Millersville: Kinder Farm Park and Local History

In Millersville, the 288-acre Kinder Farm Park is an important part of the local landscape. Walks, a working farm, and agricultural history offerings provide different points of interest. When choosing where to stay, you can consider whether you are most interested in agricultural history, historic buildings, or a planned trail.

Kinder Farm Park: Agriculture and Exhibits

The working farm showcases past and present agricultural practices in Anne Arundel County; the park also offers an agricultural history program. Walking is another option in the park. This brings outdoor recreation and agriculture together, without requiring you to give equal weight to both.

Interpretive exhibits in the visitor center focus on farm life in the early 20th century. The collection includes a large wooden tobacco press and agricultural equipment. The visitor center’s exhibit hall is open during office hours. If you plan to visit this part of the park, check the office hours in advance.

Animals at Kinder Farm Park include pigs, goats, and alpacas; quail and turkeys are there seasonally. Animal populations may change. The historic Kinder Farmhouse Museum is open for tours on the second Saturday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Check the date before you arrive if you plan to take a tour.

The History of Kinder Farm Park

The Kinder family, a German immigrant family, acquired land in Millersville on several occasions beginning in 1898. In 1979, Henry Sr.’s four sons sold the remaining 288 acres to Anne Arundel County to support the preservation of agricultural history and open space. This local history complements the park’s present-day themes: it connects the agricultural past with the goal of preserving open space.

In 2010, a decision was made to restore the ground floor of Kinder Farmhouse to resemble a typical early 20th-century farmhouse.

The Childs Residence and Local History

The Childs Residence is another part of Millersville’s local history. The complex includes a half-timbered dwelling dating to around 1840, a large half-timbered addition dating to around 1852, a half-timbered smokehouse and dairy dating to around 1840, and a half-timbered store dating to around 1920. The different construction dates make it possible to trace the development of the complex over several decades.

The Childs Residence is locally significant as the home of Millersville’s first postmaster. It also served continuously as a post office and community store for 130 years. Millersville was named after its first postmaster, George Miller. The Residence has undergone relatively few changes and has retained its architectural integrity; as a result, it gives the village a sense of time and place. It was listed on the National Register on March 6, 1986.

The Planned South Shore Trail

The South Shore Trail is planned as an 11-mile shared-use rail trail running from Annapolis to Odenton. For most of its length, the proposed route follows the abandoned WB&A Railroad right-of-way. The planned status of the full connection and the historic route are important distinctions for trip planning.

The trail is open from sunrise to sunset; at the same time, the complete connection remains a planned project. Check current trail information before visiting. This helps distinguish Millersville’s park and history attractions from this separate trail project, rather than assuming the same planning applies to both.

Discover more destinations: Odenton, Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Arnold, Linthicum, Annapolis Junction, Deale

Return to the regional travel overview: Anne Arundel.