Oregon Ridge Park
Encyclopedia
Oregon Ridge Park is a 1043 acres (4.2 km²) park
in Cockeysville, Maryland
. The park features walking and hiking trails, a swimming beach
, a nature center
, picnic and recreation areas, a lodge, and cross-country skiing
and sledding.
The park is the location of an annual Fourth of July celebration, which includes a concert by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
.
during the 1800s.
The park was built on the site of some abandoned Goethite
(iron ore) and marble
quarries
dating back to the 1830s.
The park was previously used for downhill skiing in the 1960s, but warmer temperatures in the region and the cost of artificially producing snow made this usage impractical. Remnants of the lifts are still present, and the main slope is used as a seating area for outdoor concerts.
In 1990, the park acquired the Merryman Tract, which includes the valley of the Baisman Run, expanding to the south of the original park area.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in Cockeysville, Maryland
Cockeysville, Maryland
Cockeysville is a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 19,388 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. The park features walking and hiking trails, a swimming beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
, a nature center
Nature center
A nature center is an organization with a visitor center or interpretive center designed to educate people about nature and the environment. Usually located within a protected open space, nature centers often have trails through their property. Some are located within a state or city park, and...
, picnic and recreation areas, a lodge, and cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
and sledding.
The park is the location of an annual Fourth of July celebration, which includes a concert by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a professional American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland.In September 2007, Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra.The BSO Board...
.
History
The site for the park was originally owned by John MerrymanJohn Merryman
John Merryman was the petitioner in one of the best known habeas corpus cases of the American Civil War, a militia officer during the Civil War, and a Maryland politician.-Early life:...
during the 1800s.
The park was built on the site of some abandoned Goethite
Goethite
Goethite , named after the German polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is an iron bearing oxide mineral found in soil and other low-temperature environments. Goethite has been well known since prehistoric times for its use as a pigment. Evidence has been found of its use in paint pigment samples...
(iron ore) and marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
quarries
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
dating back to the 1830s.
The park was previously used for downhill skiing in the 1960s, but warmer temperatures in the region and the cost of artificially producing snow made this usage impractical. Remnants of the lifts are still present, and the main slope is used as a seating area for outdoor concerts.
In 1990, the park acquired the Merryman Tract, which includes the valley of the Baisman Run, expanding to the south of the original park area.