Wheaton Regional Park

Wheaton Regional Park is a public park and county-designated protected area, located in Wheaton, Maryland. It is operated and managed by Montgomery County Parks (Montgomery Parks), a division of a bi-county agency, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M–NCPPC), which serves both Montgomery and Prince George's counties in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of the state of Maryland.[4] The park was established in 1960, incorporating several large parcels of land into one of the county's largest parks, at the size of 538.7 acres (218.0 hectares).[1]

Wheaton Regional Park
Wheaton Park
Fall reflections, November 2019
Park outline
TypePublic park and protected area
LocationWheaton, Maryland, U.S.
Nearest cityWashington, D.C.
Coordinates39°03′04″N 77°02′35″W[1]
Area538.665 acres (217.990 hectares)
Elevation407 ft (124 m)
Established1960 (1960)
Owned byM–NCPPC
Operated byMontgomery Parks
OpenSunrise to sunset
StatusOpen all year
WaterPine Lake and ponds
Budget$5,000,000 (FY19) (including improvements)[2]
Parking6 lots[3]
Connecting transport
[3]
Facilities
  • Brookside Gardens
  • F. Frank Rubini Athletic Complex
  • Wheaton Sports Pavilion
  • Brookside Nature Center
  • Wheaton Indoor Tennis Facility
  • Wheaton Ice Arena
  • Wheaton Miniature Train
  • Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel
  • Wheaton Riding Stables
  • Wheaton Regional Park Picnic Areas
  • Wheaton Regional Park Trails
  • Adventure Playground
  • Montgomery Dog Park
Websitewww.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/wheaton-regional-park/

Brookside Gardens
View inside conservatory
Main article: Brookside Gardens

A public display botanical garden, Brookside Gardens, popular as a location for wedding couple photography, which utilizes an online reservation system for that purpose, is located on a 54-acre (21.85 ha) portion of the park, having expanded over time from its initial footprint of 24 acres (9.71 ha) in 1969.[5][6] The gardens are known in the Washington metropolitan area for its seasonal Winter Garden of Lights show, garden railway exhibit, and Wings of Fancy live butterfly exhibit, along with its two perennial conservatories which house and cultivate tropical species.[7][8][9][10][11][12]

Park facilities

The park is delineated into three named areas based upon the particular area's proximity to one of Wheaton Regional's three main entrances: the Shorefield Area for the Shorefield Road entrance, the Glenallan Area for the Glenallan Avenue entrance, and the Orebaugh Area for the Orebaugh Avenue entrance. Brookside Gardens is located in the Glenallan Area.[3]

Montgomery Parks provides various recreational facilities and activities at Wheaton Regional Park. These include:[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][3]

  • F. Frank Rubini Athletic Complex (Orebaugh Area)
  • Wheaton Sports Pavilion (Orebaugh Area)
  • Brookside Nature Center (Glenallan Area)
Naturalist-led educational offerings
Local natural history exhibits
  • Pine Lake (Shorefield area)
Fishing permitted
  • Wheaton Indoor Tennis Facility (Orebaugh Area)
  • Wheaton Ice Arena (Orebaugh Area)
Ice skating and instruction
Ice hockey
  • Wheaton Miniature Train (Shorefield area)
Purchase of tickets required for train rides
  • Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel (Shorefield area)
On loan to Wheaton Regional Park; its ultimate home is Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park[24][25]
Purchase of tickets necessary for carousel rides
  • Wheaton Riding Stables (Glenallan Area)
Escorted and guided trail rides
Novice through advanced lessons in an indoor riding arena or outdoor facility
Children's summer camps
Boarding of horses
  • Wheaton Regional Park Picnic Areas (Shorefield area)
Eight picnic shelters, reservation and permit required; each one accommodates up to 40 people.
Grills, picnic tables, and other picnic related amenities available on a first-come, first-served basis
  • Wheaton Regional Park Trails (Shorefield area)
  • Adventure Playground (Shorefield area)
  • Montgomery Dog Park (Orebaugh Area)

Park history
Harper family homestead

The park includes the Harper Family Log House, as part of its Brookside Nature Center.[26][27] This 1½ story log cabin, historically known as the Richard Thomas Harper House, was built in the 1870s, in Poolesville, Maryland, located in western Montgomery County.[26][27] In 1976, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M–NCPPC) dismantled the house and reassembled it in Wheaton Regional Park, to serve as an exemplar of a pioneer cabin, for the United States Bicentennial.[26] Throughout the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries, the log house was the home of an African-American landowning family. It consisted of one downstairs room and two upstairs rooms. It had a large stone fireplace with a brick stack. The parents in the family raised a total of 15 children in this three room house, although not all of the children lived there at the same time.[26]

The park is also the home to the Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel and a miniature train. The Herschell Spillman carousel, constructed in 1915, by the Herschell Spillman Company, in North Tonawanda, New York, operated as the Smithsonian Carousel on the National Mall from April 12, 1967, until 1981.[25][28][29][30] The musical carousel has 33 jumping horses, three zebras, and two chariots.[19][30] It was purchased by the M–NCPPC and is on loan to Wheaton Regional Park, with its future home designated to be the Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park, in Clarksburg, Maryland, which is located in northern Montgomery County.[24]

The Wheaton Miniature Train is a replica of 1863 C. P. Huntington engine and passenger cars; it takes passengers on a short tour of the park.[19][30] The train and carousel operate weekends only in April and September and daily from May through August.

