• NPS TOURS & FILMS

    To learn more about ranger-led programs and other National Park Service activities, please visit the NPS website.

     

    Tours

    Glen Echo Park Civil Rights and History Tour
    Monthly on the first Saturday of the month. 10:00am - 10:45am. Meeting at the Dentzel Carousel. 

    Who led the Civil Rights protests to desegregate Glen Echo Amusement Park in 1960? Which amusement park ride was a focal point of the protests? How did Glen Echo Park become part of the National Park System? Explore Glen Echo Park’s history on this 45-minute free walking tour and find out the answers to these questions and more! This 45-minute ranger-led tour starts at the Dentzel Carousel at 10:00am. No registration required.

     

    National Parks Along The Potomac Hike
    Monthly on the second Saturday of the month. 9:30am - 11:30am. Meeting at the Dentzel Carousel. Please e-mail kevin_patti@nps.gov to register for this free program. You may also call, 301-320-1400, if you have any questions.

    This two hour, four mile guided hike starts at the Carousel in Glen Echo Park. We will walk through the park and uncover the story of what was once Washington’s premiere amusement park. Next, we will walk a downhill trail and cross over the C&O Canal where we will learn about African American canal worker, George Pointer. We will walk up-stream before crossing the canal again and ascending the hill to learn about the Union Arch Bridge, part of the Washington Aqueduct. Finally, we will stroll through the town of Glen Echo to Clara Barton National Historic Site where we will discover the history of the house and the story of its famous resident, the founder of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton. Clara Barton NHS is adjacent to Glen Echo Park where the hike started.

    This four mile circuit hike is for the physically fit walker. There is elevation change between MacArthur Blvd. and the C&O Canal. Some sections of unpaved trail are uneven with rocks and tree roots. Please wear comfortable walking shoes. Ample parking is available in the main Glen Echo Park parking lot off Oxford Road.

     

    Carousel Tour
    By reservation only. Call 301-320-1400. At least 3 days advanced notice is required.  

    Where are the carousel's "windows to the past?"  How many carousels are protected by the National Park Service?  Do you know the difference between a merry-go-round and a carousel?  Find out the answers to these questions and much more!  Meet at the carousel.

     

    Park History Tour
    By reservation only. Call 301-320-1400. At least three days advanced notice is required.

    How many people could swim in the Crystal Pool at one time?  How did Glen Echo become part of the National Park Service?  Explore Glen Echo Park's history on this tour and find out the answers to these questions and more.

     

    Films

    "Carousel 100th Anniversary: Glen Echo Park Dentzel Carousel Tour"

    Check out this 22-minute presentation by NPS Ranger Kevin Patti to learn about the history of the Glen Echo Park Dentzel Carousel. Installed in the Park in 1921, the carousel is on the National Register of Historic Places. Thank you to Montgomery History for their collaboration on this project.

     

    "Glen Echo on the Potomac: A Film Documentary"
    Shown by request. Please call 301-320-1400.

    This 60-minute film documentary, created by Kevin Wyrauch, follows the history of the park from its opening as a National Chautauqua Assembly in 1891 through its years as the premier amusement park in the Nation's Capital. The film contains fun footage of the old rides and games, memories of the park, plus rare interviews with some of the civil rights protestors who were instrumental in winning the eventual integration of the Park in 1961.


    "Carousel of Memories"
    Shown by request. Please call 301-320-1400.

    A wonderful film created by local videographer Cintia Cabib about Glen Echo Park's 1921 Dentzel carousel, this 27-minute movie shines a spotlight on six people who have been pivotal in the history of the carousel.


    Civil Rights Video
    Shown by request. Please call 301-320-1400.

    This 5-minute video features a short news story about Gwendolyn (Greene) Britt, a participant in the Civil Rights protests of 1960 at Glen Echo Amusement Park who went on to become a Maryland State Senator, as well as original audio and video from the protests.