Neighbohood Conservation Strategies

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Neighbohood Conservation Strategies Subregion 4 Transit-Oriented Development Implementation Project The Central Avenue-Metro Blue Line Corridor Neighborhood Conservation Report TOD Transit Oriented Development Neighbohood ConservationTOD Strategies The Maryland-naTional CapiTal park and planning CoMMission September 2011 prinCe george’s CounTy planning deparTMenT www.pgplanning.org TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW 3 INTRODuCTION 4 mapS Project Area Figure 1: Neighborhood Conservation Focus Area 4 Purpose of Neighborhood Conservation Element Figure 2: Seat Pleasant Neighborhood (2009 Aerial) 4 Neighborhood History Figure 3: Carmody Hills-Pepper Mill Village Neighborhood (2009 Aerial) 5 Figure 4: Capitol Heights Neighborhood (2009 Aerial) 5 DEmOgRaphICS 6 Figure 5: Walker Mill-Ritchie Neighborhood (2009 Aerial) 5 Population Figure 6: Existing Land Use 9 Education, Employment, and Income Figure 7: Existing Zoning 10 Housing Figure 8: Vacant Properties 11 LaDSE N u aND ZONINg 8 Figure 9: Publicly Owned Properties 12 14 Land Use Figure 10: Development Activity 16 Zoning Figure 11: Year of Construction 17 Vacant Land Figure 12: M-NCPPC Park and Recreation Facilities 18 Property Ownership Figure 13: Green Infrastructure Figure 14: Foreclosures in Zip Code 20743 20 develom p ENT aCTIVITy 13 Figure 15: Preliminary Conservation Areas 22 Development Activity Summary Figure 16: Sustainable Communities 24 Approved Residential Developments Approved Mixed-Use Projects NI R E ghbO hOOD CONDITIONS 15 Housing Sidewalks Street Lighting Roadways Parks and Recreation and Green Infrastructure Foreclosure Trends SbE u R gION 4 maSTER pLaN NEIghbORhOOD CONSERVaTION STRaTEgIES 21 Foreclosure Prevention Homeownership and Home Improvement Business and Neighborhood Development NEI R ghbO hOOD CONSERVaTION aREaS 22 STaTE pOLICIES aND LEgISLaTIVE pROgRamS 23 NEIghbORhOOD CONSERVaTION pROgRamS 23 State County OVERVIEW century as an important roadway for trade between rural • Existing and potential opportunities for creating safe The Subregion 4 Central Avenue Metro Blue Line Corridor Maryland and the District of Columbia. Its original streetcar pedestrian access to Metro stations. TOD Implementation Project will carry out the goals and rail line transported workers from their bedroom communities • Historic resources that connect residents to their cultural vision from the Subregion 4 Master Plan by facilitating and In 2010, the Prince George’s County Council approved the into downtown D.C. until the mid-twentieth century, and heritage. focusing community and economic development resources to Subregion 4 Master Plan and Sectional Map Amendment, today, the corridor features four Metro Blue Line stations, two promote mixed-use development around the corridor’s Metro which establishes the land use and development policies within of which opened within the past ten years. These investments Successful and equitable TOD along the Central Avenue-Metro stations, strengthen and support local businesses, improve the Subregion 4 Planning Area. The Subregion 4 Planning Area in transportation facilitated the development that exists along Blue Line Corridor can occur through the collaboration of pedestrian safety and Metro access, and conserve well-established covers a 29-square mile area that encompasses the communities the corridor today, which consists of traditional suburban community stakeholders, private sector, and public sector neighborhoods. Additionally, this project will pursue the goals located in the center of the county from the District of Columbia residential neighborhoods, auto-oriented commercial centers, partners, all of whom are dedicated to the vision for the area defined throughEnvision Prince George’s to ensure the long-term boundary on the west, the Capital Beltway on the east, US 50 and industrial development. and the future of Prince George’s County. success of the county. and the Metro Orange Line Corridor on the north, and Suitland Parkway on the south. At this moment, Prince George’s County is poised to benefit from the growth and investment potential that can be generated The goals and policies outlined in the Subregion 4 Master Plan by TOD around the four Metro rail stations: Capitol Heights, implement the vision and goals recommended by the 2002 Addison Road-Seat Pleasant, Morgan Boulevard, and Largo Approved Prince George’s County General Plan. The 2002 General Town Center. Given their distinct characteristics