Hoyer, Cardin & Preservation Partners Announce Addition of 73 Acres to Protected Land Across from Mount Vernon

Press Release

Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) and Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) joined the Trust for Public Land, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association and the National Park Service yesterday in announcing the protection of an additional 73 acres of land directly across from George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. The new park land builds on the effort to preserve the historic viewshed along the Potomac River across from Mount Vernon.

"Today's ceremony marks an important achievement for our state, region and nation," said Congressman Hoyer yesterday. "By protecting these 73 acres, not only have we further preserved the Mount Vernon viewshed, we have maintained for future generations this culturally significant and environmentally sensitive land along the Potomac River. I want to commend the Trust for Public Land, the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, the Park Service and the Cullen Family, among others, for their important contributions to this historic effort."

With the strong support of the U.S. Congress, federal funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund was allocated to the National Park Service for the protection of the park land. The newly protected land is comprised of 63 acres that will be incorporated into Piscataway National Park and ten acres that belong to private landowners Tim and Liz Cullen, who have agreed not to develop the land.

"Today Marylanders can celebrate and enjoy the addition of 73 acres to Piscataway Park," said Senator Cardin. "Across the Potomac River, visitors to the Mount Vernon also will benefit because this critical viewshed will be protected forever and will remain just as it was during George Washington's time. I am proud to be here today to help celebrate this dual victory for our environment and our national heritage."

At the event, Joe Lawler, regional director of the National Park Service's National Capital Region lauded the landowners for their role in this protection effort, "It takes a special kind of person to live in such a beautiful place and be willing to share it with the rest of us, and that's just what Tim and Liz Cullen have done."

Two nonprofit partners, The Trust for Public Land and Mount Vernon, spearheaded the land deal. Altogether, the public-private partnership has permanently protected a total of 232 acres along Piscataway Creek, within the historic view from George Washington's estate, as an addition to the Piscataway Park.

"George Washington helped found this great country and led it during its infancy. To protect the view from his estate is to protect a piece of our collective American heritage," said Rose Harvey, senior vice president of The Trust for Public Land.

"George Washington enjoyed his view across the Potomac for some 40 years, and he often pulled furniture out of his parlor to the piazza, where the view was most stunning. It's easy to understand why Washington was always so eager to return to Mount Vernon," said Jim Rees, Executive Director of Mount Vernon.

The land will be managed as part of Piscataway Park, a unit of the National Park Service, consisting of approximately more than 5,000 acres along the Potomac River. Over the years, Rep. Hoyer has helped to secure more than $11 million for the preservation of lands along the Potomac River for the expansion of Piscataway Park. Piscataway Park protects the historic and scenic landscape along the Potomac as seen from Mount Vernon, ensuring that its one-million-plus annual visitors, as well as local residents, can enjoy virtually the same view as did the first president.

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