USA > Maryland > Montgomery County > The history of land subdivision development in Montgomery County, adjacent to the national capital > Part 2
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Another old structure worthy of note, is the Cabin John Bridge, or Union Arch, which spans Cabin John Creek. It was begun in 1851, during the administration of Franklin Pierce, to carry the Great Falls-to-Washington Aque- duct across the stream valley. This bridge, for many years, held the record of being the longest single-arch masonry bridge in the world. The water conduit was built below the bridge floor and is still in service, but recently a paral- lel conduit has been constructed and it crosses the creek ravine to one side of the bridge footings.
The Cabin John Hotel, a historic structure, stood near the Union Arch, but was destroyed by fire several years ago. The old place is remembered as once being the local center of public interest, for here lodging, food, drink and entertainment could be plentifully found.
Much of the Cabin John area is included between the Conduit Road and the old Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which borders the Potomac River.
Cabin John Park is the main subdivision in Cabin John and various sections therein were established around the year of 1913. Secion 1 of Cabin
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John Park lies west of Cabin John Creek and north of Conduit Road. It contained an approximate total of 130 lots at the time of the original survey. Because of the large sizes of these lots further subdivision has taken place here.
Section 2 was surveyed by Hough and Valentine, civil engineers from Clarendon, Virginia, for the American Land Company, of which J. S. Tomlinson was president. This section is north of Conduit Road, near the Cabin John Bridge. At the time of the survey, D. E. Edmonston's property was immediately north of Section 2. For further description, see liber 226, folio 399, of the County Records.
Section 3 was not found in the plat books, but there is a probabi- lity that it exists as one of the additions to be mentioned later.
Section 4 was surveyed by Edward L. Latimer for the American Land Company. The deed shows that the American Land Company bought this territory from William T. Perry, on April 1, 1912. The land is between the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and Conduit Road and has been found to be a part of the old tracts called "Carderock," "Duley's Chance, " "Robert's Lot," "Reed's Delight" and "Mills Use;" and was more particularly known as part of "Lot 4 of the Dow- ling Tract." In the first survey, Section 4 was divided into 76 lots. The extreme west portion, or the first 14 lots, were re-subdivided into 62 lots and given the name of Seven Locks Settlement.
In 1921, C. E. Benson's Addition to Cabin John Park was laid out by C. J. Maddox and J. N. Starkey. In total, there were 8.35 acres of land which once formed a part of "Reed's Delight," "Halifax" and "Bite the Biter." This land was sold to Charles E. Benson by Eva R. Marsh, as shown by the deed; dated October 23, 1919. There are 23 lots which range in area from 9,000 square feet to one acre. For further data consult liber 288, folio 41, of the County Records.
Glen Echo is south of Cabin John and is quite a large subdivision.
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The Capital Transit Electric Railway Company owns an amusement park in this area. Many plans for Glen Echo have been made on paper that were never fully developed on the ground, although the point of actual surveying work was reach- ed in some cases. To illustrate this statement, mention may be made of the plans that were drawn up for the National Chataqua of Glen Echo. Land was bought and subdivided according to the plans, but there the story ends; there is no National Chataqua in Glen Echo today.
Because of the limited time and space, no further discussion can be given concerning the land subdivision in Glen Echo. In passing, let it be understood that a vast amount of historical material could be compiled for this territory in a more concentrated study.
DALECARLIA PARK
Dalecarlia Park was subdivided for Aaron Bradshaw by C. J. Maddox, in 1915. The land included in this section has an area of 9.275 acres and was, at one time, a part of "Brook's Park." Aaron Bradshaw obtained the property from 0. H. W. Talbot and wife and drew up his own plan for the subdivision. When the original survey was made, Block 3 was not subdivided into lots, but remained an intact 2.02 acre parcel of land.
This development is in the vicinity of the Dalecarlia Reservoir on Conduit Road and Borders the District Line.
