Historic Preservation Commission

DATE: September 9, 2019

TO: Historic Preservation Commission

VIA: Howard S. Berger, Supervisor Historic Preservation Section, Countywide Planning Division

FROM: Thomas W. Gross, Planner Coordinator Historic Preservation Section, Countywide Planning Division

RE: Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusion and Recommendation

Historic Resource Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge MIHP Number 71A-006 Address 8200 bl. Laurel Bowie Road, Bowie, MD 20715 Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Owners (Parcel 14); Adrian J. Rad and Aviva S. Nebesky (Parcel 1) Parcel 1 and that portion of Parcel 14 bounded on the east by Laurel Bowie Road and on the west by a line drawn from the Environmental Setting southernmost point of the western portion of Parcel 1 to the westernmost point of the eastern portion of Parcel 1 Description Map 29, Grid E3, Parcel 14 and Map 29, Grid D3, Parcel 1

Procedural Background September 1974 Survey and documentation of the property initially completed by Michael F. Dwyer. July 1981 Resource included in the Prince George’s County Historic Sites and Districts Plan. September 1985 Survey and documentation updated by Susan G. Pearl January 2008 Survey and documentation updated by EHT Traceries, Inc. August 29, 2019 The property was posted “at least 14 days in advance,” according to the provisions of the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Ordinance (Subtitle 29-118) and the Prince George’s County Zoning Ordinance (Subtitle 27-125.03). Evidence of sign posting and written notice to the property owner are attached. August 30, 2019 The property owner, the adjacent property owners, and other interested parties were mailed written notice of the time, date, and location of the public hearing on the application. September 16, 2019 Date of HPC public hearing.

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 2 Findings Description: The subject historic resource was constructed in 1907 to carry the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway over Horsepen Branch. The single-span structure is constructed of reinforced concrete and rests on heavy concrete abutments and retaining walls that flank the waterway. The bridge is located on the WB&A bike and pedestrian trail, under a modern bridge that crosses both Horsepen Branch and Laurel Bowie Road. The railway tracks were removed in the 1930s but depressions remain where crossties had been laid across the bridge. Setting: The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is located in the 8200 block of Laurel Bowie Road, near the southern end of Lloyd Station Road, approximately one mile southeast of the historic center of Bowie. The bridge structure is largely contained within Parcel 14, which forms part of the WB&A Trail property owned by M-NCPPC. The concrete walls that flank Horsepen Branch on the north and south sides of the bridge extend into Parcel 1. The historic resource is located just west of Laurel Bowie Road, in an area characterized by low-density residential uses, woodland, and an adjacent horse farm. A 41.7-acre property to the immediate west of the resource is the subject of a preliminary plan of subdivision application for the proposed Pecan Ridge single-family residential development. This historic resource evaluation is being conducted in the context of the Planning Department’s review of this development application. History: The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is located on property that was part of the 369.5-acre Fair Running patent surveyed in 1813 to Joseph Peach III, comprising parts of the earlier patents Isaac’s Discovery, Farmer’s Reserve, and Peach Plains. The house built by Peach’s grandfather in 1727 was enlarged by Peach in the early nineteenth century and still stands, in greatly altered form, roughly a half-mile south of the railway bridge (Fair Running, Historic Site 71B-015). Joseph Peach sold 251 acres in 1814 to Barton Duvall, and the property and house remained in the Duvall family until 234 acres was sold to Richard G. Cross and Trueman Cross in 1850. The property was purchased “for the use of Elizabeth Page.” Page’s name appears on the 1861 Martenet map of Prince George’s County. Page’s sons mortgaged the property to Trueman Cross in 1874 and defaulted shortly after Cross died; the name of Cross’s executor, Jesse Slingluff, appears on the 1878 Hopkins atlas. The property passed through the Eberhardt, Dutton, and Weller families before being sold to Bernard F. Maenner and his wife, Elizabeth, in 1885. In 1890 Bernard and Elizabeth Maenner sold a roughly 9-acre parcel near the north end of Fair Running to Daniel Boone Lloyd, who owned an adjacent 137 acres to the north that was part of Strife, originally granted to Hugh Riley in 1721. The purchase gave Lloyd greater access to Horsepen Branch, which might have benefited the farm that Lloyd’s father, Augustus, operated on the property. Daniel B. Lloyd worked as a stenographer for the U.S. Senate from age 17 until his death in 1943 at age 83. He and his wife, Anna Belle, spent summers at “Buena Vista Farm” in “The Forest” and stayed in Washington, D.C. while Congress was in session. Lloyd’s career longevity made him the subject of national media interest, with his obituary appearing in newspapers as far afield as Arkansas, New Mexico, and California. The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway Company purchased the Annapolis, Washington and Baltimore steam railroad for $385,000 around the turn of the twentieth century and soon began to acquire rights of way for its new intercity line, creating a 66-foot wide corridor extending from near the intersection of 15th Street NE and Benning Road in Washington, D.C. to downtown Baltimore. The portion of the right of way on which the subject historic resource is located was conveyed by Daniel and Anna Lloyd to the railway in April 1906. In August 1902, the company sold bonds to finance the construction of the railway and a new power plant in Hyattsville, expected to cost $350,000. Construction was underway later that year and by January 1903, WB&A officials expressed optimism that the line would be in service by September 1904. This proved unrealistic, and in fact the opening of the railway remained a moving target for several years. Construction of the WB&A was still in its early stages in April 1906, when the Fidelity Construction Company of Detroit was contracted to lay the track between the city limits of Baltimore and the outskirts of

