Welcome to Hodge Podge Lodge
Hodge Podge Lodge was the first nature show for children, airing in the 1970s on Maryland Public Television and syndicated on the east coast. The show's host, Miss Jean Worthley, inspired a generation of children about the natural world.
Worthley, a former preschool teacher, came up with the idea of a naturalist living in a cabin. On the show Miss Jean taught children about nature through hands-on activities, including cooking and crafts, in a small cabin built on the MPT site.
Worthley credits some of the success of "Hodge Podge Lodge" on timing, saying "People were just beginning to get interested in ecology and environment."
The Lodge sat for more than 30 years in the very same spot on the MPT lot. And despite its much-loved history, fell into disrepair. That is until 2008.
In the Fall of 2008, Hodge Podge Lodge was renovated and relocated to the grounds of the Howard County Conservancy. Now in a location that beckons hiking and outdoor exploration, students from around the area visit the lodge as an educational destination during filed trips. Though Miss Jean has passed, her legacy still lives on through the work of the Conservancy to connect people with nature.
In the Spring of 2020, the interior of Hodge Podge Lodge was renovated by an American Heritage Girl. New
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Erected by Maryland Public Television; Howard County Conservancy.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Entertainment • Environment • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 2008.
Location. 39° 18.849′ N, 76° 52.41′ W. Marker is in Woodstock, Maryland, in Howard County. Marker is on Tulip Poplar Trail, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10522 Tulip Poplar Trail, Woodstock MD 21163, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Bank Barn (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Wagon Shed (about 600 feet away); Blacksmith Shop (about 600 feet away); Corn Crib (about 600 feet away); Carriage House (about 700 feet away); Welcome to Mt. Pleasant (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mt. Pleasant (approx. 0.2 miles away); Log Cabin Viewing Window (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Woodstock.
Also see . . . Hodgepodge Lodge - 50th anniversary flashback. YouTube video commemorating the show (Submitted on March 17, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 17, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 17, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 438 times since then and 73 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 17, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
