This park sits across the street from where the home of Daniel Carroll once stood. Mr. Carroll was a member of the second Continental Congress and the Federal Constitutional Convention, and his grave still overlooks the park. This lovely, wooded area between Forest Glen Road and the Capital Beltway contains accessible play equipment, an accessible basketball court, and picnic tables. M-NCPPC acquired Forest Glen Park in 1969.
History: Home of a Pioneering Suffragist
Lavinia Margaret Engle (1892-1979), a lifelong advocate for women’s rights, grew up in her family’s home on this property. She was surrounded by a community of activist women, including her mother. At age 20, Lavinia joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) as a field organizer. This job took her across the country and eventually to France as a NAWSA volunteer during World War I.
After the 19th Amendment ended gender discrimination in voting in 1920, Lavinia went on to lead the state’s League of Women Voters (1921-1936). She also become the first woman from Montgomery County elected to the Maryland House of Delegates (1930) and the first woman appointed to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners (1933). In 1936, she joined the newly created Social Security Board and worked in federal service until her retirement in 1964.
The Engle home remained in the family until 1967. In 1969, The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission acquired the property, and the home was later demolished.
For more on Lavinia Engle, including a video about her life and accomplishments, visit Montgomery Planning’s Historic Preservation Office.