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 3 Washington, D.C. Another firm had already done a large amount of grading along the route by this time, and it was expected that the remaining grading, ballasting, and track laying would be completed within a year. Fidelity advertised for “teams with drivers” for “steady work for [the] entire season.” The project was headquartered at Odenton, near the junction of the three lines to Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis. By December 1906 the railway company declared the construction of the line to be 60 percent complete, with operation expected to commence before July 1, 1907. At its height, the project employed up to 600 men, 150 teams and five steam shovels, one of which was positioned near Bowie. Among the distinguishing features of the railway touted by its builders was the avoidance of grade crossings along the roughly 40-mile route; as one article put it, “the railway will either pass over or under every country road, and the highway crossings will be solid floor abutments—that is, concrete structures filled in and the tracks laid on ties with stone ballast.” This type of crossing was novel for the region, where trestle bridges had long been standard. One article put the cost of the crossings at up to $15,000 each. The company was eventually forced to build several grade crossings after Anne Arundel County commissioners refused to allow WB&A to construct bridges or tunnels at the crossings of five country roads in the county. Other advantages of the new line, according to company officials, were its powerful electrical system and the relatively straight, flat course of the track; with a maximum curvature of one degree and maximum grade of two percent along the route, trains were expected to reach speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. The Niles Car Company of Niles, Ohio was awarded the contract for the line’s rolling stock, which was to consist of 62-passenger Pullman- type cars with an olive-green color scheme, mahogany interiors and leather seats. The completion of the railway was delayed repeatedly due to poor weather and unforeseen engineering difficulties. The original July 1907 target was pushed back to November, then to December, then to February 1908. Several specific setbacks were reported in the press, including the need to demolish and replace a concrete abutment that had shifted several feet on the marshy ground at Gwynn’s Falls near Baltimore. A test trip on the new railway was made on February 7, 1908, transporting a group of 30 scientists, civil engineers, railroad officials and reporters from Baltimore to Annapolis and then to Washington, D.C., where a dinner was held at the Willard Hotel. An article describing the trip stated that the railway company had spent $5,000,000 to complete the line, which extended a total of 96.33 miles. Regular scheduled service on the railway began in March 1908. The first few months of operation were marred by several accidents, including a head-on collision near Annapolis in April that resulted in over 10 injuries and a larger collision in June that killed nine and injured 16. The latter accident and the investigation that followed were reported in newspapers across the country. The cause was found to be a defaced set of operating instructions that caused confusion on the part of one of the train operators involved. Despite these early failures and the negative press that they engendered, the WB&A enjoyed a steadily increasing ridership and improving finances in its early years of business. The Baltimore Sun stated in April 1909 that the railway carried 197,472 adult passengers and 2,888 children in the first quarter of that year. The company diversified its operations in 1909 by contracting with another firm to provide interurban freight service, which would serve not only businesses in the three cities but also farmers along the route. That year the company also undertook an important cost-saving measure by replacing its entire rolling stock with a fleet of smaller cars that could run on direct current rather than alternating current, a change that was projected to trim $150,000 from the railway’s annual operating expenses. Like many trolley lines of its era, the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway was intended not only to connect its three termini but also to stimulate development along its route. Speculative real estate investment began even before the line was completed; in 1907, the Hayes-Sharp Realty Company purchased and subdivided a 350-acre tract straddling the proposed line near what is now Ardwick-Ardmore Road. The WB&A right-of-way is identified on the plat for this subdivision, Dixie Dale, as well as on other subdivision plats, including Lincoln, Glenarden, and Buena Vista, that were recorded before or shortly after the railway was completed. Once the line was open, WB&A and developers would work together to promote each other’s

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 4 products. The Baltimore Highland Realty Company in April 1909 invited prospective buyers to tour its new subdivision, with transportation offered on dedicated WB&A cars at discounted rates. The symbiosis was apparently successful, with the Washington Post reporting in December 1909 that “[WB&A’s] business is growing, because of the settlements springing up along its lines, and…in a few years [the railway] is bound to be a good investment.” Behind these outward signs of success, however, a series of corporate machinations were playing out just to keep the fledgling railway solvent. The company was unable to pay the interest on its large debt load and in 1909 was put into receivership, from which it did not emerge until April 1911. In a series of transactions, the railway’s assets were then conveyed to the newly formed Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Railway Company for the sum of $2,501,000. Following the reorganization, the WB&A entered a period of stability and prosperity that lasted through the mid-1920s. The company posted record earnings of nearly $1,000,000 in 1916, with officials boasting that “the company today is in a stronger position financially and the physical condition better than ever before.” The financial picture was even stronger in 1918, when the railway reported gross revenues of nearly $3,000,000, a 94 percent increase over the previous year. One factor that helped boost ridership in this period was the onset of Prohibition and a January 1918 ruling by the Supreme Court for the District of Columbia that held that bringing unlabeled bottles of liquor into Washington was not a criminal offense. WB&A officials openly acknowledged the impact of the ruling and adjusted the line’s schedules to accommodate the surging popularity of the “bootleg specials.” The WB&A made headlines during the 1910s for reasons other than its financial strength. The company fielded a highly successful baseball team that the Washington Herald in 1916 called “one of the strongest combinations in the history of the amateur game in these parts.” The team, which played its home games at Naval Academy Junction near Odenton, won the regional independent title in 1916. Employees of the railway also formed a music and drama club in 1915, although its activities received less press attention. The WB&A also attracted media coverage when it carried foreign dignitaries, such as during a visit by Prince Tsai Suun of the Chinese Navy to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in September 1910. The Baltimore Sun reported several incidents in the 1910s that occurred at Lloyd’s Station, just west of the subject historic resource. In August 1910, an arriving train struck an unidentified man while he sat sleeping on the station platform. A minor collision at the station in October 1917 was caused by a Washington-bound express train rear-ending a local train that had just discharged passengers at the station. A more unusual event occurred at Lloyd’s Station in February 1914, when a sudden power failure rendered a Baltimore-train immobile and forced 40 passengers to spend the night aboard the car. The 1920s saw the WB&A come under increasing pressure from the forces that would eventually spell the railway’s demise. With the end of World War I causing a slowdown in activity at Camp Meade, the company was forced to respond to falling demand by seeking approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission for a rate increase—from $1.50 to $2.00 for a roundtrip ticket between Baltimore and Washington. A more ominous development was the growing interest, expressed by politicians and citizens alike, in building new and larger roads between the three cities served by the railway. Accommodating greater automobile travel was a national priority during this period, with federal agencies spending roughly $344 million on road construction in 1919 alone. That year construction began on the National Defense Highway between Washington and Annapolis, which promised to enable more efficient travel between the two cities than the “very roundabout and expensive” WB&A line. A coalition of towns in Prince George’s County in 1919 formed the Good Roads Association, which pushed for better roads to connect suburbs along the WB&A and Pennsylvania Railroad lines. The threat posed by road travel was clearly felt by WB&A officials by 1925, when the company asked Maryland and District of Columbia regulators for an exclusive permit to operate a bus line between Washington and Annapolis to prevent competition from other carriers. The acquisition of the WB&A by the Consolidated Gas & Electric Company of Baltimore in May 1927 marked the beginning of the railway’s final chapter, while illustrating the declining fortunes of intercity rail

