Origin of Fountain Rock Park

Overview
Fountain Rock Park is a 22.5 acre park west of Walkersville and approximately four miles northeast of Frederick, Maryland. It is located at 8516 Fountain Rock Ct.

The park possesses one of the strongest springs in Maryland, and is rich in wetlands. Historically, the land has demonstrated a value in resources from limestone extraction, watercress farming, fish farming, and even moonshining. The park is open daily from 8:00 am to dusk. It is designated as an environmental park and provides nature programs to various groups year round.

Alice Nemitsas
Park Naturalist, Alice Nemitsas, presented the idea for the park to the county commissioners for their approval in 1987, as a student at Frederick Community College, studying Park Management. At this time the historic lime kilns were covered with scrubs, vines, and trees. Her principle interest was the spring because, where there is water, there will be animals.

Fountain Rock Park fit Alice Nemitsas' expectation for a nature center not only because there was a beautiful natural environment, but also because there were existing buildings that could be modified. The building that is now the nature center was originally built by a prior owner, McKendree Fulks, who used it for cleaning trout that had been caught at his trout fishing operation.