• Welcome

     

    CELEBRATING ONE OF AMERICA'S FIRST STREET CAR SUBURBS

     

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    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.

    The Chevy Chase Historical Society Archive and Research Center is open to the public on Tuesdays from 10am-Noon and 1pm-3pm. The Center is also open by appointment.  For more information, contact us at 301-656-6141 or info@chevychasehistory.org.
     

     


     

    Register Now for the CCHS Spring 2024 Lecture

    Book cover for "The Food Explorer" by Daniel Stone

     

    Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 7:30pm via zoom

    REGISTER HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NsaNeco5T1SjMa0lFAupug

     

    CCHS presents the second in its series of lectures about the “Hidden Histories of Chevy Chase”.

    Join author Daniel Stone as he discusses the life and work of one-time Chevy Chase resident and distinguished botanist, David Fairchild. In the late 19th century, Fairchild traveled to more than 50 countries, shipping back to the US some 4,000 new or improved varieties of plants, from avocados to zucchini, and from mangoes to pistachios. In addition to foods, we have Fairchild to thank for the Japanese cherry blossoms that ring the Tidal Basin each spring. Stone’s biography, The Food Explorer, tells the story of how Fairchild changed American agriculture--and the American palate--forever.

     

     


    Watch our Fall 2023 Lecture on the Rollingwood Burial Ground for Enslaved People

    This lecture covers the history of slavery in the Chevy Chase area, the lived experience of those who were enslaved, and discusses the history of the burial ground for enslaved people on Brookville Road and how it was erased from the landscape by suburban development. 

     

     

     


    Take a look inside a scrapbook from 1917!

    Alice Rockwell Chestnut Crosby (1897-1992) filled this scrapbook with memories from her time at the Chevy Chase Seminary. Her collection of photos, playbills, ticket stubs, and collages show what life was like for the Seminary’s young students.

     


     

  • About Chevy Chase

    About Chevy Chase - Chevy Chase Lake Streetcar

    Explore the history of Chevy Chase, Maryland, one of America’s first streetcar suburbs.

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  • Exhibitions

    Exhbitions

    The CCHS exhibitions highlight some of the most interesting people, places and events in Chevy Chase history.

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  • Research

    Research

    Search our collection of documents, photographs, and maps online or visit the Archive and Research Center.  

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