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Scene News & Updates
C. M. Crockett Park With cooler weather, a visit to Crockett Park can be a memorable experience! Crockett Park and Germantown Lake are open for you to enjoy from Dawn to Dusk every day of the year. The concession stand and boat rentals are open daily through Labor Day, then weekends through October. Hours are 7am – dusk. The concessions stand sells: hot dogs, halfsmokes, pizza, other snacks, and drinks. With fall arriving there is no better time to have a picnic, walk the trails, enjoy some leisurely boating, try your luck at fishing, have a get together in one of the shelters, play some volleyball or horseshoes, or just sit under a tree and read a book. The park is also a great place to view fall foliage and take photos.
Germantown Lake The fish are biting at Germantown Lake... but be aware there is a new slot limit in effect. In cooperation with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Germantown Lake has regular electro surveys completed. These surveys give a detailed picture of the fishery ratio. This information is then used to determine a course of action. It was determined to place a slot limit on Largemouth Bass which will make for a better fishing experience in future years. Slot limits normally stay in place for 2-3 years.
Slot limit for Largemouth Bass:
Size limit 16" - 22"
Bass inside the size limit must be released.
Only 1 Bass per day over 22"
Please keep Bass under 16"
Limit of 5 Bass per day total.
“The Forge” Ropes Course: “The Forge” Ropes Course at C.M. Crockett
Park is a popular site for team-building activities! Taught by the certified personnel of Elements to
Excellence, Inc., your group may be presented with
innovative team challenges, solution based reflection,
and an active learning environment. To find
out how your team can experience all the fun going
on at The Forge Ropes Course, call Elements to
Excellence at 540-370-1555!
Environmental Education Field Trips - Teachers, do you know that Crockett Park in Midland, VA offers a wide range of Environmental Education programs that meet many Virginia Standards of Learning? The cost is reasonable at only $3 per student per activity. Field trips may be scheduled at the park (the most effective location) or brought to your classroom. Reservations are now being taken for fall field trips to the park. For more details and information about programs, call Craig Johnson, Crockett Park Manager at (540) 788-4867.
Fauquier County Commemorative Gardens - The Fauquier
County Commemorative Gardens provide an opportunity for friends and
family to remember a loved one, salute an achievement, mark a milestone
or honor a colleague while creating beautiful gardens, groves and
pathways for all to enjoy for generations. The Commemorative Grove
at C. M. Crockett Park is a planned gallery of indigenous trees such
as Beeches, Maples, and Oaks. Email parks@fauquiercounty.gov for
details on how you can donate a planting or garden amenity.
Senior's Picnic Area - The senior's picnic area,
just a short walk from the parking lot at Crockett Park, has
been refurbished. The area now has a wider access to accommodate
wheelchairs, a new grill, and a gentle slope for access to the site.
Plan a summer picnic with the senior folk in your life, at this serene
spot!
Hot Fishin’! - The fishing has been very good this
past season on Germantown Lake! Many fishing enthusiasts have been bringing
in and reporting big fish. Among the sightings and reports are big
large-mouth bass and crappie. Check out these photos on the Crockett
Park page that show just an example of some of the fish brought
in so far. What are you waiting for? Schedule your fishing
trip on Germantown Lake at C.M. Crockett Park!
John Marshall Birthplace Park - Have you been to
John Marshall Birthplace Park lately? It has recently undergone some
major renovations. Most are not so noticeable, such as replacing
all the old wooden bridges with earth and culvert walkways as well
as repairs to correct drainage and erosion problems. Most notable
is the new interpretive signage and renovated landscaping at the
trailhead. This historic site has a picnic area at the trailhead
with tables and grills, plus a .25-mile hiking trial that meanders
along a stream back to a dedication monument to the Honorable Supreme
Court Justice John Marshall. It’s easy to get to and will prove to
be a very interesting walk. John Marshall Birthplace Park is located
just a mile off Rt. 28 on Germantown Road. Open dawn to dusk.
Monroe Park – New and Improved!
The Virginia General Assembly has declared Monroe Park “The Official
Gold Mining Interpretive Center for the Commonwealth.” Stop by and
learn the history of gold mining in Fauquier County and the Commonwealth
of Virginia. Learn where to look for that magical, mystical metal
and experience the thrill of finding gold. For details concerning
Monroe Park, visit our website at www.goldvein.com.
Artifacts Appreciated - Through the efforts of local
Monroe Park supporters a large number of mining artifacts have been
retrieved and transported from a former mining site in Stafford County.
Artifact Inventory/management – The Department has been computerizing historical artifacts that are owned and/or loaned to the Department. So far, over 1,100 items have been catalogued. A safe and protected space has been designated to house artifacts not on display and the process of storing those artifacts is to commence shortly.
Horseshoe Pitch Area Added - Through the volunteer
efforts of an aspiring Eagle Scout, a horseshoe pitch area has been added to the recreational opportunities available at Monroe Park.
This competitive game area is available for public
use. Other facilities available at Monroe Park include baseball
and soccer fields, a large playground and a quarter-mile asphalt
exercise walkway.
Monroe Park’s Prospector Pavilion - Having a birthday
party or a family reunion? Are you looking for an ideal open-air
area to have a function for your church group or civic club? Well,
look no more! The Prospector Pavilion at Monroe Park is the ideal
location. The pavilion can accommodate 60 people. There is a charcoal
grill available on-site.
Panning for Fauquier Gold! - There were once nineteen
operational gold mines in the Goldvein, Sumerduck and Morrisville
areas of Fauquier County. During the heyday of mining in Fauquier,
some of these old mines produced gold valued in the millions of dollars.
Now, they are a thing of history. However, gold is still “discovered” in
the creeks and streams of southeastern Fauquier. You, too, can learn
the art of “finding” gold by signing up for the “gold panning” demonstrations
at the museum at Monroe Park. These hands-on demonstrations are available
every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Please sign up early.
Spaces fill quickly for this popular activity. Should you be interested
in additional information, contact the park manager/museum curator
at (540) 752-5330.
Rappahannock Station – This site that saw action during the Civil War is currently not open to the public while sources of funding are being sought to enhance the property and initiate planning for river access and historical interpretation.
Be a “FOMP”—Friends of Monroe Park - Since the establishment
of Monroe Park in the mid-1990s, one of the primary reasons for this
young park’s success is a local community support group—the Friends
of Monroe Park (FOMP). FOMP has and continues to be instrumental
in fundraising, lending a hand with the park and community activities
and supporting the long range goals for the continuing development
of the facility. New members to FOMP are always welcome. For information
on how you can become a member of the Friends of Monroe Park, call
the Monroe Park office at (540) 752-5330.
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