# 1452 - 1972 6c National Parks Centennial: Wolf Trap Farm
National Parks Centennial
Wolf Trap Farm National Park
According to local records, wolves used to run wild in the Fairfax County area and bounties were given to those who could trap them. In 1739, a branch of the Difficult Run tributary system was named Wolf Trap Creek, one of the early-recorded instances of the use of this name in the area.
In 1930, Catherine Filene Shouse acquired about 53 acres of this land. Within three years, she owned 168 acres. She had bought the property to provide a weekend home for her children living in Georgetown. Over time, they grew corn, wheat, alfalfa, and oats and raised chickens, ducks, turkeys, horses, and cows. They also bred horses and dogs and built a stable and a hay barn. Shouse’s husband was a politician, Jouett Shouse, and they often hosted large gatherings of public figures, including Omar Bradley and George C. Marshall.
In addition to her land donation, Mrs. Shouse also offered more than $2 million to build the Filene Center for performances. The groundbreaking for the Filene Center came two years later and in 1969, the park hosted its first concert.
In 1982, a fire destroyed the Filene Center. People from around the world joined in to raise money. A total of $29 million was raised from over 16,000 donors in 47 states and five foreign countries. President Ronald Reagan and former Presidents Nixon and Jimmy Carter also hosted a star-studded three-hour telethon that raised over $390,000 for the new Filene Center. Additionally, the USPS issued its first stamp honoring Wolf Trap Park as part of a series honoring Washington, DC, cultural attractions. Thanks to all these efforts, the Filene Center reopened in June 1984.
Click here to visit the Wolf Trap NPS site and here to visit the Wolf Trap foundation website.
National Parks Centennial
Wolf Trap Farm National Park
According to local records, wolves used to run wild in the Fairfax County area and bounties were given to those who could trap them. In 1739, a branch of the Difficult Run tributary system was named Wolf Trap Creek, one of the early-recorded instances of the use of this name in the area.
In 1930, Catherine Filene Shouse acquired about 53 acres of this land. Within three years, she owned 168 acres. She had bought the property to provide a weekend home for her children living in Georgetown. Over time, they grew corn, wheat, alfalfa, and oats and raised chickens, ducks, turkeys, horses, and cows. They also bred horses and dogs and built a stable and a hay barn. Shouse’s husband was a politician, Jouett Shouse, and they often hosted large gatherings of public figures, including Omar Bradley and George C. Marshall.
In addition to her land donation, Mrs. Shouse also offered more than $2 million to build the Filene Center for performances. The groundbreaking for the Filene Center came two years later and in 1969, the park hosted its first concert.
In 1982, a fire destroyed the Filene Center. People from around the world joined in to raise money. A total of $29 million was raised from over 16,000 donors in 47 states and five foreign countries. President Ronald Reagan and former Presidents Nixon and Jimmy Carter also hosted a star-studded three-hour telethon that raised over $390,000 for the new Filene Center. Additionally, the USPS issued its first stamp honoring Wolf Trap Park as part of a series honoring Washington, DC, cultural attractions. Thanks to all these efforts, the Filene Center reopened in June 1984.
Click here to visit the Wolf Trap NPS site and here to visit the Wolf Trap foundation website.