Allen Pond Park

This article is about the park in Bowie. For other uses, see Allen Pond Park (disambiguation).
Allen Pond Park

The Allen Pond Gazebo
Type Urban park
Location Bowie, Maryland
Coordinates 38°56′5.5″N 76°44′24″W / 38.934861°N 76.74000°W / 38.934861; -76.74000Coordinates: 38°56′5.5″N 76°44′24″W / 38.934861°N 76.74000°W / 38.934861; -76.74000
Area 85 acres (34 ha)
Founder James Allen[1]
Managed by City of Bowie, Maryland
Open All year

Allen Pond Park is an 85-acre (340,000 m2) multi-use park located in Bowie, Maryland and is part of the Prince George's County Parks and Recreation Department. The park includes an Ice Arena, Amphitheater, boat rentals, Skate Park, 10-acre (40,000 m2) stocked pond, six lighted ballfields, picnic areas and pavilions, walking and biking trails, a lighted basketball court, fitness station and several playground areas. It is also the home of Opportunity Park, which offers 100% accessible experiences at its tot lot, school-aged playground, fitness cluster and fishing.[2] The park has a 39% total wood coverage, with the pond occupying 12% of the park.

Allen Pond

Allen Pond
Location Prince George's County [3]
Coordinates 38°56′01″N 76°44′23″W / 38.9334803°N 76.7398567°W / 38.9334803; -76.7398567 [3]
Type Reservoir [3]
Primary outflows Collington Branch
Surface area 10 acres (40,000 m2)[4]
Surface elevation 112 feet (34 m)[3]

Allen Pond is a ten-acre man-made lake and the centerpiece of this eponymous park. It drains into Collington Branch.[5]

Bass and crappie are frequently taken from the pond.[6] In 1993, several reports of Piranhas being caught in Allen Pond surfaced.[7] At least one was in excess of 11 inches long.[7]

History

The pond and surrounding area was owned by a farmer, James Allen.[1] He and his family raised cattle and tobacco on the property. Allen established the pond as a fishing attraction and sold access as annual shares for ten dollars.[1] The land including the pond was sold to Levitt & Sons, the developer of Belair at Bowie, in 1965 with Allen making a request that the pond and surrounding area become a park for the community.[1]

The Robert V. Setera Amphitheater was built on the grounds in the late 1960s.[8]

See also

External links

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, P.C. (May 2010). "Allen Pond Park Master Plan". City of Bowie, Maryland. p. 7. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "City of Bowie – Allen Pond Park". Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Allen Pond Park
  4. ↑ http://www.cityofbowie.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/5
  5. ↑ "City of Bowie Environmental Infrastructure Action Strategy Plan Staff Findings and Recommendations By Sub-watershed". City of Bowie. p. 38. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  6. ↑ Freed, Martin; Vaskys, Ruta (2008). Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D. C.: An Angler's Guide to More Than 100 Fresh and Saltwater Fishing Spots. Lyons Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0762744459. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Piranha surfaces in Bowie: Flesh-eater caught in pond". Baltimore Sun. 13 May 1993. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  8. ↑ Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, P.C. (May 2010). "Allen Pond Park Master Plan". City of Bowie, Maryland. p. 15. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
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