BROOKMONT
Section 1 was laid out by J. Spence Howard by request of the A. J. Watkins Realty Corporation. The subdivision contains all of that tract of land described in a deed from Mildred Rodgers Penn and Ramon A. Penn to the Watkins
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Realty Corporation, recorded in liber 37, folio 457, among the County Land Re- cords. This tract of land was more fully described in a deed from Stilson Hut- chins to Lee Hutchins, dated February, 1903, and recorded in liber T. D. 26, folio 433.
Section 1 contains 8 blocks and a total of 410 lots. The Glen Echo Park trolley line runs through this well planned subdivision. It is lo- cated to the southwest of Conduit Road.
Section 2 ad joins the southwestern border of Section 1. The des- cription found in the previously mentioned deeds includes this land. J. Spence Howard, again did the surveying work. In this section there are 8 blocks, com- prised of 460 lots. There is a total of 870 lots in the entire subdivision.
CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND
Before 1890 there was very little subdivision development in Chevy Chase. Beginning in 1890, the Chevy Chase Land Company started buying as many farms as possible in the Chevy Chase neighborhood, and it was not long until this organization owned most of the territory which is now, in general, highly developed and is recognized as being one of the most exclusive residential sections in nearby Maryland.
There were, however, some land owners who did not sell to the Chevy Chase Land Company but, foreseeing the intent of this company, kept their pro- perty and had it subdivided into lots which they placed on sale themselves. Martin's Additions to Chevy Chase can be given as a very good example of this action. There were four additions in all. This land is north of Bradley Lane, between the Brookville and Tenleytown Road and Connecticut Avenue. Plat books for Montgomery County show this to be the oldest part of Chevy Chase. The land was conveyed by M. Wilson Offutt and others to William R. Griffith by deed,
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dated October 1, 1895. According to the deed description this parcel was taken from an old tract known as "No Gain." In August, 1906, William Latimer and J. E. Ballinger laid out a subdivision containing approximately 300 lots for the owner in this ame territory.
In August, 1918, W. E. Offutt, surveyor from Rockville, Maryland, subdivided John L. Warren's Addition to Chevy Chase. The land was taken from parts of old tracts known as "Charles and Thomas, " "Trap, " and "Chevy Chase." John L. Warren purchased this property from Fannie J. Barrett on September 6, 1917. There are 6 blocks containing 55 lots in this subdivision which is lo- cated on the northeast corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Leland Street.
Although the Chevy Chase Land Company did buy up land at an early date, most of it was not released for subdivision until the great building boom following the World War. Since that time, Chevy Chase has been divided into nine sections, with many sub-letters under many of the numerical sections. An effort will be made to trace out the complicated development that took place, beginning with Section 1 and describing each section in order.
Section 1. Section 1 was surveyed by D. J. Howell and Son for the Chevy Chase Land Company, and the survey was approved October 15, 1925. The subdivision was made from a tract of land as described in a deed from Jack- son H. Ralston to the Chevy Chase Land Company, dated March 23, 1891, and re- corded in liber J. A. 25, folio 223. This section is triangular in shape and lies within three intersecting streets, which are: Grafton Street, Western Ave- nue and Cedar Parkway. There are 3 blocks comprised of 47 lots with an average area of 8,000 square feet in this section.
Section 1-A. Section 1-A adjoins the southwestern border of Sec- tion 1. It is surrounded by Cedar Parkway, Western Avenue, Grafton Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Emma C. Bergdoll and L. E. Shoemaker both owned land on the opposite side of Wisconsin Avenue. Friendship Heights and a tract of land
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known as "The Hills" are also on the other side of Wisconsin Avenue from this section. Section 1-A contains 13 blocks and one small park, making a total of 296 lots, 8,000 square feet in average size. These lots have frontages ranging from 60 to 70 feet as a mean value. The plat is dated March 14, 1927.
