Welcome
In 1890, a new kind of neighborhood began to take shape on former farmland at the edge of Washington, D.C. The modern planned community of Chevy Chase, Maryland was designed to take advantage of a revolutionary mode of rapid transit: the streetcar. This electric-powered conveyance made commuting from a home in the country to work in the nation’s capital fast, easy and convenient. Residents of Chevy Chase enjoyed the best of both worlds – and they made the most of each!
Today’s residents and members of the Chevy Chase Historical Society protect and treasure the character of their community while they welcome the best aspects of the future. We welcome you to join us – and to explore our history.
Visit the CCHS Archive & Research Center
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History-Go-Round Tours: April 14 and 15
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In 1892 Cocquelin Run, a tributary of Rock Creek, was dammed to create a lake next to the power house which produced electricity for the Rock Creek Railway line on Connecticut Avenue. The trolley carried residents of the new suburb to their jobs in downtown Washington. But the lake was much more than an industrial pond -- on its banks was the Chevy Chase Lake Amusement Park. Operating from 1894 to 1936, the park was intended to draw prospective land and home buyers to the Chevy Chase Land Company's new suburban development. With picnic areas, boating, a bandstand, dancing pavilions, a merry-go-round, and other amusements, it was open from late spring through early fall. |
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CCHS Spring Lecture 2017 now available
on the CCHS YouTube Channel!
"Readers Build Community: The Literary Culture of Early Chevy Chase"
An illustrated lecture celebrating the new CCHS online exihibit "Chevy Chase Reads"
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CCHS Fall Lecture 2016 now available Longtime Bethesda resident and journalist Steve Roberts gave an illustrated lecture, “A Tale of Two Suburbs: Bethesda and Chevy Chase.” Please visit our YouTube Channel. To purchase Steve Roberts' book, please visit our online store! |
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