Robinson Nature Center--Outside

The Robinson Nature Center is an educational center focused on the natural world. We went to visit in the summer of 2014 with some friends. The only pictures I took were outside!

The 18-acre grounds have a variety of trails that let visitors appreciate the flora and fauna, though we saw mostly flora. The paved trails are near the center. Dirt paths go through the woods.

The nice, paved trails

Lots of blooming goodness in the summer

A small (artificial) pond

The center has exhibits on natural habitats, Maryland's geologic and topographical make-up, and some history of the area. The basement has classrooms (which J's class visited during the school year) and a special theater/planetarium with nature videos. As I said, I didn't take any pictures inside but I did get one of the center's outside.

The Nature Center

One of the paths leads to the ruins of the Simpsonville Mill. The mill was built in the mid-1700s and initially milled flour (a valuable commodity during the Napoleonic Wars). In 1852 it switched over to cloth making when Charles Ridgley Simpson bought the mill and the surround 215 acres. In 1878 it turned back to milling flour. In 1920 a fire left just the stone walls standing. It was not repaired and remains as ruins to this day.

The ruins are under the bridge of a large roadway. The shade was nice on a summer's day. L loved making footprints in the soft dirt but they were more visible to the naked eye than to the naked lens.

Mill ruins (in England, they would not have been fenced off!)

More of the ruins

L makes footprints

We will definitely be back to visit next summer, and maybe even take pictures inside!