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 5 at that time. The utility had no interest in entering the railway business; indeed, it planned to sell the actual track to one of the large steam railroad companies. CG&E was interested only in the WB&A’s power infrastructure, which it could add to its portfolio of assets between Washington and Baltimore to give it greater influence over electricity generation and transmission in the region. The railway continued to operate as an independent entity, but by January 1931 strained finances had once again forced the company into receivership. A statement by Vice President and General Manager Harry T. Connolly put the situation plainly: “The road, like other interurban roads, is subject to competition of motor buses, motor trucks and private automobiles. This competition we have not been able to overcome, even by new equipment, reductions in fares and decreases in running time. Consequently, the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Co. finds itself in the same unfortunate position as some of the steam roads and an increasing number of electric urban and interurban roads.” Negotiations with the receiver resulted in a substantial pay cut for the railway’s motormen and conductors, which was expected to cut operating expenses $50,000 annually. In early 1931, WB&A officials warned that the railway might have to shut down unless the state of Maryland passed legislation that would extend the company’s tax-exempt status. This spurred an offer to purchase the railway by Walter H. Hart, an Annapolis real estate agent who claimed his plan had the backing of investors in Philadelphia and elsewhere. The plan was never pursued, leaving the company in the hands of the receivers. Adding to its difficulties, the WB&A’s 25-year franchise to operate in Annapolis expired in July 1931 and was not renewed by the city council, which preferred to see the line’s tracks removed to accommodate greater automobile traffic. In April 1935, after failing to receive an extension of its state tax exemption, the railway’s receiver filed an application with the Maryland Public Service Commission and the Interstate Commerce Commission to end all services on the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis line. The move was opposed by the District of Columbia Board of Commissioners, which said it would increase the costs associated with the tuberculosis hospital the District government was building in Glenn Dale (Glenn Dale Tuberculosis Hospital Historic District, 70-050). The site had been selected on the basis of its proximity to the WB&A line, and without its service the hospital would have to receive fuel and supplies by truck. Official protests were also filed by Secretary of War George Dern and Secretary of the Navy Claude Swanson, who noted the railway was an important supply line for Fort Meade and the Naval Academy. Unpersuaded by these arguments, the Public Service Commission in May 1935 granted approval for the WB&A to discontinue service. On July 19, 1935, a Federal court in Baltimore ordered the railway to end operations on August 20. A Washington Post article noted that 450 WB&A employees would lose their jobs as a result of the closure. Proposals to convert the WB&A line to some other use were announced even before the July 1935 court order was issued. The Evans Products Company of Detroit, Michigan entered negotiations to buy the line and operate a fleet of 100 trucks and buses that were designed for use on either road or track. The plan failed to materialize, and thereafter all proposed uses of the right of way contemplated the removal of the tracks. In late 1935, the company established to liquidate the WB&A’s assets offered to sell the roadbed for the purpose of building a new highway. This plan was supported by both the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Maryland State Roads Commission as a way to relieve congestion on the Washington- Baltimore Boulevard, the most heavily used road in the state at that time. When the state purchased the railbed for $80,000 in in late 1938, Maryland Governor Harry W. Nice said the new highway would be “the most modern example of high-speed road construction in the entire country.” The proposed road was to be a dual carriageway at least 100 feet wide, meaning additional land adjacent to the 66-foot wide railbed would have to be purchased. A December 1938 Washington Post article noted that farmers living along the defunct railway had already turned sections of the bed into roadways by pouring dirt and gravel over the crossties. The road proposal failed when it was discovered that certain sections of the railbed had not been owned in fee simple by the WB&A but instead reverted to their original owners after the WB&A ceased operating.

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 6 Some of the more colorful descriptions of the WB&A were written long after the railway shut down. Writing in 1956, Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich recalled making the trip from Washington to the horse racing track in Bowie on “the mangiest, flea-bitten old coaches of the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway which left 15th and H ne., whenever they were ready.” Several reminiscences of the railway that appeared in the Post in the 1970s noted the various unflattering nicknames given to the line by its riders, including “Wobble, Bounce and Agony” and “Weary, Bruised and Aching.” Prince George’s County Executive Parris Glendenning in July 1991 announced plans to open a trail on a six- mile section of the railbed from Lanham to Anne Arundel County, and over the next several years the County negotiated with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and the state to purchase the railbed. Morris Warren, a Bowie businessman who founded the WB&A Recreational/Commuter Trail Association, was credited by County officials for pushing the negotiations forward. When Morris invited reporters to walk a section of the proposed trail near the location of the historic resource, there were still tracks in place. The section on which the subject historic resource is located was purchased by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission from Amtrak in January 1994. The WB&A Electric Railway Bridge was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in November 1997 under Criterion C, as an example of the use of concrete for railroad bridges in rural areas. The eligibility review form states that although the bridge is small and utilitarian in appearance, “its simplicity and abstraction lend a certain element of grace to its functional character.” Significance: Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is significant as one of two remaining structures in the County associated with the WB&A Railway, an important transportation facility that served the County in the first four decades of the twentieth century. As noted in the National Register of Historic Places determination of eligibility, the historic resource is also significant as an example of the use of concrete for railroad bridges in rural areas. The WB&A Bridge is an example of the early twentieth-century transportation heritage of Prince George’s County. Integrity/Degree of Alteration: The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge retains sufficient integrity to convey its significance as an example of the early twentieth-century transportation heritage of Prince George’s County. The structure is largely unaltered since its original construction save for the removal of the railroad tracks, and as such retains a high degree of integrity of feeling, materials, design, setting, location, and workmanship. The bridge retains a moderate degree of integrity of association, as it no longer serves its original purpose but is recognized as an element of the trail named for the WB&A railway. HPC Policy #1-87 states that a property’s integrity should be considered in the context of the scarcity of the resource type it represents, with a less restrictive standard of integrity applied when few or no other similar properties exist in the Inventory of Historic Resources. The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is unique within the Inventory as an early twentieth-century railway structure. The one other extant structure associated with the WB&A Electric Railway, the Street Railway Service Property in Landover (Documented Property 72-003), is not listed in the Inventory of Historic Resources. Conclusion and Recommendation 1. Staff concludes that Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge can be found to meet three of the nine designation criteria of Subtitle 29-104(a): Historic and Cultural Significance

