The Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park, Ltd., have formed a not-for-profit foundation to provide charitable gifts to assist Patapsco Valley State Park in its efforts to enhance the Park's environmental and educational qualities for public benefit. 

Patapsco Valley State Park is Maryland's oldest and one of its largest public open spaces. As part of the Year of the Parks 2000 celebration we opened the Avalon Visitor's Center in an Old Stone Iron Worker's House located in the Avalon Area just up-river from Elkridge. The Visitor Center houses photos and exhibits of communities and industries that once inhabited the Patapsco River Valley during the industrial revolution. The Avalon Visitor Center is a place for visitors to get oriented to the park and learn about its resources and recreation opportunities.

Iron Worker's House, built circa 1830 Avalon Visitor Center - Avalon Area

Our Goals include: Planting trees to restore riparian areas, Removing noxious/non-native plants, Providing a sheltered meeting area for educational programs, Purchasing interpretive displays, and Establishing a public archive of the history of Maryland's State Forests and Parks.

The Friends of Patapsco provides the Avalon Visitor's Center thanks to generous corporate donations, and construction services donated for the Visitor's Center renovation. The corporate leader in providing construction services has been Harkins Builders without whom we could not have accomplished the extensive rennovations. We hope to promote and expand the park's active program of volunteer activities to supplement the limited funds of the Maryland Park Service.