Mission
Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, Inc. preserves and promotes the natural, historical, and cultural resources of a state-certified 100-mile area in Northern Prince George’s County, Maryland.
About
The Anacostia Trails Heritage Area is one of 13 Heritage Areas certified by the State of Maryland under the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. Heritage Areas contribute to the state and local economy through tourism. In December 2020, both a State-wide Economic Impact Study and a Maryland Milestones Economic Impact Study were completed, detailing our contributions to the state and local economies.
Certified in 2001, Anacostia Trails Heritage Area encompasses over 100 square miles of Northern Prince Georges County – bordered by Washington, D.C. to the south, Montgomery County to the West, Howard and Anne Arundel County to the North and encompassing portions of Bowie, Glenn Dale, and Cheverly to the East. This eastern boundary was amended in 2017. The Heritage Area is managed by Anacostia Trails Heritage Area Inc.
ATHA Inc. is dedicated to preserving and promoting the historical, artistic, cultural, and natural resources of the Certified Heritage Area.
ATHA Inc. performs its work through partnerships, programs, and grantmaking. Our partnerships include Federal partners (Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, NASA Goddard, Greenbelt National Park, and the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge); State Partners (MHAA, Office of Tourism Development) Regional Partners (Prince George’s Conference and Visitors Bureau, Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, Prince George’s County); and local partners, sites, and municipalities. Our participating municipalities are Bladensburg, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Edmonston, Berwyn Heights, Greenbelt, College Park, Mt. Rainier, Hyattsville, Brentwood, North Brentwood, Riverdale Park, University Park, the Beltsville area, Bowie, Cheverly, and unincorporated areas around Glenn Dale.
ATHA Inc. has a governing/advisory board made up of representatives from our partner communities to set goals and a Managing Board which oversees the day-to-day operations. We are a 501(c)3 organization under the IRS code. The organization originally served in an advisory capacity to the Redevelopment Authority of Prince Georges County. In 2010 the organization took full operation of the Heritage Area.