1. A. (i) has significant character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the County, State or Nation

1. A. (ii) is the site of a significant historic event

1. A. (iv) X exemplifies the cultural, economic, industrial, social, political or historical heritage of the County and its urban and rural communities

Architectural and Design Significance

2. A. (i) X embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction

2. A. (ii) represents the work of a master craftsman, architect or builder

2. A. (iii) possesses high artistic values

2. A. (iv) represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction 2. A. (v) X represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood, community or County due to its singular physical characteristics or landscape

Staff Recommendation Staff recommends to the Historic Preservation Commission that the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, Historic Resource 71A-006, with its Environmental Setting defined as Parcel 1 and that portion of Parcel 14 bounded on the east by Laurel Bowie Road and on the west by a line drawn from the southernmost point of the western portion of Parcel 1 to the westernmost point of the eastern portion of Parcel 1, be designated a Prince George’s County Historic Site as meeting the following criteria in Subtitle 29-104(a): (1)(A)(iv); (2)(A)(i); and (2)(A)(v).

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 8 Attachments: MIHP Form for 71A-006 (including map and photographs) August 30, 2019 Notice announcing September 16, 2019 HPC Public Hearing c: MIHP Inventory File 71A-006 Judy D'Ambrosi, Community Planner, Planning Area 71A

Owners: Christine Fanning, Chief M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation Natural & Historical Resources Division 6600 Kenilworth Avenue Riverdale MD 20737

Adrian Rad and Aviva Nebesky 8306 Lloyd Station Road Bowie MD 20715

Interested Parties:

Douglas McElrath, Chairman Prince George’s Heritage 4703 Annapolis Road Bladensburg MD 20710

Alfonso Narvaez, Chairman Prince George’s Historical & Cultural Trust PO Box 85 Upper Marlboro MD 20773

Donna Schneider, President Prince George’s County Historical Society PO Box 1513 Upper Marlboro MD 20773

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 9

Figure 1. Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge looking northwest, January 2019.

Figure 2. Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge looking south, January 2019.

Evaluation for Historic Site Designation: Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) September 9, 2019 Page 10

. Figure 3. Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge looking northeast, January 2019.

Figure 4. Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, proposed Environmental Setting (Note: property boundaries may not be represented accurately on available GIS imagery). CAPSULE SUMMARY PG:71A-6 Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge West of Laurel Bowie Road, Spanning the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent River Bowie, Prince George's County, Maryland 1908 Public

The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, also known as the Concrete

Railroad Bridge, retains a low level of integrity. The bridge is one of the few remnants of the

Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway which abandoned the bridge when the

Railway closed in 1935. The tracks have been removed from the bridge and the structure retains a low integrity to convey its significance as a component of an early-twentieth-century transportation system that furthered the development of Prince George's County.

The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is a single-span structure constructed in 1908 of poured reinforced concrete. The bridge rests on heavy concrete abutments, set at a 90 degree angle to the bridge, on the banks of the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent River. The underside of the bridge and the side walls resting in the creek are deteriorated by visible spalling and rust. Maryland Historical Trust Inventory No. PG : 7 A-6 Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties Form

1. Name of Property (indicate preferred name)

historic Concrete Railroad Bridge other Washington, Baltimore, & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (preferred) 2. Location

street and number W est of Laurel Bowie Road, Spanning the Horsepen Branch of the Patu xent River not for publication city, town Bowie K vicinity county Prince George's

3. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of all owners)

name M aryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Robert M. Arciprete

street and number 6600 Kenilwv orth A enue telephone city, town Riverdale state MD zip code 20737-1 3 14 4. Location of Legal Description

courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Prince George's County Courthouse liber 9273 folio 220 city, town Upper Marlboro tax map 29 tax parcel 14 tax ID number 14 1658277 5. Primary Location of Additional Data ___ Contributing Resource in National Register District ___ Contributing Resource in Local Historic District ___ Determined Eligible for the National Register/Maryland Register ___ Determined Ineligible for the National Register/Maryland Register ___ Recorded by HABS/HAER ___ Historic Structure Report or Research Report at MHT X Other: Maryland-National Capi tal Park and Pl anning Commi ss ion, Prince George's County Planning Department

6. Classification

Category Ownership Current Function Resource Count __district _ X_public __agriculture __landscape Contributing Noncontributing __building(s) __private __commerce/trade __recreation/culture ____ buildings _ x_structure __both __defense __religion ____ sites __site __domestic __social ____ structures __object __education __transportation ____ objects __funerary __work in progress O Total __government __unknown __health care _ X_vacanUnot in use Number of Contributing Resources __industry __other: previously listed in the Inventory I 7. Description Inventory No. PG:7 I A-6

Condition

excellent deteriorated _good ruins .x__ fair altered

Prepare both a one paragraph summary and a comprehensive description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today.

The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, also known as the Concrete Railroad Bridge, is located to the west of Laurel Bowie Road (MD 197). The bridge was constructed in 1908 and is located under a pedestrian bridge that spans Laurel Bowie Road as part of the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Recreation Trail. The pedestrian bridge is located just north of Rustic Hill Drive. The Washington, Baltimore, & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge spans the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent River.

BRIDGE

INTEGRITY

The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge retains a low level of integrity. The bridge has lost its integrity of design, setting, association, and feeling because the railroad line has been abandoned for more than seventy years. The tracks have been dismantled, thereby erasing a significant element of a early twentieth century transportation system. The remaining portion of the structure sited over the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent River retains a low level of integrity of materials, workmanship, and location. 8. Significance Inventory No. PG :7 I A-6

Period Areas of Significance Check and justify below

1600-1699 _ agriculture economics health/medicine _ performing arts 1700-1799 _ archeology education _ industry _ philosophy 1800-1899 architecture _ engineering invention _ politics/government x 1900-1999 art entertainment/ _ landscape architecture _ religion 2000- commerce recreation law science communications _ ethnic heritage literature _ social history _ community planning _ exploration/ _ maritime history X transportation conservation settlement _ military X other: Local History

Specific dates 1908, 1935 Architect/Builder Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Company

Construction dates 1908

Evaluation for:

___ National Register ____Maryland Register ____not evaluated

Prepare a one-paragraph summary statement of significance addressing applicable criteria, followed by a narrative discussion of the history of the resource and its context. (For compliance projects, complete evaluation on a DOE Form - see manual.)

