What Is Glen Echo Park?
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 #HelpTheHelpers?
- 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!
How Do I Get There?
7300 MacArthur Boulevard
Glen Echo, MD 20812
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
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!
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