Manchester's Hidden Gem

Manchester's Town Council asked the Manchester Elementary School if the park land, known as Pine Valley Park, adjacent to the school would be used as an outdoor classroom study area. The school could not jump fast enough at the idea. A unique partnership between the Town and School was born. To accommodate this request, the Town created the Manchester Parks Foundation to join the partnership and to be the overseers of the Pine Valley Park area and the outdoor classroom. The Town also planned for the foundation to eventually take over the care of their other two parks, Christmas Tree Park and Westside Park.

The Grand Opening/ground breaking took place on April 30, 1995, with then Principal Robert Bruce, then Town Mayor Elmer Lippy, Foundation Members and the school children from all grades. A pavilion was built by foundation volunteers using grant money and by personal donations of the Foundation Members.

The school children voted and chose the name Charlotte's Quest for the Outside World Nature Center as the name of the classroom in honor of Charlotte B. Collett, the then Town Councilperson who spear-headed the project. Charlotte who was a retired school teacher decided the public needed to be educated about environmental issues as well, so the area was deemed a Nature Center, still to be used by the school but also by the community.

The name was later changed to Pine Valley Nature Center, chosen by Foundation Members since the center is in Pine Valley Park. The pavilion was enclosed to become the Nature Center building and exhibit room and the Interpretive Building was awarded the name Charlotte's Quest.

On Sunday, August 19, 2001, Charlotte Collett passed away. She had always stressed the importance of academics. However, equally important in her belief was the knowledge of our environment.

On May 5, 2002, the Nature Center held a rededication and renaming ceremony. The Nature Center was renamed Charlotte's Quest after the nature center's Founder Charlotte B. Collett and in honor of the original naming by the school children in the beginning life of the nature center.

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Charlotte's Quest
NATURE CENTER

A Non-Profit Organization

Charlotte's Quest NATURE CENTER
3400 Wilhelm Lane
Manchester, Maryland 21102 410.374.3395

Email Us

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HOURS OF OPERATION

Charlotte's Quest is under the direction of the Manchester Parks Foundation and the Town of Manchester. Charlotte's Quest Nature Center is operated by volunteers and one paid staff member, the Naturalist, and is maintained by donations, grants, memberships, and in-kind gifts. No government funding is received. 

The Nature Center's Interpretive Building will be open the:

First Sunday of each month: 
12:30 PM until 4 PM (except holidays)
and during special events and programs

Weekdays: 
are by appointment

Our 4 1/2 miles of trails, Walnut Pond, the Stream of Life, the natural springs and forests are open everyday from dawn until dusk. You are welcome to park and walk in.

Feel free to park at the gate and walk in during the hours that the Interpretive Building is not open.

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MISSION

It is the mission of the Manchester Parks Foundation to be stewards of the environment by protecting the watershed area and our precious natural resources, by teaching environmental education to the public, by the restoring of the native plants and animals, and by maintaining a diverse natural world.

The Manchester Parks Foundation is the caretakers of Charlotte's Quest Nature Center and Pine Valley Park.