Peirce Barn heading for first renovation in 50 years; Rock Creek Conservancy gets an unusual donation

The barn at Peirce Mill, viewed here from the mill’s second floor in 2014, was used as a visitors center and gift shop at the time.

Some news about Rock Creek Park attractions.

The mill at Peirce Mill has been the focus of ongoing restoration efforts since Friends of Peirce Mill formed in the 1990s. Now, Peirce Barn is getting some attention.

According to the mill group, the barn at 2401 Tilden Street NW has served many functions over its past 200-plus years: carriage storage, park maintenance facility, pigeon coop, Cold-War listening post, and in the 1970s and 80s, an art gallery known as the Art Barn. Friends of Peirce Mill also says the structure hasn’t been renovated since the Art Barn opened in the early 1970s.

That is changing already. The National Park Service has installed a fire suppression system, and the group says it has received an Events DC grant for the creation of a detailed renovation and restoration plan.

“The grant will enable FOPM to work in close collaboration with the National Park Service and an historic preservation architect to develop plans to restore Peirce Barn,” said Friends of Peirce Mill in a July newsletter.

A “Special” delivery at the Rock Creek Horse Center

Rock Creek Conservancy, a longtime park steward and National Park Service partner, doesn’t horse around. With its guidance, volunteers cleared 40,000 square feet of invasive plant materials, and 45,000 pounds of trash last year. For its efforts, the conservancy was recently awarded one of the Park Service’s 2022 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service.

Rock Creek Conservancy’s stewardship extends to the Rock Creek Horse Center at 5100 Glover Road NW. It collects donations through its Horse Center Fund. And recently, for the first time, one of those donations was a horse. The 13-year-old Warmblood horse named “Special Edition” comes from a farm in Florida, where he was a dressage competitor. Now, Special Edition has a new job: riding lessons.