Today, as part of my attempt to activate every park in Maryland, I visited two historic locations. This was my first twofer as an activator, so this is a long update. What a nice day to be in a park. The sun was shining, and the temps were high.

# US-0808 Clara Barton National Historic Site

The first park I activated was US-0808, the home of the “Angel of the Battlefield” Clara Barton.

Credit: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress

Clara Barton is fascinating. I see her name often driving around Maryland because of Clara Barton Parkway, but I was oblivious of her story until today.

She founded the first free public school in 1852. She served as a nurse in the civil war. Furthermore, she used her own funds to provide healthcare supplies to the front lines.

After the war she founded the American Red Cross. A house was built for her, and it served as the first permanent headquarters of the American Red Cross. I’ll let park ranger Kevin Patti give you a history on this location.

One of the plaques at her house had an interesting note about Clara Barton, “She gave us the first aid kit, emergency preparedness, and was a pioneer or national disaster relief.” Here’s to you Clara, hams are in your debt.

# US-7975 Glen Echo Nation Heritage Site

The second park was US-7975 Glen Echo National Heritage Site.

This location was originally home to a Chautauqua program, founded in 1891. This activation introduced me to the Chautauqua social movement. The movement was started in 1874 by Methodist Episcopal minister John Heyl Vincent and lasted until the mid-1920s. It was seen as a wholesome, family friendly alternative to the vaudeville circuit.

Eventually, the area was reopened as an amusement park. I found the art deco construction to be quite beautiful. Shortly after the amusement park closed in 1968 it was reopened as and art center. The buildings of the amusements were repurposed as art studios.

Here’s a quick tour someone did on Glen Echo Park:

A historic moment of note is a forgotten milestone in the civil rights movement. On June 30, 1960 when a group of black students from Howard college were arrested trying to ride the Glen Echo Amusement Park’s carousel. They were challenging the whites only policy of the amusement park.

Hundreds from the neighboring communities and from around the area spent the summer picketing the whites only policy of the park. In March 31, 1961, the park became fully integrated.

A documentary called Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round was recently released about the event, that I hope to get a chance to watch.

Today the park was a bit of a ghost-town. Although it was sunny and in the high 50s, there were very few people. I remarked to my kid that it felt like the park was a shell of its former self. It felt quite peaceful.

There were two places I could set up my radio. There was a park bench outside of Clara Barton’s house. I was afraid my radio would be disturbing anyone visiting the house, so that location was out.

Glen Echo Park has a number of park benches that I could have used. The park was so quiet that I was too afraid that I would be disturbing the peace with my CQs.

In addition, those benches were too far from Clara Barton’s house. I didn’t feel like it was fair to claim the twofer from them.

I ended up just setting up in the corner of the parking lot closest to Clara Barton’s house and activating from the car. I’m not a fan of car activations. I hate being crammed in the car and not in nature, but some parks aren’t conducive for that.

Today was the second time using the Gabil Radio GRA-7350TC. I love how compact this antenna is. It allows me to pack everything up in a backpack. For activations like today, where I don’t have the room to throw 65’ of wire in a tree, it is nice to have a vertical that I can fit in a pack with the EFHW.

I hope you enjoyed learning about Clara Barton and Glen Echo Park as much as I did. This activation introduced me to a place I would have likely stayed oblivious to if it wasn’t for POTA. I look forward to revisiting Glen Echo Park in the spring when it is more active.

# Sources

1. Clara Barton Biography
2. Glen Echo Park Details https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cexf8P5PJbo