Cultural Landscape Profiles
Catoctin Mountain Park encompasses over 5,800 acres at the easternmost ridge of the Blue Mountains in Frederick County, Maryland. The park bears the imprints of previous land use associated with several eras of development and includes archeological sites related to pre-contact rhyolite quarrying by Native Americans and resources related to early development of the iron industry in the U.S., various New Deal programs, and Jobs Corps. Originally established as a Recreational Demonstration Area (RDA), Catoctin Mountain Park was transferred to the National Park Service in 1936. The RDA program was created to transform marginal farmland near urban areas into parks. The Catoctin Mountain RDA, one of about 46 nationwide, was designed in a rustic style of park architecture specifically generated by National Park Service architects in the 1930s.
Today, the Camp Greentop and Camp Misty Mount cultural landscapes remain as a lasting legacy of the RDA program. Camp Greentop was among the first facilities in the U.S. built explicitly for individuals with disabilities. Groups can reserve Camp Greentop, while individual cabins are available for rental at Camp Misty Mount.
Historic Structure and Cultural Landscape Reports
Discover NPS reports about the historic structures and cultural landscapes of Catoctin Mountain Park.
Source: Data Store Saved Search 4846 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
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Catoctin Mountain ParkLast updated: October 17, 2021