Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge on the Mason Neck peninsula became the first national wildlife refuge for bald eagles on February 1, 1969, after local resident Elizabeth Hartwell drew attention to the land's importance as habitat for nesting, feeding, and roosting bald eagles, then an endangered species. What might have become a planned community and airport instead remained a stable environment for bald eagles and other wildlife near a metropolitan area where habitat is very limited, while also offering visitors a peaceful experience in this unique ecosystem. Four national trails also converge on the peninsula, linking its scenic roads, hiking and biking trails, waterways, historic sites, and landscapes to early encounters between European explorers and American Indians, journeys associated with George Washington, American and French revolutionary soldiers, John Smith's explorations, and the War of 1812.