and the Plan designates Subregion 4 as an area located within the specific character and needs of the surrounding communities, Developed Tier, which places special emphasis on policies that each station has a unique opportunity to realize the county’s will strengthen neighborhoods, support economic development TOD goals. along corridors, capitalize on transportation investments, and encourage transit-supporting, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented The Central Avenue-Metro Blue Line Corridor presents a neighborhoods. number of distinct opportunities and advantages: The Subregion 4 Master Plan further highlights the 2002 • Four Metro Blue Line stations. General Plan’s goals by recognizing that the Central Avenue- • Commercial development potential due to neighborhoods Metro Blue Line Corridor presents significant transit-oriented underserved by retail establishments. development (TOD) and economic investment potential for • FedEx Field, which hosts corporate, social and sporting the county. Transit-oriented development locates a mix of events, concerts, and trade shows. uses (commercial, retail, institutional, and residential) around • Employment and residential proximity to the District of transit stations and creates a variety of economic, social, and Columbia. Capitol Heights Metro Station. Morgan Boulevard Metro Station. environmental benefits for established communities. • Walkable, urban character and street grid in Capitol Heights and Seat Pleasant. Creating TOD areas provides communities with long- term social, economic, and environmental benefits, such as • Traditional architectural design in residential neighborhoods. revitalizing aging commercial centers, increasing pedestrian • Convenient access to transportation connections to national mobility and public safety, reducing vehicle trips, providing and international destinations. a variety of housing choices, spurring job growth, and • Available vacant/undeveloped land. decreasing infrastructure costs. Through ongoing private and • Presence of public parks, recreational facilities, and wooded public partnerships, transit-oriented development will enable areas. neighborhood lifestyles; a mixture of shopping, restaurant, • The Chesapeake Beach Rail Trail currently in construction. recreational, and entertainment options; and diversified • Eight shopping centers. employment opportunities. • Potential for cultural and entertainment venues. The Central Avenue-Metro Blue Line Corridor, a major • An inventory of approximately 3.7 million square feet of transportation corridor within the heart of Prince George’s industrial and commercial office, leasable space. County, has played a significant role in the social and economic • Potential for quality commercial services. growth and physical transformation of the county for over one • Well-established, stable neighborhoods. Addison Road-Seat Pleasant Metro Station. Largo Town Center Metro Station. hundred years. Central Avenue opened in the late nineteenth Neighborhood Conservation Strategies 3 nΜ 62ND TULIP TREE COLUMBIA CAP BELT IL S STATE SHERIFF RD TILIA WOODVIEW REED CABIN BRANCH D R ANNAPOLIS REDSKINS HUSKWOOD D BELLE HAV MCCORMICK R O F Seat pleasant JERICHO CITY S FEDEX T T INTRODUCTION NYE CLA O NORTH ENGLEWOOD OATE L OOD YBRICK SEA PINES ELKWOOD N EN OME ARTIN LUTHER KING W TECHNOLOGY SEAT PLEASANT DR S LANDOVER M JAVA LWOOD ADDISON ELI INDO CEDARLEAFDATELEAF GONDAR BIRCHLEAF CHAPE MARTIN LUTHER KING CARMODY HILLS SEAT PLEASANT BISHOP PEEBLES CARAWAY FOOTE MANN FIELD 704 PEPPER MILL VILLAGE GLEN WILLOW FIJI APOLLO U MARBLEW ProCT jE aREa EASTERN AVE V NEIGHBORHOOD DUEL GOLDMINE ELSA Eads St LEE GARRETTA MORGAN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSET CAPITAL VIE 61ST 60th St60th YORKNOLLS 69TH SHERIFF LEE L LAKE ARBOR WY 68TH HILL OAKS Dix St HASTINGS WILLOW HILL K KOLB CAP BELT OLA WEST MILL 59th St 59th ARENA JAMES FARMER68TH KOLB CARRINGTON MICHELE Clay Pl PEPPER MILL ! ATLEE 67TH MINNA LIBERIA 70TH BLACKLOG GIDDINGS KOLB The Subregion 4 Central Avenue-Metro Blue Line Corridor TOD Implementation 70TH CANYON K K 69TH 56THPRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY KANO NALLEY BAIN SHOPPERS EADS DRYLOG CAPON K HERO VAUXHALL FINCH CYPRESSTREE Clay St CYPRESSTREE ZACHERY J BOOKER FALLS LAKE 57TH J 95 Largo CYPRESSTREECYPRESSTREE 62nd St 62nd DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA §¨¦ 58th St 58th CANYON 58TH J HILL RD TOLA 63rd St 61st St CINDY JOST 56th Pl WESTON H PICARD Project area is located in Prince George’s County, adjacent to the District of Columbia. 