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, also known as the Concrete Railroad Bridge, retains a low level of integrity. The bridge is one of the few remnants of the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway which abandoned the bridge when the Railway closed in 1935. The tracks have been removed from the bridge and the structure retains a low integrity to convey its significance as a component of an early-twentieth-century transportation system that furthered the development of Prince George's County.

HISTORIC CONTEXT

The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is located north of downtown Bowie, Maryland. Bowie, or Huntington City as it was originally known, was a railroad town platted in 1870. The town was located at the junction of the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad and its spur line that went to Washington, D.C. 1 The Bridge is located along the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway right-of-way. The railway was started in 1908 and ran from the eastern corner of Washington, D.C. through Prince George's County and into Anne Arundel County where the line split to provide access northward to Baltimore and eastward to Annapolis.2 Twelve miles of this high-speed electric line ran through Prince George's County.3

The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway opened on February 7, 1908, between Washington, D.C. and Annapolis. Service to Baltimore began on March 25, 1908. Railroad service reached its peak during World War I when Camp George G. Meade was opened in Odenton, Maryland. Stops in Prince George's County were located in Seat Pleasant, Dodge Park, Glenarden, McCarthy, Ardmore, Cherry Grove, Buena

1 Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Prince George's County Planning Department, Historic Sites and Districts Plan ( 1992), B-22. 2 Susan G. Pearl, " Concrete Railroad Bridge," (PG: 71A-006) Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form (1985), 8: 1. 3 Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, Planning Department, "The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway," Historic Contexts in Prince George's County ( 1991 ), 46. Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. PG:71A-6 Historic Properties Form

Name Continuation Sheet

Num b er~ Page 1

Vista, Lincoln, Randle, Bell Station, Hillmeade, Highbridge, Lloyd and Bowie. Operations along the railroad line were abandoned on August 20, 1935, and the tracks dismantled soon after, although the concrete bridge structure was left intact.4

The southwestern six miles of the railroad right-of-way became Maryland Route 704. Until recently, the northeast six miles hosted power lines. The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Recreation Trail (WB&A) was opened in Prince George's County in November of 2000. The 5.6-mile trail runs along the northeastern section of the WB&A's right-of-way. The ten-foot-wide paved path runs from Maryland Route 450 in Glenn Dale to Race Track Road in Bowie. The trail will soon be extended across the Patuxent River into Anne Arundel County. 5 The pedestrian bridge that crosses over the Washington, Baltimore, & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is part of this recreation trail.

4 Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, "Railroad History Timeline," http://www.dcnrhs.org/dc_rail_history.htm, (accessed on November 5, 2007). 5 M-NCPPC Department of Parks & Recreation, "Washi ngton, Baltimore & Annapolis Recreation Trail," http://www.pgparks.com/places/parks/wba.html, (accessed November 5, 2007). 9. Major Bibliographical References Inventory No. PG:71A-6

Pearl, Susan G. "Concrete Railroad Bridge." (PG: 71 A-006) Maryland Historical Trust State Hi storic Sites Inventory Form, 1985. M-NCPPC Department of Parks & Recreation. "Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Recreation Trail." http://www. pgparks. com/places/parks/wba. htm 1. Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Prince George's County Planning Department, Historic Sites and Districts Plan, 1992. Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission, Planning Department. "The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway." Historic Contexts in Prince George's County, 1991. Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. " Railroad History Timeline." http://www.dcnrhs.org/dc_ rail_ history.htm.

10. Geographical Data

Acreage of surveyed property 15 .2 Acreage of historical setting 15.2 Quadrangle name Laurel Quadrangle scale: ~I =:2~4=0-=-0-=-0 _____

Verbal boundary description and justification

The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge is sited on a 15.2-acre parcel that was historically the Washington, Baltimore, & Annapolis Electric Railway right-of-way. The bridge is sited west of Laurel Bowie Road (MD 197) and has been associated with Parcel 14 as noted on Tax Map 29 since its construction.

11. Form Prepared by

name/title Saleh Van Erem Architectural Historian organization EHT Traceries Incorporated date Januar:y 2008

street & 011mber 1121 Fifth Street, NW telephone 202 393 I J 99

city or town Washington state oc

The Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 supplement.

The survey and inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringement of individual property rights.

return to: Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Department of Planning 100 Community Place Crownsville, MD 21032-2023 410-514-7600 Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. PG:71A-6 Historic Properties Form

Name Continuation Sheet

Number l Page 1

CHAIN OF TITLE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY LAND RECORDS

Deed NLP 5258:62 Consolidated Rail Corporation to National Railroad Passenger Corporation. April 1, 1976

Quitclaim Deed National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to the Maryland VJ 9273:220 National Capital Park and Planning Commission. December 14, 1993 Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. PG:71A-6 Historic Properties Form

Name Continuation Sheet

Number l Page 2

Photo: Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, looking north. (November 2007) Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. PG:71A-6 Historic Properties Form

Name Continuation Sheet

Number L Page 3

Photo: Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, view of top of the bridge from under the recreation trail pedestrian bridge, looking east. (November 2007) Maryland Historical Trust Maryland Inventory of Inventory No. PG:71A-6 Historic Properties Form

Name Continuation Sheet

Number _JL_ Page 4

TIM Washlrcton, a.1t1inore a Anlulpolla RecrNUonal Trall

- WB&A-0.11 -·- Amencln Oi.ICOlefy Tratl I • • PrclQiOMd Tfa'I £xW'ISiOn = ~lllc)delbM

- [Que--Tumel

l hiet.• 1/2 Ml•

1 Mio

I l I i I

Map: The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Recreational Trail Map. (2000, courtesy of MNCPPC Department of Parks & Recreation) PG:71A-6 Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge st of Laurel Bowie Road, Spanning the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent River, Bowie rince George's County, Maryland Laurel Quadrangle D Property USGS Topographical Map • WBA Electric Railway Bridge

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY HISTORIC SITE SUMMARY SHEET

