People of the ParkMany people have made contributions and were involved in the development of Rock Creek Park and the sites it manages. People significant to the history and development of....
Sarah Louise RittenhouseLifelong Georgetown resident who helped petition congress to save the park land for the people rather than let it be developed. Beatrix FarrandAn acclaimed landscape architect whose designs can still be enjoyed in many cultivated spaces today, she was instrumental in the design of the garden spaces at Dumbarton Oaks. Joshua PeirceJoshua Peirce established the Linnaean Hill estate and created a nursery business in what would become Rock Creek Park.William BeckettBorn enslaved on the Linnaean Hill estate, William Beckett was a vital part of Joshua Peirce's nursery business. He became a businessman in Washington, DC, and was the coachman for President Grover Cleveland. Joshua Peirce KlingleThe adoptive son of Joshua Peirce and last private resident of the Klingle Mansion at Linnaean Hill. Beatrice KlingleBeatrice Klingle was the only child of Joshua Peirce Klingle and was born in what is now the Klingle Mansion at Linnaean Hill.Senator Francis G. NewlandsFrancis G. Newlands was a representative from the state of Nevada who helped found the Chevy Chase community in northwest Washington, DC. He has become a controversial figure in recent years. Though he promoted the formation of the National Park Service and the Bureau of Reclamation, his "White Plank" political platform sought to disenfranchise people of color.Melvin C. HazenMelvin Hazen was the president of the District of Columbia Board of Commissioners from 1934 until his death in 1941. He was responsible for the removal of Reno City, a predominantly Black community in northwest Washington, DC. Anne M. ArchboldA colorful member of Washington society for over 45 years, Anne Archbold donated almost 30-acres of land that would become Glover Archbold Park.Charles Carroll Glover, Jr.Charles Carroll Glover, Jr. was an advocate for Glover-Archbold park remaining a park, open to the public, rather than being developed into a multi-lane highway. |
Last updated: September 6, 2023