Millersville can be explored through two specific aspects of its local history: agriculture at Kinder Farm Park and the historic architecture of the Childs Residence. Kinder Farm Park covers 288 acres and is located in Millersville. Walking is one of the activities available there; the park also offers insights into agricultural work and history. This lets you choose different priorities when planning: time outdoors, historical topics, or both.
Agriculture and Exhibits at Kinder Farm Park
A working farm showcases past and present agricultural practices in Anne Arundel County. A dedicated program focuses on agricultural history. The animals include pigs, goats, and alpacas; quail and turkeys are on view seasonally. Since the animals may change, check which ones are currently on view before your visit.
The visitor center complements the agricultural experience with exhibits about farm life in the early 20th century. The collection includes a large wooden tobacco press and agricultural equipment. The farm and the exhibits offer different perspectives: the working farm shows past and present practices in the region, while the exhibits illustrate life in an earlier era.
The exhibit hall follows the visitor center’s office hours. The historic Kinder Farmhouse Museum is open for tours on the second Saturday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The two offerings therefore have different hours. If you plan to visit one of them specifically, check the relevant hours before you travel.
The history of the land is also part of the story: beginning in 1898, the Kinder family, a German immigrant family, acquired land in Millersville on several occasions. In 1979, Henry Sr.’s four sons sold the remaining 288 acres to Anne Arundel County to support the preservation of agricultural history and open space.
The Childs Residence: Buildings and Local History
The Childs Residence offers a different perspective on Millersville’s history. The complex includes a timber-framed house dating to around 1840, a large timber-framed addition dating to around 1852, a timber-framed smokehouse and dairy dating to around 1840, and a timber-framed store dating to around 1920. The approximate dates of the buildings reveal different phases of construction, rather than reducing the complex to a single house.
The Residence is locally significant as the home of Millersville’s first postmaster. It also served continuously as a post office and community store for 130 years. The Childs Residence has been relatively little altered and has retained its architectural integrity; as a result, it gives the village a sense of time and place. It was added to the National Register on March 6, 1986.
Another historical detail concerns the Kinder Farmhouse: in 2010, a decision was made to restore its ground floor so that it would resemble a typical early 20th-century farmhouse. The decision describes the intended appearance. Together with the exhibits and the working farm, it shows how different aspects of agricultural history are represented in Millersville.
Two clearly distinct themes are central to planning your trip: Kinder Farm Park focuses on agriculture, exhibits, and walks; the Childs Residence illustrates the architecture and local history of a house that also served as a post office and community store. Which aspect you focus on more depends on whether you are primarily interested in agricultural history or the history of the buildings and the area.
Discover more destinations: Odenton, Deale, Annapolis, Annapolis Junction, Arnold, Linthicum, Glen Burnie
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