Survey #: P.G. #71A-6 Building Date: 1908 Building Name: Concrete Railroad Bridge Location: Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Railway, Bowie, Maryland Private/None/Unoccupied/Good/Accessible Description The Concrete Railway Bridge is a large concrete bridge which spans the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent River as it flows through the Bowie area. The bridge consists of a poured concrete span which rests on heavy concrete abutments. This railroad has been abandoned for more than forty years; the tracks have been dismantled and the bridge itself is partially hidden by foliage and underbrush. Significance The Concrete Railroad Bridge is one of few surviving vestiges of the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway. This interurban electric railway was begun in 1Y08, and ran from the eastern corner ot· the District of Columbia in a diagonal (northeasterly) line through northern Prince George's County; it crossed the Patuxent River into Anne Arundel County, where it split into two branches which ran north to Baltimore and south to Annapolis. The 11 W, Band A11 as it was locally known, carried coflllluters on business, education and recreational trips for approximately 30 years. Several new, predominantly black communities, such as Highland Park, Glenarden, and Lincoln, grew up along its line. The 11 W.B. and A. 11 was closed shortly before the Second World War. Its abandoned right-of-way now carries the George Palmer Highway (Md. Route 704) out of the the Oistrict of Columbia to its terminus at Annapolis Road (Md. Route 45U). Power lines have been erected along the course of the old right-of-way as it continues northeast from this point. The Concrete Bridge was con structed to carry the 11 W.B. and A. 11 line over the Horseµen Branch of the Patuxent. It was located south of the town of Huntington (Bowie), a short distance northeast of the old High Bridge stop. It is the most substantial bridge constructed for carrying the 11 W.B. and A. 11 in the Prince George's section of the line. Acreage: 17 .68 acres INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY/DISTRICT MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST INTERNAL NR-ELIGIBILITY REVIEW FORM

Property/District Name: WBA Concrete Railroad Bridge Survey Number: PG 71A-6

Project: -~I~S~TE-=-"A~------Agency: SHA/M-NCPPC

Site visit by MHT Staff: l no _yes Name------Date------

Eligibility recommended __x_ Eligibility not recommended __

Criteria: _A _B XXC D Considerations: _A _B _C _D _E _F _G _None

Justification for decision: (Use continuation sheet if necessary and attach map)

The WB&A Railroad Bridge is a remnant of the WB&A Electric Railroad, an early 20th century trolley line which ran between Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland. The bridge is actually a poured-in _place concrete structure with wingwalls on either bank, and a high parapet with a squared-off coping, which Jans Horsepen Branch in Prince George's County, MD. The bridge carried the trolley line across the creek.

Based on the information provided, the bridge is eligible for the National Register under Criterion C as an example of the use of concrete for railroad bridges in rural areas. Although, small enough to be considered a culvert, utilitarian in form, its simplicity and abstraction lend a certain element of grace to its functional character. The bridge does not appears to have any characteristics which would make it eligible for consideration under Criteria A or B or D and therefore, these were not considered.

Documentation on the property/district is presented in: Project Review and Compliance and Survey Notebooks.

Prepared by: Anne Bruder

Anne Bruder November 24 1997 ----=-=-'--='~=-=:....:..o...-=-=-'-'------Reviewer, Office of Preservation Services Date Survey No. PG-71A-6

MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN DATA - HISTORIC CONTEXT

I. Geographic Region:

Eastern Shore (all Eastern Shore counties, and Cecil) XX Western Shore (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George's and St. Mary's) Piedmont (Baltimore City, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery) __ Western Maryland (Allegany, Garrett and Washington)

II. Chronological/Developmental Periods:

Paleo-Indian 10000-7500 B.C. __ Early Archaic 7500-6000 B.C. Middle Archaic 6000-4000 B. C. Late Archaic 4000-2000 B.C. __ Early Woodland 2000-500 B.C. Middle Woodland 500 B.C. - A.D. 900 Late Woodland/Archaic A.D. 900-1600 Contact and Settlement A.D. 1570-1750 __ Rural Agrarian Intensification A.D. 1680-1815 __ Agricultural-Industrial Transition A.D. 1815-1870 XX Industrial/Urban Dominance A.D. 1870-1930 Modern Period A.D. 1930-Present __ Unknown Period ( _prehistoric _historic)

III. Prehistoric Period Themes: IV. Historic Period Themes:

Subsistence __ Agriculture Settlement __ Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Community Planning Political __ Economic (Commercial and Industrial) __ Demographic Government/Law __ Religion __ Military __ Technology __ Religion __ Environmental Adaptation Social/Educational/Cultural XX Transportation

V. Resource Type:

Category: Structure Historic Environment:-====~'------Rural H is tori c Function(s) and_:.;o=..:=------Use(s): _ _.Rai~·=lr=o=ad=-=b=ri=d=g-=-e------

Known Design Source: ------Survey No. P.G. #71A-6

Magi No. Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form DOE _yes no

1. Name (indicate preferred name} historic Concrete Railroad Bridge and/or common 2. Location Old Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis Electric Railway ... street & number Right-of-Way (on Nounal School Road) _not for pubhcat1on 5 city, town Bowie _ vicinity of congressional district Prince George's state Maryl and county 3. Classification

Category Ownership Status Present Use _district _public _occupied _ agriculture _museum _ building(s) _x_ private ___.'(_ unoccupied _commercial _park _X_ structure _both _ work in progress _ educational _ private residence _site Public Acquisition Accessible _ entertainment _religious __ object _in process _yes: restricted _ government _ scientific _ being considered __J,._ yes: unrestricted _ industrial _ transportation _2lnot applicable _no _military _other: none 4. Owner of Property (give names and mailing addresses of ~ owners) name National Railroad Rassenger Corporation, c/o Robert Leland 400 N. Capitol Street, N.W. street & number telephone no. : Washington, D. C. 20001 city, town state and zip code 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Pri nee George's County Courthouse liber5258 62 street & number Main Street folio MD. city, town Upper Marlboro, state 6. Representation in Existing Historical surveys Prince George's County Inventory of Historic Sites title 1974 date _federal _state ~county _local

~pository for survey records History Division, M-NCPPC Riverdale, MD. 20737 city, town state 7. Description Survey No. P.G. #71A-6

Condition Check one Check one _excellent _ deteriorated __x unaltered ---X original site _x_ good _ruins _altered _moved date of move _fair _unexposed

Prepare both a summary paragraph and a general description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today.

