Learning doesn’t have to end just because it’s summertime. In fact, this may be the optimal season to get schooled in more outdoor, nature-based endeavors—more green time and less screen time, so to speak.
Here in the Mid-Atlantic, you’ll find an array of options awaiting your exploration, from nature centers, nature preserves, waterways, woodsy trails, parks, forests, and a whole lot more. One hidden gem based in Harford County, Maryland, marks many checkboxes for the above categories. I am, of course, referring to none other than the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center at Otter Point Creek.
The Anita C. Leight Estuary Center is the main all-in-one activities building at Otter Point Creek, owned and operated by the nonprofit Otter Point Creek Alliance. Established in 1996, Otter Point Creek Alliance continues its ongoing mission to provide environmental education to visitors of all ages.
This is largely accomplished via multiple on-site opportunities and attractions. Through thorough research and active conservation initiatives always at work, the Alliance is dedicated to fostering a greater awareness of sustainability and cultivating a deeper understanding and appreciation of Otter Point Creek and its vital role as a local estuary.
Visitors to the Center have a vast array of onsite explorations to pursue. First and foremost is the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, which serves as the Visitor Center, Exhibition Hall, and Nature Center all in one. It’s here that you’ll always find things to see, touch, and learn about, from live animals in the Discovery Room to museum collections.
There’s even a nice little hands-on play area for younger children! Specialized programs and events are always happening here, all of which, paired with the permanent display features and artifactual finds, serve to educate guests about the local flora and fauna and overall ecology of the Chesapeake region. As a bonus, first-time visitors can even complete a scavenger hunt throughout the exhibit hall to earn a special prize.
The Anita C. Leight Estuary Center also houses all the resource guides, maps, and detailed information you will need on your overall exploration of the Otter Point premises, which became home to James Buchanan Leight and his wife back in the 1800s, when they settled here to raise a family and live off the land (forests and waterways). The property was eventually inherited by J.B.’s youngest son, Ashton Leight, and later passed on to his own son, Clifton Leight. Upon arriving here from their Baltimore residence, Clifton, his wife Anita C. Leight, her brother Arnold Rosenberger, and his wife Esther fell in love with the surrounding ambiance and terrain of Otter Point Creek. The center was named “Anita C. Leight Estuary Center” in honor of Clifton’s wife.
In addition to the main building, there are plenty of other optimal opportunities for outdoor exploration. Walk along a bounty of bucolic footpaths and water trails alike. Learn about the different plant and animal habitats firsthand.
For kids, specifically, there’s even a woods-based designated Discovery Nature Area. Developed by CBNERR’s Chesapeake Conservation Corps Intern Olivia Wisner back in 2019 as her capstone project, it has come to be counted among Otter Point Creek’s most beloved play-and-learn-on-the-land sites.
Again, there’s always something happening here. Visit the Events Calendar link to keep up with all the latest. But remember, a visit here is a cherished, treasured moment, whether you come to participate in a scheduled program or event, or just for an independent, cathartic escape into nature on your own.
You will find the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center at Otter Point Creek located at 700 Otter Point Road, Abington, Maryland 21009. More information, including hours of operation by season, can be found on the website at www.otterpointcreek.org.