CELEBRATING ONE OF AMERICA'S FIRST STREET CAR SUBURBS
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 by appointment only. For more information, contact us at 301-656-6141 or info@chevychasehistory.org.
Join CCHS at our Spring 2025 Lecture!
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.
