Accokeek Foundation celebrates its 50th year

In 1957 the Accokeek Foundation was built on a hope that new development would not chase out history in southern Prince George's County and that vision has carried the environmental preservation group far beyond the shores of the Potomac River.

Now in its 50th year, the foundation — a non-profit that seeks to protect and educate people about the rich land resources in the area — will celebrate its growth during a series of events this month.

''It's very relaxing. It's gorgeous," said Julie Brunton, spokeswoman for the foundation, adding that the group's site near Piscataway Park offers an intensive enrichment.

''It's an afternoon well spent. Kids don't even realize they're learning until it's too late."

Throughout the week of June 18, a series of events are scheduled to celebrate the anniversary. A Native American workshop will be offered to children ages 8 to 12. On June 21, the Captain John Smith shallop, a recreation of the explorer's 1608 expedition, will dock near the foundation's center to offer information and kayak trips to interested residents. Trips will be offered hourly on June 21 with a sunset voyage planned and hourly on June 22. At 3 p.m. on June 24, Gabrielle Tayac, a member of the Piscataway Nation, will give a lecture about the history of Native Americans.

The Accokeek Foundation was originally created as a response to development in southern Maryland.

''It was created to protect the view [of Mount Vernon] so they would see what George Washington presumably would have seen," Brunton said.

And so far, the organization is blazing a clear trail along the continuum of its vision.

''The original idea was established because they had originally talked about building a power plant over there," said Kathy Talbot, special events coordinator for the foundation.

''People on this side of the [Potomac] river decided they don't want to live with a power plant in the area."

Now, the foundation is steward to 200 acres of land in Piscataway Park where it hosts the National Colonial Farm, a recreation of a working middle-class tobacco farm, an eight-acre ecosystem farm where farming hopefuls can learn how to plant while protecting the land.

''It's a bit of living history, how people lived off the land, then how we're using the land today so that it will still be around, so that it will not be depleted," Brunton said.

Although the ecosystem farm is not in action for this season, the foundation is getting the soil ready for next year and just had a wind tunnel greenhouse built on the grounds.

Organic vegetables including garlic, figs, squash, eggplant, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and asparagus are grown on the property and are given to a group of people who financially support the growth.
This year's anniversary celebration will also showcase a set of new interpretive signs located around a landscaped area near the site's visitor's center, said Wilbert Corkern, the group's president. The markers will give the history of the area including the story of natives such as Turkey Tayac, a Piscataway chief who is buried near the foundation grounds.

''This is really intended to be an initiative, not just a celebration," he said. ''It's really the incubation of new ideas...[for] our sites."