Section 2. Section 2 is bordered by Bradley Lane, the Brook- ville-Tenleytown Road, Broad Branch Road, Western Avenue, Grafton Street, Cedar Parkway and then approximately by a straight line from the intersection of Ce- dar Parkway and Lenox Streets to the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Newlands Street, thence out Connecticut Avenue to Bradley Lane. The surveying was done by C. J. Maddox, County Surveyor, and J. H. Starkey, his assistant. All lots in this section were divided from portions of old tracts named "Charles and Thomas" and "Chevy Chase" as conveyed by Francis G. Newlands to the Chevy Chase Land Company by deed, June 14, 1890, and of record in liber J. A. 21, folios 412 and several following. The land is also a part of the property con- veyed by Jackson H. Ralston to the Chevy Chase Land Company, as recorded in li- ber J. A. 45, folios 223, etc. There were 388 lots which made up 25 blocks in the subdivision.
There is also another district in Chevy Chase known as Section 2. Bordering it is the Chevy Chase Club property, the east side of the Georgetown- Rockville Turnpike, Grafton Street and Cedar Parkway. David J. Howell and Son surveyed this territory for the Chevy Chase Land Company and had their work ap- proved May 12, 1924. The deed from Jackson H. Ralston and wife to the Chevy Chase Land Company, dated March 23, 1891, and recorded in liber J. A. 25, folio 223, describes the land as being a part of the tracts called "Friendship" and "Chevy Chase." Another parcel of ground in this section was derived from "Chevy Chase," "Labyrinth," and "Charles and Thomas," and was conveyed by Francis S. Newlands and wife to the Chevy Chase Land Company by a deed dated July 14, 1890. There are 3 blocks comprised of 57 lots of 7,500 square feet,
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average size, in this development.
Section 3. Section 3 is an older section of Chevy Chase for which J. E. Ballinger, the surveyor, filed his plat July 10, 1907. Ballinger did the surveying for the Chevy Chase Land Company. The subdivision is inclosed by Connecticut Avenue, Bradley Lane, Brookville Road and a line west and prac- tically parallel to Bradley Lane, terminating on Connecticut Avenue and Brook- ville Road respectively. This subdivision was quite extensive, for there were 13 blocks and an approximate total of 200 large lots which ranged from 10,000 to 100,000 square feet in area. Because of the age of this subdivision and the large sizes of lots, much re-subdivision work took place in this area after the making of the original survey.
Section 4. Section 4 is included mostly within Connecticut Ave- nue and Meadow Lane, however, several blocks are between Meadow Lane and Brad- ley Lane. Meadow Lane is "U" shaped and intersects Connecticut Avenue twice. Originally there were 9 blocks and 200 lots in this subdivision. There was one large rectangular lot, 800' X 600', in the center that was not subdivided in the first survey made by J. N. Starkey. Part of Block 8 of this section was re- subdivided by J. N. Starkey and was called Mikkelson's Subdivision. This de- velopment is in the immediate vicinity of Chevy Chase Circle. The site of the Elementary School on Rosemary Street is included in this land.
In August, 1927, M. and R. B. Warren had William J. Latimer re-sub- divide lots 1 and 2, block 10 of george E, Fleming's Subdivision. G
On July 17, 1928, R. W. Berry filed his plat showing the design and subdivision of an extension of Mikkelson's Subdivision. Thornapple Street, Meadow Lane, Valley Place, Ridgewood Avenue and the border of the older Mikkel- son's Subdivision limit this area. This newer section adjoins the northern boundary of the older. The land was sold to George F. Mikkelson of Montgomery County by the Chevy Chase Land Company, September 22, 1927, and was part of an
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un-numbered block in George E. Fleming's Subdivision.
Shannon and Luchs Construction Company had D. J. Howell and Son re- subdivide part of Section 4, roughly limited by Stanford Street, Maple Avenue, East Avenue, and a transit line of bearing N 45° 00' 30" E beginning at a stone placed where Thornapple Street strikes the Norwood Heights land and terminating at another stone to the north. There were 150 lots in this project. Parts of lots 15 and 16 of Section 4 were re-subdivided about the same time.
