Dorothy’s Woods dedicated

A brief ceremony was held last month to celebrate the dedication of “Dorothy’s Woods.” The woods on the City-owned parcel of the Washington-McLaughlin property were named for longtime Takoma Park resident and local historian, Dorothy Thomsen Barnes, by City Council Resolution 2016-37. At the dedication, Mayor Kate Stewart presented a copy of the resolution to Ms. Barnes.

The City purchased the land at a tax auction on Jan. 22, 2015. The Takoma Park community supported this action and made more than $53,000 in contributions towards its purchase. The property is home to a diversity of mature trees, birds and other wildlife as well as a natural spring. The preservation of this natural area is important to the community.

Residents requested that the parcel be named “Dorothy’s Woods” in recognition of the relationship between Dorothy Barnes, lifelong resident, local historian, and avid lover of nature, and the property that was behind the house she has lived in nearly all her life.

As per the City Council’s resolution, “naming the area as Dorothy’s Woods serves as recognition of the contributions that Dorothy has made to Takoma Park by telling our story and preserving our history, and moreover, the name will continue the lifelong association between Dorothy and the woods.” The resolution is available for review online at documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/ resolutions/2016/resolution-2016-37.pdf.

This article appeared in the November 2016 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.