An open house is scheduled for April 25 to explore ways to bring the Claude Moore Colonial Farm back into operation/NPS file
After months in limbo, the Claude Moore Colonial Farm could eventually reemerge into the public eye once the National Park Service envisions how the 69-acre operation could be brought back to life.
The farm located not far from Washington, D.C., went quiet in mid-December when the Park Service closed it after failing to come to terms with Friends of Claude Moore Colonial Farm on how to operate the window into the past.
The working agreement between the two organizations expired in 2006 and had been renewed on a temporary basis on a number of occasions since then while efforts were made to reach a long-term operating agreement. The friends group didn't like the terms; the contract was for 10 years and contained limitations on what interpretive materials could be sold on site and a requirement that the Park Service approve what could be sold.
At the time the friends group also suspected that the Park Service was "under pressure from developers, including Fairfax County (Virginia), to repurpose this land for development.”
Last May, Park Service spokeswoman Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles told the Traveler that the Park Service wanted the farm's interpretive mission to endure, and that the terms the agency offered Friends of Claude Moore were not unusual. Since 2001 the Park Service had given the friends group almost $1.3 million to operate the farm, and has spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars to design a sewerage system for the farm, conducted safety and food inspections, and has shared road maintenance, such as snow-removal, with the friends group," said Anzelmo-Sarles at the time.
On April 25, the Park Service will launch a public planning effort and invite the community, former farm volunteers, and any interested parties to share their vision for the park’s future.
“We want to hear everyone’s ideas about how they would like to enjoy the park,” George Washington Memorial Parkway Superintendent Charles Cuvelier said. “Should we offer farm activities, return the area to its natural state, provide connections to neighboring trail systems or something else altogether?”
To kick-off a public comment period, the Park Service will host an open house from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on April 25 in classroom 7 at the Madison Community Center located at 3829 N Stafford St. Arlington, Va. People will also have the opportunity to provide feedback online or via mail beginning April 25. After gathering information, the Park Service plans to develop a range of concepts for future use and enjoyment of the Claude Moore farm area of Turkey Run Park.
The outcome of the effort will be a plan that contains a range of refined concepts that could then be considered as options for the Park Service to implement. It's likely that actions would require additional environmental and historic preservation compliance prior to implementation, a Park Service release said. The agency will not pursue any kind of commercial development, the release added.
The 69-acre Claude Moore farm area is within Turkey Run Park, one of many sites managed by the National Park Service along the George Washington Memorial Parkway
Comments
I would love for the Claude Moore Colonial Farm to come back to our area! It was an invaluable learning experience and one of our favourite family haunts, especially when they held their market fairs. The children really enjoyed seeing the live animals and learning about traditions such as making an orange pomander for Christmas, dipping candles, having their silhouettes taken, and much more. I really hope to see it again in our area soon!
Diana Mariotti
Claude Moore Farm was a treasure. The volunteer group did fantastic work in presenting history in an authentic and accessible manner. It is too bad that the public lands are not being used for this public purpose any more. it would be wonderful to see it in operation again
A number of issues have surfaced over the past few years. There have been issues about how history, heritage, and political or even religious viewpoints have been presented in the parks; there have been questions of possible financial, political, or even religious problems within park "friends" groups, including Yellowstone Forever; and there have been possible conflicts between NPS mission drivers and real estate or other development interests, including questions recently raised at Grand Canyon. In this context, it might be interesting to see a more detailed and candid update on this story.
For example, the article above indicated, admittedly eighteen months ago, that this site was closed in late 2018 when the NPS and the group Friends of Claude Moore Colonial Farm disagreed on how the site should be operated. At least some of the disagreement focused on the interpretive materials that could be sold on the site and a requirement that the NPS approve what could be sold. Apparently there was also some concern that the NPS was "under pressure from developers" to repurpose the site for development. I, for one, would like to know more specific details about these concerns. For example, what materials being sold on the site were in question? What types of materials was the NPS willing to see sold there and what materials was the NPS unwilling to see sold there? Has that disagreement been resolved and, if so, how? Similarly, exactly who was being perceived as putting the NPS "under pressure" to repurpose the site for development and what were the connections that put them in a position to exert such pressure? Are they still in such a position and still exerting such pressure?
The article above also indicated that the NPS was going to "launch a public planning effort" in April of 2019. After nearly eighteen months, has that effort been completed and, if so, what was the outcome?