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History

History Part 2

From the beginning, the development of Chevy Chase was a bold scheme. It required the initial purchase of more than 1,700 acres of farmland; the formation of the Chevy Chase Land Company with a capital stock of one million dollars; the construction of Connecticut Avenue's broad reach of more than five miles above Calvert Street; the creation of an electric railway line; and the establishment of clubs, churches, and schools to fill the new residents' needs. And it was intent on the highest-quality standards.

These grand plans of the 1890's took decades to realize, but they were the foundation of the quiet, picturesque community of Chevy Chase that even today bears the indelible stamp of its founders' ideals. Above all it is the "home suburb," the neighborhood of homes they envisioned. Broad verandas, patterned shingles and half sleeping porches, decorative cornices, pergolas, and a variety of rooflines define a wide range of residential architectural styles. The urban profile its founders sought to prevent - crowded alleys, rowhouses, industrial and commercial intrusions - is still absent. Quality of life today is defined by stately trees, broad streets, green lawns, comfortable houses, porch swings, and swing sets.

Chevy Chase sits directly on the line between Maryland and the District of Columbia, with sections of development spilling into both jurisdictions and onto both sides of Connecticut Avenue. The hub of Chevy Chase Circle establishes a strong sense of place - along with churches that line its circumference, are the Chevy Chase Village Hall, two quietly elegant clubs, and a few carefully defined shopping areas.


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