The Concrete Railway Bridge is a large concrete bridge which spans the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent River as it flows through the Bowie area. The bridge consists of a poured concrete span which rests on heavy concrete abutments. This railroad has been abandoned for more than forty years; the tracks have been dismantled and the bridge itself is partially hidden by foliage and underbrush. 8. Significance Survey No. P.G. #71A-6

Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below _ prehistoric _archeology-prehistoric _community planning _landscape architecture_ religion _ 1400-1499 _ archeology-historic _ conservation _ law _ science - 1500-1599 _ agriculture _ economics _ literature _ sculpture _ 1600-1699 _ architecture _ education _ military _ social/ - 1700-1799 _ art _ engineering _ music humanitarian _ 1800-1899 _ commerce _exploration/settlement _ philosophy _ theater _x_ 1900- _ communications _ industry _ politics/government _x_ transportation _ invention _other (specify)

Specific dates ca. 1908 Builder/Architect check: Applicable Criteria: A B C D and/or Applicable Exception: A B C D E F G

Level of Significance: national state local

Prepare both a summary paragraph of significance and a general statement of history and support.

The Concrete Railroad Bridge is one of few surv1v1ng vestiges of the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway. This interurban electric railway was begun in 1908, and ran from the eastern corner of the District of Columbia in a diagonal (northeasterly) line through northern Prince George's County; it crossed the Patuxent River into Anne Arundel County, where it split into two branches which ran north to Baltimore and south to Annapolis. The 11 W, B and A11 as it was l oca 11 y known, carried commuters on business, education and recreational trips for approximately 30 years. Several new, predominantly black communities, such as Highland Park, Glenarden, and Lincoln, grew up along its line. The 11 W.B. and A. 11 was closed shortly before the Second World War. Its abandoned right-of-way now carries the George Palmer Highway (Md. Route 704) out of the the District of Columbia to its terminus at Annapolis Road (Md. Route 450). Power lines have been erected along the course of the old right-of-way as it continues northeast from this point.

The Concrete Bridge was constructed to carry the 11 W.B. and A. 11 line over the Horsepen Branch of the Patuxent. It was located south of the town of Huntington (Bowie), a short distance northeast of the old High Bridge stop. It is the most substantial bridge constructed for carrying the 11 W.B. and A. 11 in the Prince George's section of the line. Notes The Neighborhoods of Prince George's County, Community Renewal Project, 1974, pages 167-8, 1982. 9. Major Bibliographical References Survey No. P.G. #71A-6

See Notes, Item #8 Interviews with long-time residents of area.

1 O. Geographical Data

Acreageofnominatedproperty 17.68 acres Tax Map 29, parcel 14 Quadrangle name Laurel' Section I Quadrangle scale ______UTM References do NOT complete UTM references

AL.i.J I I I I I I I I I sw I I I I I I I I Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing cL.i.J ~l_.___. ___.__I I.___.___.__. ___-'-"_ D LJj I I I I E L__Ll I I I _I ~~-- F LL_j I I I G L__Ll I I I I.___.___.__.._____..._._ H LU I I Verbal boundary description and justification

List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries

state code county code state code county code 11. Form Prepared By name/title Susan G. Pearl, Research Historian organization Historic Preservation Commission date September 1985 c/o County Planning Division street & number M-NCPPC, 14741 Gov. Oden Bowie Dr., telephone 952-3521 city or town Upper Mar 1boro, state MD. 20772

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 supplement.

The survey and inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringement of individual property rights.

return to: Maryland Historical Trust Shaw House 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 269-2438 PS-2746 PG- #71A-6

. - ;- /~ . MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST / 1 J 101'!-/"J{p/ INVENTORY FORM FOR STATE HISTORIC SITES SURVEY

WINAME

HISTORIC

AND/OR COMMON Concrete RR Bridge !Ei1LOCATION

STREET& NUMBER Rte. 197 & Horsepen Branch CITY. rowN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Bowie __ VICINITY OF STATE ------~COUNTY Maryland Prince George's [j'CLASSIFICATION

CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS PRESENT USE

_DISTRICT _PUBLIC _OCCUPIED _AGRICULTURE _MiJS~iJM jBUILDING(SI LPRIVATE _UNOCCUPIEG _COMMERCIAL _PARK

'.,STRUCTURE _BOTH _WORK I'< PROCPE"S _EDUCAllONAL _PRi\,\lE RES'DENCE

£s1TE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESS!t5L~ _ENTERTAINMENT __ P.~L!G·OUS _OBJECT _IN PROCESS _YES RE·:>TRICTED _GOVFRNMENT __ SClfN1,FIC _BEING CONSIDERED -JES UNRESTRiCTED _INDUSTR:AL _\{NO _MILITARY £DOWNER OF PROPERTY (abandoned)

NAME W. B. & A. r ig}1_t_-_o_f_-_w_a~Y.______T_elephone #: STREET & NUMBER

CITY. TOWN STATE, Zl.p COde-- __ VICINITY OF

~LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION Liber #: COURTHOUSE Folio #: REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC Prince George's County Courthouse STREET & NUMBER

CITY. TOW"' STATE Upper Marlboro Marylanq fa) REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE

_FEDERAL _STATE _cou:.:ry _LOCAL JE:POSITORY FOR SURVEY R~CORDS

CITY. lOWN STATE -"'. LJ -~.RIPTION

CONDITION CHECK ONE rECK ONE

_EXCELLENT LDETEAIOAATED _UNALTERED -ORIGINAL SITE _GOOD _ RUINS _ALTERED _MOVFD DATE ___ _FAIR _UNEXPOSED

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

This is an abandoned, trackless, rail road right-of-way that extends into Washington, D.C. via George Palmer Highway. The small bridge here was built to cross Horsc:=iGn Branch. It is a narrow, poured-concrete span that rests ou large concrete abutments.

