Odenton Heritage Society Open House

Summer camps near the water help to define Anne Arundel County’s recreational heritage, but in the early 20^th century, racial segregation often shaped camp identities and childhood experiences. On Sunday, August 4, the Odenton Heritage Society will open a display about Camp Patuxent, a Salvation Army camp on the Little Patuxent River that welcomed African American children from Washington in the 1940s while white children attended a summer camp in Virginia. Camp Patuxent occupied the Salvation Army’s former Happyland fresh air camp, where groups of predominantly white inner-city children had enjoyed rustic quarters and recreational opportunities for two decades before the move to Prince William County. Admission to the OHS Historical Center, which includes a community and railroad history museum, is free. The Center is located at 1367 Odenton Road, and it will be open from 1 pm to 4 pm.