Playing in Parks

Barton Heights Cemetery in Richmond feels park-like at first, but in an unsettling way. Located in the Barton Heights neighborhood, the cemetery has a vast lawn and tree canopies that look like open parkland. Long stretches of grass seem to invite wandering but the feeling shifts once you learn how many graves are unmarked, many of which belong to formerly enslaved people. The openness is a reflection of a dark history, despite looking like a park, it doesn’t function like one. 

Hi, hello, and welcome! I'm Ellie and this is my blog all about playing outside, exploring new parks, and going on adventures. Blogging isn't something I've ever really done before, but I'm excited to see where this space goes and how it helps me think more intentionally about parks and outdoor spaces. I grew up in a town called Catonsville, about 10 minutes outside of Baltimore, Maryland. I was also lucky enough to grow up 5 minutes from Patapsco Valley State Park; 32 miles of the Patapsco River, encompassing 16,043 acres with hiking, fishing, camping, biking, and more. Some of my favorite childhood memories are wandering through the woods with my family, climbing over fallen logs, and then growing up and exploring even more with my friends. One of my mom's favorite traditions was taking photos of my brother and I at the same log over the years, a precious way to see how we and the park were growing.  It wasn't until I moved to Florida for college that I reali...