Takoma, Washington, D.C.
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| Takoma Park Historic District | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| U.S. Historic District | |
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| Location: | Roughly bounded by DC/MD boundary, 7th Street, Piney Branch Road, Aspen Street, and Fern Street. |
| Coordinates: | 38°58′30″N 77°1′13″W / 38.975°N 77.02028°W |
| Added to NRHP: | June 30, 1983 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 83001416 |
Takoma (or 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. Takoma and the rest of Ward 4 are represented in the Council of the District of Columbia by Muriel Bowser.
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. Along Eastern Avenue, the boundary of the District of Columbia, the neighborhood borders the city of Takoma Park, Maryland, with which it 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.
Both neighborhoods together have been noted regionally and nationally for their "progressive" politics,[citation needed] dating from the 1960s, when residents of the area (led by future Takoma Park, MD mayor Sam Abbott) rallied to prevent a 10-lane freeway from bisecting the area,[citation needed] and lobbied to build a Metrorail station instead, on 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.
The area in between is currently experiencing a period of development, with new apartment buildings, restaurants, and bars opening. Takoma is a diverse neighborhood, populated mostly by middle class families. It has fewer apartments than adjoining areas in Maryland. Large buildings are confined to the small downtown, which is slowly being re-developed. Many of the houses in the area are historic, with some over 100 years old.
Takoma was originally developed in 1888 as part of a Victorian resort village. Developer B.F. Gilbert encouraged the Seventh-Day Adventist Church to set up their world headquarters 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. The Seventh-Day Adventist Church maintained a publishing house on the D.C. side of the line; 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.[1] Takoma Theatre Conservancy, a nonprofit preservation group, is raising money to buy and refurbish the theater.[1] 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.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] Education
District of Columbia Public Schools operates public schools.
District of Columbia Public Library operates the Takoma Park Neighborhood Library.[2]
[edit] External links
- ^ a b c Meno, Mike. Grants offer hope for Takoma Theatre renewal. Maryland Gazette. 2008-07-16.
- ^ "Hours & Locations." District of Columbia Public Library. Retrieved on October 21, 2009.
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