Takoma Park is a neighborhood in northern Washington, D.C.. It is located in Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B, in the District's Fourth Ward, within the northwest quadrant. It borders the city of Takoma Park, Maryland.
In recent years, mainly since the metro opened, it has become differentiated from its Maryland neighbor as "Takoma"; however, historically it was called Takoma Park, D.C. Takoma is frequently referred to by many people as being the portion of "Takoma Park" that happens to be located in the District of Columbia. This is mainly because Takoma and Takoma Park together made up the original Takoma Park area. They are only separated from each other by the Maryland/D.C. line. The library still bears the name "Takoma Park Library" and the historic district is referred to as "Takoma Park historic District". Until recently, the recreation center was known as Takoma Park Recreation Center and Takoma Park pool. As time goes on, people seem to forget and try to assert that the D.C. side is Takoma, however this a fairly recent phenomenon. Some apartment buildings and businesses in Takoma, D.C., still say "Takoma Park". There is even a welcome sign next to the Takoma Metro Station that says, "Welcome to Takoma Park, D.C." There is also an apartment complex in Takoma D.C. called "The Gables at Takoma Park".
Takoma is a diverse neighborhood, populated mostly by middle-class families. Its small downtown has recently been re-developed, bringing in new residents and attractive new businesses. Many of the houses in Takoma are historic, and some are over 100 years old.
Takoma and the rest of Ward 4 are represented in the Council of the District of Columbia by Brandon Todd.
Geography
Along Eastern Avenue, Takoma Park, D.C. borders Takoma Park, Maryland, a city with which Takoma shares its origins. Takoma shares a common identity with the neighboring city in Maryland, and the downtown area surrounding the Takoma Metro station crosses the District of Columbia line.
Takoma is bounded by Georgia Avenue to the west, somewhere between Tuckerman and Van Buren Streets to the south, and Eastern Avenue to the northeast. The current site of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Georgia Avenue separates it from Rock Creek Park. However, the neighborhood historically and culturally spans across the MD line into the greater neighborhood, with D.C. residents walking up to the farmer's market and downtown Takoma Park, MD, its greater neighborhood.
The neighborhood's Takoma Recreation Center and Public Pool is one of several major recreation centers in D.C.
History
Takoma Park was originally developed in 1883 by developer Benjamin Franklin Gilbert as a commuter suburb on the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad line. Gilbert welcomed the Seventh-day Adventist Church to set up their world headquarters and publishing house in Takoma Park, DC with a hospital and college in neighboring Takoma Park, Maryland, and promoted the community's reputation for vegetarianism and "clean living" away from the "malarial swamps" of the city. Takoma, D.C. was originally regarded as the commercial hub for the entire surrounding area, prior to the development of Silver Spring, as it featured large shops and industrial buildings in the area now occupied by the Metro station. Its commercial hub is considered to be part of what is called, "Takoma Park's Historic District".
Takoma was originally the name of Mount Rainier, from Lushootseed [tÉ™qʷúbÉ™Ê"] (earlier *tÉ™qʷúmÉ™Ê"), "snow-covered mountain". In response to a wish of Gilbert to rename the train stop called "Brightwood," the name Takoma was chosen in 1883 by DC resident Ida Summy, who believed it to mean "high up" or "near heaven".
The Seventh-day Adventist Church maintained its world headquarters and a publishing house on the Eastern Avenue side of the D.C. line until the early 1980s; after moving to Silver Spring, the former site of the publishing house became art lofts and rehearsal space for the Washington Opera.
The Takoma Theater, built in 1924, is located in the neighborhood. Takoma Theatre Conservancy, a nonprofit preservation group, is raising money to buy and refurbish the theater. The District of Columbia awarded a grant to the group to study how the theater would affect the residential neighborhood and how it should operate the theater if it reopened.
The Takoma Masonic Center ground-breaking ceremony took place on November 12, 1924 at the corner of Carroll St. NW and Maple St. NW, where it remains today as a community partner. On November 29, 1924, the masonic cornerstone ceremony was conducted by the Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia, Charles F. Roberts and Grand Lodge Officers and members of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, Free And Accepted Masons. Hiram-Takoma Lodge No. 10 and Takoma Chapter No. 12, Order of the Eastern Star of the District of Columbia have met there since May 27, 1925 and jointly participate regularly in Takoma community events today. The Takoma Masonic Center is the only border lodge building in the District of Columbia allowing for community outreach and service to a greater population.
Both Takoma Park, D.C., and Takoma Park, Maryland, have been noted regionally and nationally for progressive politics dating from the 1960s, when area residents (led by future Takoma Park, MD mayor Sam Abbott) rallied to prevent a 10-lane freeway from bisecting the community, and lobbied to build the Metrorail system, near the site of the former B&O railroad station around which the community had been built. However, much of the land adjacent to the station was demolished or neglected in the wake of the freeway controversy, creating division between downtown Takoma Park, MD and the center of the Takoma community, which roughly parallels the D.C. line. Both of the remaining areas, on either side of the D.C.-Maryland line, are now protected as U.S. Historic Districts.
Education
District of Columbia Public Schools operates public schools. Takoma Education Campus and Coolidge High School are located in Takoma, D.C.
District of Columbia Public Library operates the Takoma Park Neighborhood Library. It was the first neighborhood library in Washington, D.C., and a Carnegie library.
EF International Languages Center Washington D.C., a private English school for foreign students, is located in Takoma.
See also
- Cady-Lee, a historic home in Takoma
References
External links
- Takoma.info
- DCPS Takoma Education Campus
- ANC 4B