Section 4-A. This portion of Chevy Chase lies just west of Chevy
Chase Lake. The bounds are: the Baltimore and Ohio Railway, Columbia Country Club propery, Lynwood Place, Manor Road and Connecticut Avenue extended. The Chevy Chase Land Company purchased this property from several parties; namely, William M. Stewart, July 18, 1890, Michael D. Hogan, December 9, 1924, George Thomas Dunlop, May 12, 1926. The section includes 6 blocks comprised of 75 lots. So far there has been very little building here, mainly because this section is not in a most desirable location.
Section 4-B. Monroe Warren and Benjamin S. Warren, Jr., purchased this parcel of land from the Chevy Chase Land Company, February 11, 1930, as recorded in liber 498, folio 453, of the Montgomery County records. Block 8 of Chevy Chase Park, Maple Avenue, Cypress Street and the East-West Highway border this section. David J. Howell and Son subdivided the land in May of 1930. There are 4 blocks and a total of 58 lots.
Section 5. The Williams tract and the Osterborne tract were bor- dering lands of this section when David J. Howell and Son made the survey in November, 1922. Woodbine Street, Connecticut Avenue and Section 3 adjoin the outskirts of Section 5. The area is a part of an old tract called "No Gain" and was bought by the Chevy Chase Land Company July 2, 1890, from William M. and Annie E. F. Stewart. There were 4 blocks containing 33 lots in the original subdivision.
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Section 5-A. Section 5-A, a very large section, lies within four intersecting streets which are: Connecticut Avenue, Dunlop Street, Brookville Road and Woodbine Street. Most of the lots have not been built upon. Edward H. Jones and the Chevy Chase Land Company were the separate owners of three parcels of land which made up this subdivision. Jones was the owner of two of these parcels. The Chevy Chase Land Company bought its part from William H. Stewart and wife and the deed was dated July 18, 1890. There was some dispute as to the correctness of this deed and a new one was written November 29, 1893. Part of the estate of J. M. C. Williams was conveyed later by two separate owners to Edward H. Jones. There are, naturally, two separate deeds, one dated September 7, 1910 and the other February 18, 1913. The three parcels were sub- divided, all at the same time, into 12 blocks comprised of 211 lots by David J. Howell and Son in August of 1928. This section is beautifully planned.
In February, 1933, D. J. Howell and Son re-subdivided all of Block 9, doubling the number of lots which originally was fourteen. This block lies in the southeast corner of the Connecticut Avenue - East-West Highway inter- section.
Section 6. In June, 1923, Vinton D. Cockey, of Hyattsville, sur- veyed this section for Theodore Sonnemann of Chevy Chase. The land was a part of "Chevy Chase" conveyed by deed from Nancy Parker to Otmar Sonnemann, June 21, 1856. Theodore Sonnemann inherited this property. The subdivision contains 2 blocks, 29 lots, which range in area from 5,000 to 15,000 square feet. Brook- ville Road, Broadbranch Road and West Oxford Road inclose this land.
Section 7. Section 7 was also surveyed by Vinton D. Cockey, in 1923, for the same owner mentioned in Section 6. There were 3 blocks, 55 lots, in the first survey. This section lies to the east of Section 6.
Lot 17, Block B of Section 7, was re-subdivided into 9 lots by R. W. Berry for George F. Mikkelson in 1929
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Section 8. Section 8 was surveyed in 1923 by Christoper Armat of Washington, D. C., for the Safe Deposit and Trust Company, Baltimore, Mary- land. Dr. Ralph Walsh designed the plat and a street in the subdivision is named after him. The land in this subdivision came from the following tracts: "The Trap, " "Charles and Thomas" and "Chevy Chase" and was conveyed to the late Randolph Walsh by the American Security and Trust Company in two deeds dated May 5, 1893 and March 8, 1909 respectively. Another portion of this section was sold by Edwin R. Haight to Ralph Walsh. The Rockville Pike, Leland Street, East Avenue and Stanford Street inclose all three parcels of land indirectly mentioned above. There were, originally, 4 blocks, 63 lots, in this subdivi- sion, but since then much re-subdivision work has taken place.