References
  1. "Parks and Trails Atlas of Montgomery County, MD". mcAtlas.org. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  2. "Montgomery County Maryland Capital Budget: Wheaton Regional Park Improvements". Apps.MontgomeryCountyMd.gov. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  3. "Wheaton Regional Park Map" (PDF). MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  4. "Montgomery County — Our Departments — The Maryland–National Park and Planning Commission". MNCPP.org. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  5. "Brokside Gardens History". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  6. "Photo Policy & Permits : Brookside Gardens". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  7. Dalphonse, Sherri (July 22, 2019). "7 Insta-Worthy Parks That Look Amazing in Bloom: The Editor of Washington Gardner Magazine Shares a Few of Her Favorites". The Washingtonian. ISSN 0043-0897. LCCN 76007779. OCLC 37264488. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  8. Brookside Gardens. DC Gardens. May 5, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2019. ...slide show of Brookside's popular Garden of Lights and Garden Railway Exhibit, and visitor information.
  9. Brookside Gardens at the Holidays. DC Gardens. December 29, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2019. The highlights of Brookside’s popular holiday happenings are its Walk of Lights and Train Show.
  10. "Garden of Lights Celebrates its 20th Year Display". MontgomeryParks.org. November 19, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  11. "Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  12. "Glenallan Area : Brookside Gardens". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 19, 2019. Brookside Gardens is a 50-acre, award-winning horticultural display garden that includes an indoor conservatory complemented by changing displays of new and interesting plants and gardens. Educational programs for children and adults are offered. Seasonal programs include the Wings of Fancy live butterfly exhibit and the Garden of Lights Show.
  13. "Wheaton Regional Park Athletic Complex". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  14. "Wheaton Sports Pavilion". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  15. "Brookside Nature Center". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  16. "Wheaton Regional Park Pine Lake". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  17. "Wheaton Indoor Tennis". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  18. "Wheaton Ice Arena". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  19. "Wheaton Miniature Train and Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  20. "Wheaton Riding Stables". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  21. "Wheaton Regional Park Picnic Areas". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  22. "Wheaton Regional Park Trails". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  23. "Shorefield Area : Adventure Playground". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  24. "Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park Facility Plan : Background". MontgomeryParks.org. August 31, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2019. The park was a donation from Hallie Wells in 1981 in honor of her husband, Ovid. Included in the deed, as a part of the gift was a stipulation that a carousel, currently serving Wheaton Regional Park in Wheaton, Maryland, have its final location in the Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park.
  25. Jones, Devry Becker (November 26, 2017). "Welcome to Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel at Wheaton Regional Park Historical Marker". The Historical Marker Database. Photo ID 405778, marker ID 110629. Retrieved January 19, 2019. Welcome to OVID HAZEN WELLS CAROUSEL at Wheaton Regional Park. This carousel, circa 1915, was operated by Jim Wells on the National Mall for many years as the Herschell-Spillman Carousel. It was purchased and renamed by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission as part of the dedication of the Ovid Hazen Wells Park in Clarksburg, Maryland. On March 6, 1981, Mrs. Hattie Wells donated her farm to become the Ovid Hazen Wells Park, in memory of her husband, Ovid Hazen Wells. The Ovid Hazen Wells Park is the future home of this wonderful carousel, currently on loan to Wheaton Regional Park. Montgomery Parks M–NCPPC. MontgomeryParks.org.
  26. McDaniel, George W.; Stubbs, Wesley (September 1987). Richard Thomas Harper House (Site) : Maryland Historical Trust Inventory Form for State Historic Sites Survey (PDF). Sugarloaf Regional Trails. Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved January 19, 2019. ...late 18th century—early 19th century (built).
  27. "Glenallan Area : Brookside Nature Center". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 19, 2019. The Harper 1870s Cabin...
  28. Toda, Mitch (April 11, 2013). "A Favorite – The Smithsonian Carousel". siarchives.si.edu/blog. Smithsonian Institution Archives. Retrieved January 19, 2019. ...on April 12, 1967, the Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley opened a carousel in front of the Arts and Industries Building. The first carousel was built in 1922 by the Allan Herschell Company and was accompanied by a 153 Wurlitzer Band Organ. Due to wear and tear that carousel was replaced in 1981 with a carousel from Baltimore's Gwynn Oak Amusement Park.
  29. Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. Smithsonian Carousel. Histories of the National Mall. Retrieved January 19, 2019. In 1967, Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley opened a carousel on the Mall. Built in 1922, the carousel featured music played by a Wurlitzer organ. In the photo, Ripley celebrated its 10th anniversary on the Mall. By 1981, the carousel was too difficult to repair and it was replaced by a larger one that remains today. The current carousel originally ran in Baltimore's Gwynn Oak Amusement Park. Date 04/12/1967 (dedicated). 1981 (replaced).
  30. "Montgomery Parks' Miniature Trains". MontgomeryParks.org. Retrieved January 19, 2019. The beautiful Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel was built by the Herschell Spillman- Company of Tonawanda, New York in 1915. It features 33 jumping horses, three zebras and two chariots.
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