Historic Oak View County Park offers programs covering history, nature and recreational topics. Public programs are open for registration to the general public.
Register for a Public Program
Library On The Go: @ The Park
Wake County Public Libraries is bringing its new Library On The Go program to Historic Oak View County Park in May! Stop by the park to browse the shelves of the Bookmobile, sign up for a library card, check out new books and return old ones. You can also catch a fun Family Storytime!
Wake County Public Libraries Bookmobile dates: May 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, and 17 from 10 a.m.-noon
No Registration Required!
Family Storytime at Oak View
Join Wake County Public Libraries for Family Storytime at Historic Oak View County Park. Family Storytime is an interactive program with books, music, rhymes, and movement designed to nurture pre-reading skills for young children. Free and open to all ages, no registration required.
Wake County Public Libraries Bookmobile dates: May 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, and 17 from 10 a.m.-noon
Join us on Monday, May 6; Wednesday, May 8; Monday, May 13; or Wednesday, May 15 at 10:30 a.m.
No Registration Required!
Storytime at Oak View: "El Monstruo de Colores"
¡Esperamos que sus pequeños puedan unirse a nosotros para disfrutar de un divertido cuento seguido de una actividad artesanal con Ms. Maya! La historia destacada es “El Monstruo de Colores ” por Anna Llenas Serra. Esta actividad está diseñada para familias con niños de seis años o menos. Este programa es gratuito.
We hope your little ones can join us for a fun story followed by a craft activity with Ms. Maya! The featured story is "El Monstruo de Colores" by Anna Llenas Serra. This activity is designed for families with children ages six and under. This program is free of charge. Please note: This storytime will be in Spanish.
Join us on Tuesday, May 14 at 10 a.m.
Oak View: Plantation to Park
Celebrate Historic Preservation Month at Oak View! Join us on Saturday, May 18 at 11 a.m. for an engaging tour around the property as we discuss the history of Oak View from plantation to park. You'll hear about the lives of the people – enslaved and free, landowner and landless – who lived, labored, and built community here for 150 years. Free and open to all ages, but best suited for upper-elementary and older. Registration is required for all participants.
Walk-up registration will be available day-of pending open spots. We will run the program rain or shine, so please come prepared with weather appropriate clothing. The tour will take place primarily outdoors and in non-climate controlled historic buildings, and includes standing and walking between buildings on paved brick paths.
Join us on Saturday, May 18, at 11 a.m.
Become a Junior Park Explorer
Do you like to explore parks and preserves? Do you like winning prizes? Our Junior Park Explorers program is for you! Learn more here.
Take a Self-Guided Mobile Tour
Check out the Oak View Mobile Tour and learn about the history of the farmland and historic structures, as well as the lives of the people who lived and worked at Oak View throughout its history.
Haga el recorrido móvil de Oak View y conozca la historia de las tierras de cultivo y las estructuras históricas, así como la vida de las personas que vivieron y trabajaron en Oak View a lo largo de su historia.
Go on a StoryWalk®
Take a StoryWalk® at Oak View! A StoryWalk® is a children’s book that is presented, page by page, along a trail or path. It combines the pleasures of reading a children's book while enjoying nature.
¡Disfrute de un StoryWalk® en Oak View! StoryWalk® es un libro para niños presentado por páginas a lo largo de un sendero o andador. Combina los placeres de leer un libro infantil mientras se disfruta de la naturaleza.
April StoryWalk®: A Day With No Words
From April 1–30, Oak View's brick walkways will feature the children's book "A Day With No Words," written by Tiffany Hammond and illustrated by Kate Cosgrove.
A Day With No Words is a colorful and engaging picture book for young readers that shares what life can look like for families who use nonverbal communication, using tools to embrace their unique method of "speaking." The story highlights the bond between mother and child and follows them on a day where they use a tablet to communicate with others.
May StoryWalk®: Watercress
From May 1–31, Oak View's brick walkways will feature the children's book, "Watercress," written by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin.
A story about the power of sharing memories—including the painful ones—and the way our heritage stays with and shapes us, even when we don’t see it.
While driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's Chinese immigrant parents spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. They stop the car, grabbing rusty scissors and an old paper bag, and the whole family wades into the mud to gather as much as they can.
At first, she's embarrassed. Why can't her family just get food from the grocery store, like everyone else? But when her mother shares a bittersweet story of her family history in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged—and the memories left behind in pursuit of a new life.
Together, they make a new memory of watercress.
StoryWalk® Social Narrative
StoryWalk® at Oak View is free, requires no advance registration, and is open during the park's normal hours of operation. Check out our StoryWalk® Social Narrative to download and print before going to the park.
StoryWalk® en Oak View es gratis, no requiere registrarse con antelación y estará abierta durante el horario normal del parque. Consulte nuestra Narrativa social StoryWalk® para descargar e imprimir antes de acudir al parque.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
El proyecto StoryWalk® fue creado por Anne Ferguson, de Montpelier, VT, y desarrollado en colaboración con la Biblioteca Kellogg-Hubbard. StoryWalk® es una marca registrada propiedad de la señorita Ferguson.
More Self-Guided Activities
Historic Oak View County Park also offers several activities for small groups or families, which can be checked out at the front desk in the Farm History Center (our visitors' center). Ask any staff member about how to check out one of these fun activities!
The Oak View Scavenger Hunt is a great self-guided activity for kids. Stop by the Farm History Center to pick up a scavenger hunt and then learn all about Oak View while searching for answers to the clues.
The Adventure Backpack Series are individual backpacks full of fun, self-guided programs on different topics related to Oak View. Check one out by stopping by the Farm History Center during regular business hours. Choose from the following offerings:
Preschool:
- Goat In My Boat – Arlo the Goat goes on adventure in a boat, but what happens when he gets some big feelings and can't stop rocking the boat? This delightful story with accompanying activities teaches children practical and age-appropriate strategies to deal with big feelings.
- Barnyard Friends – A preschool-friendly adventure that teaches children about animals and life on the farm through games, play and exploration.
Elementary:
- All About Bugs – Visit the buildings and gardens around the park and complete hands-on activities that teach you about insects and their friends, and how they help out on the farm!
- Watching the Weather – Learn about weather tools and instruments, create your own weather forecast, and even play with a "pet" tornado! This backpack is a great way introduce kids to the elements that make up the weather.
- From Field to Fiber: The Story of Cotton – Learn all about the history of cotton through hands-on activities such as feeling real cotton straight from the cotton field, turning cotton sliver into thread, and learning about different figures important to the history of cotton.
- Kid Curator – Discover what makes a museum (like Oak View) a museum, and who decides what to exhibit and how. The backpack includes lots of activities to learn how to be a curator, along with a workbook that you keep at the end of your activity!
Everyone's Welcome
Historic Oak View County Park welcomes all visitors and affirms its commitment to offering programs and services that are accessible to everyone. We will make every effort to ensure that visitors of all abilities are fully included in all our programs and facilities. Check back regularly to see what new opportunities become available!
For questions about our accessibility resources or how we may best meet your needs in any of our programs, please contact Abby Kellerman, assistant park manager of education, at 919-212-7695 or abigail.kellerman@wake.gov.