Carroll Park, Baltimore's third country landscape park (after Druid Hill and Patterson Parks), is significant for its association with the early development of the park system in Baltimore. Located in Southwest Baltimore, Carroll Park is 117 acres. Originally part of the Mount Clare estate of Charles Carroll, Barrister, the park includes one of the oldest of two Federal style mansions still standing in Baltimore City. (Homewood House on Johns Hopkins University Campus being the other.)
In the 30 years prior to becoming a park, the area surrounding Mt. Clare was leased from the Carrolls and became Southwestern Schuetzen Park—a private recreation area used by German immigrants in Baltimore. A pastoral setting with curvilinear carriageways and pedestrian walks was planted with trees, shrubs and flower beds, and included a picturesque Victorian conservatory.
Today, Carroll Park boasts an assortment of athletic fields—home to the Carroll Park Little League—a neighborhood playground, spectacular outdoor skating facility as well as a nine-hole golf course. Carroll Park also hosts the German festival each year, which offers music, performing arts, food and crafts.