There was an addition to Section 8, made by M. and R. B. Warren and James G. Cross and Lillian T. E. Cross, the owners, in November of 1925. David J. Howell and Son did the surveying and produced 2 blocks and 20 lots. Chevy Chase Section 4, Leland Street, Bethesda Street, and Chevy Chase Park all border this addition.
Section 8-A. Section 8-A was surveyed May, 1926, by David J. Howell and Son for M. and R. B. Warren, who were the joint owners as shown by a deed dated December 1, 1924. Block 4, lots 1 to 7, inclusive, in this sec- tion is a re-subdivision of John L. Warren's Addition to Chevy Chase. This subdivision includes the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Junior High School land. There are 4 blocks and 54 lots.
Section 8-B. Section 8-B was also the property of M. and R. B. Warren, surveyed by David J. Howell and Son, May, 1926. This land was pur- chased from Annie Kirkland Warren December 1, 1924. This is also a re-sub- division of J. L. Warren's Addition to Chevy Chase. There are 5 blocks and 53 lots. The section begins just south of the Metropolitan Branch of the Bal- timore and Ohio Railway and east of Wisconsin Avenue.
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Section 9. Joseph N. Starkey was the surveyor who subdivided this area into 63 lots and 7 blocks, in March, 1929. At that time Starkey was the Montgomery County Surveyor. His work was done for Fulton R. Gordon, who came into possession of the land June 8, 1928. This subdivision lies in the north west corner of Jones Mill Road and Connecticut Avenue extended. Streets have been built, but they lead only to vacant lots. There has been no construc- tion work here at all.
SILVER SPRING
Historically, the town of Silver Spring and the blair family are closely connected. The Hon. Frances Preston blair was a veteran journalist and was editor of the "Globe" during Andrew Jackson's administration. There is an interesting story which tells how this man established his home at Silver Spring. One day, during the year of 1850, Mr. Blair and his daughter went for a horse- back ride beyond the limits of the District of Columbia in the lower part of Montgomery County. During this ride Mr. Blair's horse, Selim, became frightened, threw his rider, and ran down into a valley of pines off to the west of the road. Upon following on foot, mr. Blair found that Selim was fast to a bush, which had caught and held the reins of his bridle. Right near this place Mr. Blair found a beautiful artesian spring that carried up particles of sand, which glistened in the water like specks of silver. He fell in love with the spring and the sur- rounding land immediately and went in search of the owner. Soon, he bought the land and made his home there for the rest of his life. It was after this spring that the town of Silver Spring was named. Still today, part of the property that Mr. H. P. Blair purchased is in the possession of the Blair family.
Scharf's History of Western Maryland, written in 1882, describes "Girls' Portion," the original tract of land from which a portion of this land
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was taken, as follows:
""Girls Portion" - This was surveyed for Henry Darnell in 1688. It extends from Rock Creek eastward to 0. H. P. Clark's farm, three and three-eights miles. The Ashton and Sligo turnpike passes through the tract. The Silver Spring farm, the estate of the late F. P. Blair, and the residence of the Hon. Montgomery Blair, includes a portion of this tract; also the Silver Spring Sta- tion and Sligo. The Brookville and Washington turnpike crosses it."
In addition to this description it was learned from other sources that "Girls' Portion" originally contained 1776 acres.
In studying the subdivision development of Silver Spring, it is more convenient to include the growth of Takoma and Sligo in the same study. These towns are so closely connected that it is difficult to tell where one ends and the others begin. At one time, the Sligo Post Office was located at the in- tersection of the Colesville Pike and Georgia Avenue. The land upon which this structure stood is now in the center of Silver Spring.
The first subdivision in this general neighborhood was begun in 1881. Starting with this date, all three communities grew up together in the years that followed. Today, there are approximately seventy-five separate subdivi- sions in existence in these towns.
