Master Plan for Josiah Henson Special Park
Project Update
Project Overview
Public Input Needed
Calendar & Meeting Notes
Media Center
Contact the Project Coordinator
Project Update
On Tuesday, June 15, 2010, the public was invited to a meeting to provide input on the future development of Josiah Henson Special Park. Park staff presented a PowerPoint on the story of Josiah Henson, the planning process, draft plan issues and the proposed schedule.
A copy of the Agenda, PowerPoint presentation and the Meeting Notes are available in the Calendar & Meeting Notes below.
The community was asked to list their Visions and Issues for the park and the interpretive programs about Josiah Henson and his life. The community was then asked to vote for their top 3 issues and top 3 visions. See the compiled list of input from all the groups and the votes for each (attached public input).
Your input will be used to help us develop a concept for the park, which will be available at a later date for additional public review on this web site. To submit written comments or requests for more information contact:
- Rachel Newhouse, Project Coordinator
Montgomery County Department of Parks
1109 Spring Street, Suite 800, Silver Spring, MD 20910
E-mail: Rachel.Newhouser@MontgomeryParks.org
Phone: (301) 650-4368
Project Overview
Background
The Josiah Henson Site (formerly called the Riley Farm/Uncle Tom's Cabin Special Park) is a 1.43 acre Montgomery County historical cultural park located at 11420 Old Georgetown Road in N. Bethesda near the intersection of Tilden and Nicholson Lanes. The park contains a historic house and a small portion of a former large, slave-holding plantation owned by Isaac Riley. This project will prepare a Master Plan to convert the property and house into a public museum dedicated to the topic of slavery and the life of Reverend Josiah Henson, whose 1849 autobiography of slave life on the Riley plantation inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s famous novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Purpose of the Plan
Park Planning and Stewardship staff will lead the project that will conclude with a Planning Board hearing. The master planning process will identify the following:
- Overall vision for interpretation and public use of the site;
- Interpretive themes presented at the site;
- Opportunities and constraints of a small site in a residential neighborhood
- Safe pedestrian and vehicular access
- Parking and signage needs
- Additional park activities that might be accommodated such as picnicking, gathering, strolling through the park, etc.
- Short term and long term visitation needs
- Funding scenarios including the costs of maintenance, operations and policing
- Site development phasing
The work will also identify a Program of Requirements (POR)for the facility and target Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Sustainable Site Initiative (SSI) credits for future work at the site.
The Josiah Henson Site is comprised of two adjacent properties. The first, at 11420 Old Georgetown Road, is the historically significant property purchased in 2006. It includes an 1800-1815 wood frame, two-story house and an 1850 one-story log cabin wing, both remodeled in 1936 by architect Lorenzo Winslow. It also includes a detached one-car garage that is not historically significant, several mature trees, and landscaping that primarily dates to the second half of the 20th century.
The property is designated as an individual resource on the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation and is protected under local preservation law as a Historic Site where exterior and site changes require review by the Historic Preservation Commission. The property is in the process of being determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The second property, at 11410 Old Georgetown Road, was purchased in July 2009. Its house and garage were constructed in 1961 and are not historically significant. Alternatives to improve and develop the property as a historic cultural park will encompass work on both properties.
For more information on this park visit JosiahHensonSite.org. Here you will find information regarding opportunities to tour the property, additional historic background information and the Historic Structure Report (2008) for the farmhouse and cabin.
Public Input Needed
Ideas from the Public will be welcome throughout the process and there are a number of opportunities for input. Have your voice heard! Send the project coordinator your ideas and feedback as the Plan progresses.
This web site will provide information on the project schedule, upcoming meetings, planning process updates and plan documents. Staff will rely on the web site to keep citizens updated on the Plan. Interested citizens and civic groups are encouraged to become part of our e-mail lists. For those interested in the plan who do not have e-mail, information will be mailed and press releases will be used to publicized plan meetings.
Calendar & Meeting Notes
The calendar will be updated as more community meetings and events are planned for this project. Digital copies of the Plan Concept, Meeting Notes and Planning Board Memo will be attached to its calendar event when completed.
Date | Time |
Discussion Topic & Meeting Notes | Location |
|---|---|---|
2010 |
||
May-June |
Staff development of park concept to be presented to the public. Public meeting noticing. Introductory PowerPoint (PDF, 100kb) | |
| Tuesday, |
Public Meeting #1 - Community Kick-off meeting to identify visions and issues for the project. |
Tilden Middle School |
Summer |
Staff Draft Concept Plan development based on research and community input. | Contact the project Coordinator. |
July 26 |
CANCELLED |
Please check the Parks Calendar for the new date and time. |
| RESCHEDULED Tuesday, Aug. 24 7-9pm | Community Meeting #2 The public will be able to review the staff response to the public input on issues and visions voiced at the first public meeting. PowerPoint Presentation (PDF, 1.9MB) | M-NCPPC Main Regional Office (MRO) 8787 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
September 16 |
Planning Board Review - Staff Draft of Master Plan presented to Planning Board. Check the Planning Board agenda for times. | M-NCPPC - Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
October 28 |
Planning Board Public Hearing - Montgomery County Planning Board review. . Check the Planning Board agenda for times. | M-NCPPC - Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
| November 11 | Planning Board Work Session and Plan Adoption Approval/Adoption Final Park Master Plan | Please check the Planning Board Calendar for more exact times closer to the meeting. |
Media Center
- June 15, 2010 - WUSA-TV: Uncle Tom's Cabin Turning Into Historical Site and Museum, by Alex Trevino
- June 23, 2010 - The Gazette: Residents Urge Interactivity at Josiah Henson Museum
Contact
Rachel Newhouse, Project Coordinator
Montgomery County Department of Parks
1109 Spring Street, Suite 800, Silver Spring, MD 20910
E-mail: Rachel.Newhouser@MontgomeryParks.org
Phone: (301) 650-4368
www.ParkPlanning.org
back to top - Last update: August 30, 2010
Montgomery County Department of Parks