Glen Echo Park!

Glen Echo Park
What is it? Glen Echo Park is the nation’s only national amusement park!
What makes it historical? Glen Echo was originally founded as a fancy, European-style subdivision! Originally, this park site was used as a Chautauqua Assembly site, or summer-long educational seminar series, until a malaria scare shut it down! From there, it became a local amusement park, made historical by the electric trolley that reached Glen Echo from Washington, D.C! It was popular during the Roaring 20s and gave hard-rationed Americans some relief during World War II!

To protest the park’s segregation policies in 1960, a group of about 24 students rushed to the historic carousel and refused to leave! They were arrested, but picketing continued until March of 1961 when political maneuvering by Robert Kennedy forced the park to de-segregate or lose funding for their trolley!

How can I Help the Helpers? HERE’S HOW:

  • Volunteer at Glen Echo Park!
  • Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
Where is this place? 7300 MacArthur Boulevard
Glen Echo, MD 20812

From Annapolis: ~45mi (73km) — 0.8hrs
From Baltimore: ~44mi (71km) — 0.8hrs
From Cumberland: ~125mi (202km) — 2.1hrs
From Salisbury: ~130mi (210km) — 2.2hrs

When should I go? The park is open every day from 6:00 AM until 1:00 AM, but you can only ride the carousel between May and September!

Click here to read about my experience in this park!

Glen Echo Park

Glen Echo Park

Glen Echo Park

Click here to see more national parks and monuments!

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