I first mentioned Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park on the blog back in mid-June after the kids and I had just visited the locale in Montgomery County. I’d heard about the park and the Underground Railroad Experience Trail at least a couple of years before that, and it had been on my long list of places to check out. But as the Black Lives Matter movement really began to swell, it moved up. An outing there seemed like a timely experience and educational opportunity for all of us, as well as a good place to go for a socially distanced outing.
The Federal-era manor
The newer Woodlawn Museum
Located in Sandy Spring, MD (just down the road from the popular Adventure Park), Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park offers a glimpse into the area’s past. It contains a Manor House built in the 1800’s and a newer museum “where echoes of the past tell the story of a bustling farm, its community, and those who made a bold bid for freedom on the Underground Railroad.” (That last part is in quotes because it’s straight from the website, as we couldn’t visit the museum ourselves; along with the Manor House, it was — and still is — closed due to Covid.)
But the Underground Railroad Experience Trail alone warrants a visit. At the time we visited, the Montgomery Park’s website had said the trail was part of a network of routes that enslaved people used to escape to freedom. However, it now has been modified to say that “there is no documented evidence that Woodlawn Manor’s property, owners or buildings were involved in the 19th century Underground Railroad.” Regardless, you still can get an idea of what an escape to freedom entailed.
The walk through dense woods and along edges of fields is an interesting, enlightening, and active way to spend time outdoors. It’s about two miles each way — there and back; the trail doesn’t loop — and generally flat and easy for little legs to tramp. During non-covid times, guided tours are available that explain the experience and highlight the conditions enslaved people encountered on the Underground Railroad.
Currently, all hikes are self-guided, but a KFDC reader suggested the great idea to print out the map and an explanation of the trail to bring along for context. With information about timing of escapes, areas along the route best for hiding, obstacles they may have faced, and other noteworthy aspects of the trail, it helps provide insight on the Underground Railroad experience. And it’s an outing everyone should move up on their list.
Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park is located at 16501 Norwood Road in Sandy Spring, MD. The park and trail are open dawn to dusk. Admission is free. Guided tours will be available after park programming begins again.
