Here at Kensington Turtle Pond, where water and wind dance, lies an oasis hidden behind trees. It is a place where turtles might sleep on logs if they were here. The Kensington Turtle Pond offers a serene escape.
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens is home to the Kensington Turtle Pond. The park preserves rare waterlilies and lotuses in cultivated ponds. The park also contains the Kenilworth Marsh, the largest remaining tidal marsh in Washington, D.C. It also has an adjacent recreational area.
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens is a National Park Service site. It is located in the northeastern corner of Washington, D.C. The park sits near the Maryland state border near the banks of the Anacostia River. It’s directly west of the Baltimore–Washington Parkway.
The park is home to diverse biota once native to the region. Amphibians, birds, fish, and insects congregate in the marshland. There are many kinds of plants including wildflowers. A species count noted 650 species of insects and 150 species of land plants. It also found 76 species of birds. There are 18 species of fish, 9 species of mammals, and 8 species of reptiles. Algae, archaeans, bacteria, lichens, mushrooms, and worms also thrive.
The Audubon Society does an annual bird count around December. The count in 2007 found 59 different species of birds. In all, 257 different species of birds have been sighted. These include herons, shorebirds, sparrows, and less common birds. Mammals sighted include beavers, muskrats, minks, deer, foxes, and coyotes. Wetland plants include wild rice and cattails, besides lilies. Sadly, invasive species like snakeheads have been found in the ponds and marshland.
The land was purchased by Civil War veteran Walter B. Shaw in the 1880s. Shaw brought wild waterlilies from his home state of Maine. When the flowers thrived, Shaw brought more plants. He started a commercial attraction called W.B. Shaw Lily Ponds in 1912. In 1921, Shaw’s daughter, Helen Shaw Fowler, took over the business. Dignitaries, including U.S. presidents, visited.
The nearby Anacostia River became filled with silt. The United States Army Corps of Engineers was called in to dredge the river. This threatened the gardens. Helen fought to save the gardens. In 1938, Congress authorized the purchase of the gardens for $15,000. This created the park.
In 1942, the area south of the gardens became a municipal dump. Trash was burned in open piles. The Kenilworth Dump closed in the 1970s. Environmental remediation is needed. The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail was routed through the adjacent neighborhood.
Today, the park is under the administration of National Capital Parks-East. The park is about 700 acres. It includes the water gardens, Kenilworth Marsh, ballfields, and recreational facilities. The gardens are on the National Register of Historic Places. They are also a Category II Landmark. Portions of Kenilworth Marsh underwent restoration in 1992-1993. This added 32 acres of tidal marsh.
Thousands of water plants grow in ponds along the Anacostia River. Waterlilies, lotuses, water hyacinths, and bamboo thrive here. Flowers bloom from May to early fall. The park is open daily from 7 am to 4 pm. The visitors center is open from 8 am to 4 pm daily. It opens from 9 am to 4 pm from April to September. The park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is free. Guided tours are available. Deanwood is the nearest metro station.