Acorn Park

Acorn Park is a park in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland that features an acorn-shaped gazebo and an artificial grotto. The site is thought to be the location of the mica-flecked spring that inspired Francis Preston Blair to name his estate "Silver Spring." [cite web| title = Acorn Park| publisher = Celebrate Silver Spring Foundation| date = 2006| url = http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/spring.php?pid=327| accessdate =2007-03-24] [ cite web|url=http://www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/PPSD/Cultural_Resources_Stewardship/heritage/the_silver_spring.shtm |title=Montgomery Park: Heritage Sites - The Silver Spring |accessdate=2008-04-28 |date=2008-04-25 |work=www.montgomeryparks.org |publisher=Montgomery County Department of Parks ]

The gazebo was constructed in 1842] by Benjamin C. King.cite book | last = McCoy | first = Jerry A. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Historic Silver Spring | publisher = Arcadia Publishing | date = 2005 | location = Silver Spring, Md. | pages = 26-32 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0738541885 ]

Blair's son-in-law, Samuel Phillips Lee, had the stone grotto built at the site of the spring in 1894. It originally contained a statue of a Grecian nymph.

It was purchased by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in 1942 [ cite web|url=http://www.mc-mncppc.org/Parks/park_of_the_day/jan/parkday_jan10.shtm |title=MNCPPC: Acorn Urban Park |accessdate=2008-04-28 |publisher=M-NCPPC ] , and refurbished and rededicated in 1955 .

The park is located at the intersection of East-West Highway and Newell Road, in south Silver Spring.

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