Last updated: March 3, 2023
Place
Information Panel: From Farm to Theater
NPS / R. Mendoza
Quick Facts
Amenities
2 listed
Benches/Seating, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
From Farm to Theater
"Innumerable people would come out, walk through the woods, pick the laurel, enjoy Wolf Trap. I wanted it shared by many people...when I wasn't around to enjoy it myself." - Catherine Filene Shouse, 1994
This pond is a reminder of the farming culture that dominated lands from the 17th to 20th century, prior to the Park's creation. In the 1930s, Mrs. Catherine Filene Shouse purchased the 53-acre plot known as "Wolf Trap Farm," which grew to become a 168-acre country retreat. Encroaching roads and suburban development inspired Mrs. Shouse to gift her property to the American people in 1964. It became the first and only National Park devoted to the performing arts - a natural enclave for visitors to find spiritual nourishment in theater, music, and the peacefulness of nature.
Today, after centuries of cultivation, native flora and fauna are repopulating the Park. This pond was once a livestock pond, used by cows to cool off during the hot summers. Now, it is teeming with dozens of amphibians, reptiles, and insects.
Mind your manners - Snake Etiquette
Snakes can be spotted basking on rocks in the humid, forested habitats of the park. They are not aggressive but will defend themselves if they feel threatened. The venomous northern copperhead crossbands that camouflage well in the leafy litter. To avoid disturbing our slithery friends, make sure to watch where you step while hiking.
Want to learn more about the natural world found here at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts? Continue along the Wolf Trap Trail to discover the park's wetland, pond, and meadow ecosystems and the plants and animals that call these places home.
"Innumerable people would come out, walk through the woods, pick the laurel, enjoy Wolf Trap. I wanted it shared by many people...when I wasn't around to enjoy it myself." - Catherine Filene Shouse, 1994
This pond is a reminder of the farming culture that dominated lands from the 17th to 20th century, prior to the Park's creation. In the 1930s, Mrs. Catherine Filene Shouse purchased the 53-acre plot known as "Wolf Trap Farm," which grew to become a 168-acre country retreat. Encroaching roads and suburban development inspired Mrs. Shouse to gift her property to the American people in 1964. It became the first and only National Park devoted to the performing arts - a natural enclave for visitors to find spiritual nourishment in theater, music, and the peacefulness of nature.
Today, after centuries of cultivation, native flora and fauna are repopulating the Park. This pond was once a livestock pond, used by cows to cool off during the hot summers. Now, it is teeming with dozens of amphibians, reptiles, and insects.
Mind your manners - Snake Etiquette
Snakes can be spotted basking on rocks in the humid, forested habitats of the park. They are not aggressive but will defend themselves if they feel threatened. The venomous northern copperhead crossbands that camouflage well in the leafy litter. To avoid disturbing our slithery friends, make sure to watch where you step while hiking.
Want to learn more about the natural world found here at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts? Continue along the Wolf Trap Trail to discover the park's wetland, pond, and meadow ecosystems and the plants and animals that call these places home.