Little Forest Park
Little Forest Park, formerly Francis G. Newlands Park, an undeveloped park located in the District of Columbia neighborhood of Chevy Chase; North of Military Rd., between 28th & 30th Sts., NW. This 8.78 acre (3.55 hectares)[1] site is administered by the National Park Service as a part of Rock Creek Park[2]
| Little Forest | |
|---|---|
| Francis G. Newlands Park | |
  | |
| Location | Military Rd., Between 28th & 30th Sts., NW Washington, D.C. |
| Coordinates | 38°57′43.1″N 77°03′31.3″W |
| Area | 8.78 acres |
| Created | 1942, transferred to NPS in 1948 |
| Operated by | National Park Service, Rock Creek Park |
History
When the District was authorized by Congress in 1790,[3] the land in the area of the park was farmland raising wheat and tobacco, but the park was likely wood land as it was too steep and rough for farming. It remained as farmland until the late 1880s. Beginning in 1887, Francis G. Newlands, later to become a member of United States House of Representatives and United States Senate from Nevada and William Morris Stewart, former Senator from Nevada, began purchasing property west of Rock Creek Park. They formed the Chevy Chase Land Development Company. The founded the neighborhoods of Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C.; and Chevy Chase, Maryland
In 1939 Edith McAllister Newlands, widow of Senator Newlands, died and left 3 acres that she designated by her as "little forest" to the District as a memorial to her husband. In 1942, her estate transferred the property to the District. At the same time, an additional 5.7 acres were also transferred by her daughters. In 1948, the land was transferred to the National Park Service under the condition that it be held in memory of Senator Newlands. It remains as a memorial to the present day.[4]
As of 2011, the National Park Service lists the park as Little Forest - Formerly Francis G. Newlands Park in an inventory of properties in the District.[2]
Landmarks and features
The park remains mostly undeveloped other than a couple of walking trails established by residents in the neighborhood.[4]
References
- "Open Data DC, District Gov Property". dc.gov. Government of Washington DC; Office of the Chief Technology Officer. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
- "Reservation List: The Parks of the National Park System, Washington, DC" (PDF). www.nps.gov. National Park Service; Land Resources Program Center; National Capital Region. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- "Capper-Cramton Act" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- "Archive Record: CCHS Newsletter 2001". www.chevychasehistory.org/. Chevy Chase Historical Society. Retrieved 29 November 2017.