Odenton Heritage Society August Open House

Summer camps near the water help to define Anne Arundel County’s recreational heritage, but in the early 20th century, racial segregation often shaped camp identities and childhood experiences. On Sunday, August 4, the Odenton Heritage Society (OHS) 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.