Africana Archivist for Special Collections at Johns Hopkins University’s Sheridan Libraries, where she helped preserve and share Black history through community archives, oral histories, exhibitions, and digital projects. Her work has included collaborations with institutions such as the Walters Art Museum, Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Penn Museum, and Scribe Video Center.

We are excited to welcome Tonika to the team and look forward to the knowledge, experience, and perspective she brings to our work of preserving and interpreting history across Prince George’s County!

Welcome, Tonika! 🎉

10/15/2026

Come visit Parks Archaeology this weekend at the 18th Annual American Indian Festival! 🪶

Join us at Patuxent River Park on Saturday, October 17, from 11 AM–4 PM for a day of cultural celebration, learning, and family fun.

Enjoy:
🎶 Live music and dancing
🛍️ Artisan market
🌮 Native food vendors
🐴 Native American horsemanship demonstrations
🪓 Indigenous tools and technologies
🏹 Archery, spear throwing, arts and crafts, and more!

Be sure to stop by the Parks Archaeology booth to learn how archaeology helps uncover and preserve the stories of the region's Indigenous communities and cultural heritage.

📍 Patuxent River Park
16000 Croom Airport Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

✅ FREE admission
✅ Family-friendly
✅ ASL interpretation available on-site

We look forward to seeing you there!

10/14/2026

Happy National Fossil Day!

Today we celebrate our national fossil heritage through special programs this week at museums, parks, fossil sites, libraries, and other educational venues across the United States.

Established in 2012 through the National Park Service, National Fossil Day allows us to share our love of fossils. Each year a time period is highlighted and for 2026 the Pleistocene or last "ice age" is featured with the National Park Service showcasing the tracks of ice age animals and humans from White Sands National Monument in New Mexico.

In Prince George's County we have found Pleistocene fossils belonging to early wolves, short-faced bears, sabertoothed cats, horses, giant beavers, camels, shrub ox, mammoths and mastodons! Shown here is a mastodon tooth found near the Patuxent River!

10/13/2026

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate Joseline Peña-Melnyk, a Dominican-born Maryland leader whose story reflects the rich intersection of Black, Latino, and Maryland history.

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the Bronx, Peña-Melnyk built a career in public service in Maryland. In 2025, she made history when she became the first Afro-Latina and first immigrant to serve as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.

Her journey from the Dominican Republic to Maryland’s State House is part of the broader story of Afro-Latino contributions to Maryland and the nation.

Learn more about Prince George’s County history:
https://bit.ly/4qon0cZ

¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

10/12/2026

On this Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the Native artists and storytellers who keep traditions alive and shape the future. Through their art and stories, they connect the past to the present and amplify the voices of their communities.

Join us on October 17 at Patuxent River Park for the 18th annual American Indian Festival! Experience immersive storytelling, live music, and both traditional and contemporary dances of Native America.

10/09/2026

🪶Mark your calendars!🪶

The American Indian Festival returns to Patuxent River Park on October 17, 2026, from 11 AM–4 PM.

Enjoy live music, traditional dancing, artisan vendors, Native cuisine, horsemanship demonstrations, archery, arts and crafts, and more. Admission is FREE!

📍 Patuxent River Park, 16000 Croom Airport Rd, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Come celebrate Indigenous cultures and traditions with a day of fun, learning, and community.

Address

Laurel, MD

Website

http://pgparks.com/history

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