CON7INUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY [ ·~1GNIFICANCE

PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW

_PREHISTORIC -ARCHEULUliY-PREHISTORIC _COMMUNITY PLANN!NG _LAtWSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _RELIGION _1400-1499 --ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _CONSERVATION _LAW _SCIENCE _1500-1599 _AGRICULTURE _ECONOMICS _UTERATvRE _SCULPTURE _1600-1699 -ARCHITECTURE _EDUCATIOt< _MILITARY __ SOCIAUHUMAN1TARIAN _1700-1799 _ART _Ef\oGINEERING _MUSIC _THEATER -~00:1899 _COMMERCE __ EXPLORATION 1 SETTLEMENT _PH1LOSOPHY _TRANSPORTATIOr-.. _1900- _CQMMUflilCATiONS _INDUSTRY _POLITICS GOVERNMENT _OTHER !SPECIFY! _INVENT10N

SPECIFIC DATES BUILDER/ARCHITECT

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Interesting to note because of its former use as a trans portation system. Possible furture use as a hiker-biker type of trail. One of many na.v-abandoned railway lines that once traversed Prince George's Co. ;. .... _ --

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY ~.L ...1.AJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY :!JGEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY ______0

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

--..-.: __L_l_S_T_A_L_L_S_T_A_T_ES_A_N_D_C_O_U_N_T_l_ES_F_O_R_P_R_O_P_E_R_T_I E_S_O_V_E_R_L_A_P_P_I N_G_S_T A._T_E_O_R_C_O_U_N_T_Y_B_O_U_N_D_A_R_I E_S ___ _

STATE COUNTY

STATE COUNTY .,,, .!:JFORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Michael F. nwyer, Senior Park Historian ORGANIZATION DATE M-NCPPC 9/27/74 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 8787 Georgia Ave. 589-1480 CITY OR TOWN STATE Silver Spring Maryland

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature, to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 1974 Supplement. The Survey and Inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringe ment of individual property rights. RETURN TO: Maryland Historical Trust The Shaw House, 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 267-1438

P. G. #71A-6 Concrete Railroad Bridge Pri nee George's County, MD Susan G. Pearl April 1985 Northwest view Neg: Md. Hist. Trust, Annapolis, MD

,, , / / . -) .. ,,-

(· .. ,/'

NAME Ol..fJ 1!. ~ /!,/JI 06£ /iJ1Z. /?#'£3 ~ LOCATION J/. 197 ,;- ~M ~ ~A/£ FACADE W ~~/ltd. PHOTO TAKE 9/oi7/7~ ~6'

f6· 7\ A:--~ PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION County Administration Building • 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, 4th Floor, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772 pgplanning.org/469/Historic-Preservation-Commission • 301-952-3680

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Monday, September 16, 2019 6:30 PM County Administration Building 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro MD 20772

HISTORIC PROPERTY EVALUATION Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (Historic Resource 71A-006) 8200 bl. Laurel Bowie Road (Parcels 1 and 14), Bowie, MD 20715

As part of its September 16, 2019 public meeting, the Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will evaluate the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge, located on the 8200 bl. Laurel Bowie Road (Parcels 1 and 14), Bowie, Maryland, for potential designation as a Prince George’s County Historic Site.

Because the property is included in the Prince George’s County 2010 Approved Historic Sites and Districts Plan, this process is conducted through Subtitle 29-118 (The Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Ordinance). In conducting its review, the HPC will evaluate the property on the basis of the nine criteria for historic and architectural significance found in Section 29-104 of the Ordinance. The Historic Preservation Commission’s decision in this matter is final unless an appeal is filed.

The Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Ordinance requires that the property that is the subject of this public hearing be posted with informational signs at least two weeks in advance. These signs will be posted no later than August 30, 2019. In addition, this notice complies with the Ordinance requirement to notify the property owner, adjacent property owners, and interested parties at least 14 days in advance of the Historic Preservation Commission’s hearing.

Information on the Historic Site designation process and the staff recommendations for the case will be available on September 9, 2019 at www.mncppc.org/469/Historic-Preservation-Commission.

As the property owner, or an adjacent property owner, or an interested party, the HPC is interested in any comments you may have on this matter. You are encouraged to attend the hearing. If you cannot attend, written comments for the case record should be received by the close of business on September 16, 2019. Please send comments to:

John Peter Thompson, Chairman Prince George’s County Historic Preservation Commission 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive Upper Marlboro MD 20772

For additional questions, contact the Historic Preservation Commission staff at 301-952-3680.

DATE OF NOTICE: August 30, 2019

c: John Peter Thompson, Chair, Historic Preservation Commission Andree Green Checkley, Planning Director Derick Berlage, Acting Deputy Planning Director Katina Shoulars, Acting Chief, Countywide Planning Division Howard Berger, Supervisor, Historic Preservation Section Thomas Gross, HPC Liaison, Historic Preservation Section Judy D’Ambrosi, Area 71A Planner, Community Planning Division

Property Owners: Christine Fanning, Chief Natural & Historical Resources Division M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation 6600 Kenilworth Avenue Riverdale MD 20737

Adrian J. Rad and Aviva S. Nebesky 8306 Laurel Bowie Road Bowie MD 20715-1005

Adjacent Property Owners: Interested Parties: Citizens LLC Douglas McElrath, Chairman Attn: Keith Spaid Prince George’s Heritage 14625 Baltimore Boulevard, Suite 195 4703 Annapolis Road Laurel MD 20707-4902 Bladensburg MD 20710

Joyce D. Byrd and Carlton Hewitt Donna Schneider, President 14405 Rossmore Lane Prince George’s County Historical Society Laurel MD 20707-6873 PO Box 1513 Upper Marlboro MD 20773 George R. and Elizabeth J. Wiggans 8106 Laurel Bowie Road Alfonso Narvaez, Chairman Bowie MD 20715 Prince George’s Historical & Cultural Trust PO Box 85 City of Bowie Upper Marlboro MD 20773 2614 Kenhill Drive Bowie MD 20715-2534

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION County Administration Building • 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, 4th Floor, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772 pgplanning.org/HPC.htm • 301-952-3680

Historic Preservation Commission Public Hearing

Sign Posting Affidavit

I hereby affirm that the attached photograph represents the posting of a public hearing notice at:

______8200 bl. Laurel Bowie Road, Bowie MD 20715______

This public hearing notice was posted on __8/29/2019______and has been posted at least two week prior to the advertised public hearing, according to the requirements of Subtitle 29 of the Prince George’s County Code and the Prince George’s County Zoning Ordinance (Subtitle 27).

The purpose of the public hearing notice was to advertise a Historic Resource Evaluation by the Historic Preservation Commission for the property at the above-cited address also identified as:

______Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (Historic Resource 71A-006)_

The posted public hearing will be held at:

County Administration Building 4th Floor Boardroom 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive Upper Marlboro MD 20772

6:30 p.m. September 16, 2019

My signature affirms the validity of this information.

Signature______

Date______8/29/2019______

Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railway Bridge (71A-006) – Sign Posting Photos, 8/29/2019