Woodend Sanctuary: A suburban getaway
Nestled within the Beltway and outside the city in Chevy Chase is a quiet little estate known as Woodend. Situated on Audubon Naturalist Society property, Woodend is a 40-acre woodsy, scenic, leafy getaway for nature lovers, where many a child learns about butterflies and woods creatures and many a couple have said “I do."
The mansion was designed by John Russell Pope in the late 1920s, the architect who designed Washington, D.C., the Jefferson Memorial, National Gallery of Art and National City Christian Church, national cathedral for the Christian Church-Disciples of Christ. It was owned by Captain and Mrs. Chester Wells, who later donated their land to the Audubon Naturalist Society in 1968.
The mansion echoes Georgian Revival with a classic Greek portico. Since then, the former tennis court, framed in trees, has bore witness to many wedding ceremonies. The Grand Hall features Georgian moldings, large Palladian windows over the staircase and French doors onto the terrace, which is tented in warm months for summer camp and weddings. The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and on the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation.
Families of deer wander throughout the property, as do many species of birds. There’s also a butterfly garden and a composting area. Inside, the mansion houses the Audubon’s offices, a tented patio, a “bird room” featuring hundreds of species of stuffed birds and a nature shop selling birdfeeders, gardening tools, books and other backyard nature items.
Hikes, lectures, volunteer opportunities and environmental education occur throughout the year at Woodend. There’s a free beginner bird walk, introducing people to identifying and viewing birds throughout the property. If you’re more of a plant person, the Montgomery County Master Gardeners will answer any gardening questions at a weekly plant clinic on Saturdays at 10am to noon from April through September. Every May there’s a nature fair to welcome spring.
For kids and families, there’s a summer camp for kids every year, a nature preschool program, a scout clinic and family programs. In autumn, Woodend’s leaf colors are so brilliant that an afternoon stroll through the grounds is worth a visit.
Posted by Rin-rin Yu
