National Park Service A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States

SEVENTY-THREE PERCENT of the combined population (2,200,000) of the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia live in the triangle formed by Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis. The population, comprising 83 percent white and 17 percent Negro, is largely urban in character.

The State's principal recreational resources are its tidal waters, which offer exceptional opportunities for swimming and other water activities, its Atlantic coast line, and the mountains of western Maryland.

It is estimated that the State's minimum requirement of State park land is 17,000 acres in addition to its present holdings of 2,700 acres, most of which should be accessible to the people of Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis. Small areas are needed along the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern shore to serve the local population. A generous section of ocean beach should be acquired and preserved for future development. Because of the unusual shape of Maryland, the planning and development of recreational facilities should be closely coordinated with that of the adjoining States and the District of Columbia.

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¹ Soil Conservation Service projects transferred to the State department of forests for administration.