An Urban Oasis: Rock Creek Park's History and Management

Zenzen, Joan

This administrative history documents the establishment and management of Rock Creek Park (1860s–2015) and places the park’s history within the larger contexts of park management, public use, and natural and cultural resource preservation inside and outside the National Park System. This history builds upon the 1985 administrative history written by National Park Service (NPS) Bureau Historian Barry Mackintosh. Rock Creek Park encompasses Reservation 339 (Rock Creek Park proper) and a total of ninety-nine administrative units under Rock Creek Park management. This administrative history will serve present and future park managers (and NPS employees in other parks and regional offices, along with the general public) by describing the reasoning behind certain decisions and policies and explaining their significance. This information will guide park managers about the history of park issues, how they have been addressed, and how they have changed over time. This history will be comprehensive and thorough but not exhaustive. The report does not describe every event in the park’s history but focuses upon those key resources and issues that have shaped park management. Major Findings Three major themes have informed the management of Rock Creek Park over time: the urban setting, the relationship with the District of Columbia, and the long stretch of different historical time periods. The major findings of this report fit within these three themes: -The urban environmental damage affecting the metropolitan Washington area has likewise taken a toll on Rock Creek Park’s natural and cultural resources, requiring park managers to work with District and other federal agencies. Some examples of significant environmental factors include water quality (stormwater management and sewer leakages and overflows); invasive, non-native vegetation; and overpopulation of white-tailed deer. -The Civil War history of Washington, DC, has shaped planning for transportation (roads, bicycles, walking, and hiking), recreational outlets (parks and trails), and commemorative events (ceremonies at forts and Battleground National Cemetery). Rock Creek Park managers have had to balance the park’s preservation and interpretive role with the need for open space and recreational outlets in urban neighborhoods. -Rock Creek Park’s history has intersected with the racial and economic demographics of the District. Access to Reservation 339 has differed between the western (predominantly white and economically advantaged) and eastern (predominantly populated by people of color of lower economic means) sides. Some Rock Creek Park administrative units, such as Meridian Hill Park and Fort Reno, historically resulted from pushing out African American residents. -Interpretation has responded to the changing educational requirements of area school-aged children. Students, their teachers, and their parents have sought outdoor activities that have ranged from identification of species (1950s and 1960s) to understanding ecological systems (1970s and 1980s) to documenting changes over time (1990s to the present). Interpreters have had to adapt programming to curriculum and state standards, which have shifted with educational priorities. -Friends groups have provided essential support to Rock Creek Park’s administrative units, but they have become siloed with different emphases. Whereas other national park units typically have one friends group that park managers collaborate with, Rock Creek Park has several. These groups separately focus on trails (Potomac Appalachian Trail Club), Peirce Mill, Meridian Hill Park, and Dumbarton Oaks Park, as some examples. Rock Creek Conservancy, which grew out of FORCE (Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment), has broadened its focus from Rock Creek Park proper to include the park’s other units. Rock Creek Park managers must juggle the requests of each friends group while keeping the overall park mission in mind. -Rock Creek Park managers ha

An Urban Oasis: Rock Creek Park's History and Management

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