Happy Retreat/Craighill Estates

In 2011, an approximately 13-acre parcel of land along Evitts Run in the Craighill Estates subdivision was deeded to CTPR by Arcadia Building Corp. The parcel includes the gravesites of Charles Town’s Founder, Charles Washington, and his wife, Mildred. The parcel is adjacent to the Happy Retreat property, the home of Charles and Mildred Washington. It also includes a hard-surface walking trail along the run.

In 2015 CTPR purchased approximately 10 acres of the adjacent Happy Retreat property, connecting the Craighill parkland and gravesites to Happy Retreat. The historic mansion and approximately two acres surrounding it were purchased by the Friends of Happy Retreat, a non-profit organization established in 2005 to acquire the property and put it into public use.

Acquisition of these parcels allows for the future potential establishment of a linear park through Charles Town along Evitts Run, connecting the existing Evitts Run Park with Happy Retreat using pedestrian friendly/recreational pathways. The City’s West End Revitalization Plan, developed in 2015, includes conceptual plans for the establishment of such a park.

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