Instead of attempting to give a fully written description of each subdivision, a table has been drawn up for those subdivisions nearest the Dis- trict Line in the Takoma, Silver Spring, Sligo vicinity. It must be understood that still more subdivision work has taken place to the north of the sections covered in the table, but time has not permitted the gathering of data concern- ing these.
Preceding the name of each subdivision, listed in chronological or- der of development, will be seen a letter and number, which designate the plat book and page, respectively, upon which the plat for that particular subdivision
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may be found in the offices of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
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ORIGINAL SUBDIVISION
LOCATION
DATE OF SURVEY
SURVEYOR
OWNER OF SUBDIVISION
B-22 King and Gu- lick's Addi- tion to Wood- side
Part of Silver Spring, borders Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracts west of Georgia Avenue.
C-1 Takoma Park
Borders D. C. Line, Blair Ave- nue
C-2 B. F. Gilbert's "Addition to Takoma : Park"
Carroll Ave. Ethan Ave. Elm Ave.
1886
B. F. Gilbert
C-3 Part of Ta- koma Park Section 1.
Near Washington Sanitarium. tends into Prince George's County.
1889
B. F. Gilbert
C-4 Part of Ta- koma Park Section 21
South of Blair Road, west of Section 1.
1889
B. F. Gilbert
C-14 B. F. Gilbert's second Addi- tion of Ta- koma Park
Magnolia Ave. Carroll Ave. Elm Ave. West of first Addition
1889
B. F. Gilbert B. H. Warner
B. F. Gilbert
B-57 Sligo Heights (Enoch Maris' Addition to Takoma Park)
Flower Ave. Carroll Ave. Jackson Ave. vicinity.
1889
G. W. Jackson, Takoma Park
Enoch Maris
C-39 Woodside, Silver Spring
Borders Georgia Avenue, or Brookeville and Washington Turnpike, Silver Spring
1889
H. W. Brewer
Ben jamin F. Leighton
PREVIOUS OWNER
1881
H. W. Brewer
Jessie F. Sanders
ZSA
DEED DATE DEED RECORD
Liber J. A. 29 Folio 327 Book Bl Plat 25
Liber J. A. 1 Folio 179
15 blocks 275 lots 60' X 300' 50' X 200'
Liber J. A. 3 Folio 479
11 blocks 412 lots 50' X 200'
Liber J. A. 15 Folio 143
11 blocks, several not divided. 130 lots; large variation of sizes.
Liber J. A. 15 Folio 143
8 blocks 180 lots large range of sizes; 20,000 to 60,000 square feet in area.
August 17, 1889 Liber J. A. 15 Folio 189
3 blocks 42 lots 60' X 150' to 90' X 300'
Part of 5 lots of G. C. Grammer Farm
Over half re-subdivi- ded.
Liber J. A. 15 Folio 123
80 lots 60' X 150'
Part of the Davis Part in Prince Farm
George's County
Liber J. A. 15 Folio 428
APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF LOTS AND BLOCKS: SIZES
16 lots, 50' X 200', some as large as 10 acres; 27 lots in all.
ORIGINAL TRACTS
REMARKS
"Joseph's Park" "Labyrinth" "James' Gift"
Very irregular divi- sion.
Met. Br. B.&0. R.R. passes through this subdivision
Part in Prince George's County ,
Sligo Creek runs thr through this land. Very irregular plan- ning, much re-sub- division.
Sligo Creek runs + through Section 2. Much re-subdivision made immediately after original surveys. J. Clyde Power did much of this surveying.
12 blocks 190 lots 75' X 200'
"Labyrinth"
Blocks 5, 6 and 7 re- subdivided. All rec- tangular lots origin- ally.
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ORIGINAL SUBDIVISION
LOCATION
DATE OF SURVEY
SURVEYOR
OWNER OF SUBDIVISION
PREVIOUS OWNER
C-40 B. F. Leigh- ton's Addi- tion to Woodside
Northwest of Woodside
1890
H. W. Brewer
B. F. Leigh- ton
C-22
Takoma Park
Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Chicago Avenue, Takoma Avenue.
West of B. F.
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