59TH JOPLIN EARLY MAHOGANY 57th St N WARLEY Town 69TH ARLENE JEFFERSON HEIGHTS PACER CAPITAL BELTWAYCAPITAL CENTER Blaine St ADEL HARRIS n 68TH ! GREIG JADE Μ 71ST ONYX READING Center CALMOS 65TH 69TH BALSAMTREE Central Avenue is a key gateway and major transportation corridor. The corridor is EAGLE BALTIC BALSAMTREE HYLTON G DADE CROWN AVON 60TH CRANE INGRID LIMERICK 57th Pl East Capitol St BALTIC BABB 60TH CHATSFIELD 64TH 64TH ESSLOG BISHOP GENTRY 61ST SWAN R Capitol CONGRESS D SOPER FIELD BIRCHLEAF approximately four miles long and includes properties on and near Central Avenue UREY 62ND FRESNO CEDARLEAF R G JADELEAF E n ASHLEAF T Heights Μ BURGUNDY YOST FOOTE YACHT
Recommended publications
  • NPS Form 10-900-B (Revised March 1992) OMB No
    NPS Form 10-900-b (Revised March 1992) OMB No. 10024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES MULTIPLE PROPERTY DOCUMENTATION FORM This form is used for documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instruction in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Complete each item by entering the requested information. For additional space, use continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to compete all items. X New Submission Amended Submission A. Name of Multiple Property Listing Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington, D.C., 1862-1962 B. Associated Historic Contexts (Name each associated historic context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for each.) Local Public Transportation, 1862-1962 C. Form Prepared by name/title Laura V. Trieschmann, Robin J. Weidlich, Jennifer J. Bunting, Amanda Didden, and Kim Williams, Arch. Historians organization E.H.T. Traceries, Inc. date June 2005 street & number 1121 Fifth Street telephone 202/393-1199 city or town Washington state DC zip code 20001 D. Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this documentation form meets the National Register documentation standards and sets forth requirements for the listing and related properties consistent with the National Register criteria. This submission meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60 and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. (See continuation sheets for additional comments.) Signature and title of certifying official date State or Federal agency and bureau I hereby certify that this multiple property documentation form has been approved by the National Register as a basis for evaluating related properties for listing in the National Register.
    [Show full text]
  • $23,045,000 CALVERT COUNTY, MARYLAND County
    PRELIMINARY OFFICAL STATEMENT DATED APRIL 21, 2011 NEW ISSUE – BOOK ENTRY ONLY In the opinion of McGuireWoods LLP, Bond Counsel, assuming continuous compliance with certain covenants described herein, under existing law, the interest on the Bonds (a) is excludable from gross income of the owners thereof for Federal income tax purposes, and (b) is not an enumerated item of tax preference or adjustment for purposes of the Federal alternative minimum tax imposed on individuals and corporations; however, such interest is taken into account in determining adjusted current earnings for the purpose of computing the alternative minimum tax imposed on corporations, and may be subject to the branch profits tax imposed on foreign corporations engaged in a trade or business in the United States. It is also the opinion of Bond Counsel that, under existing law of the State of Maryland, the interest on the Bonds is exempt from taxation by the State of Maryland or by any of its political subdivisions; however, the law of the State of Maryland NOTICE. not be sold norThese Bonds may does not expressly refer to, and no opinion is expressed concerning, estate or inheritance taxes, or any other taxes not levied directly on the Bonds or the interest thereon. See the information contained herein under the caption “TAX MATTERS.” $23,045,000 CALVERT COUNTY, MARYLAND County Commissioners of Calvert County rities laws of such jurisdiction. GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS CONSOLIDATED PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS 2011 SERIES Dated: Date of Initial Delivery Due: May 1, as shown on inside front cover this Preliminary Officialconstitute an offer to sell Statement or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall Bond Ratings Fitch Ratings: tration of qualification under the secu Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.: Standard & Poor’s: Redemption Bonds maturing on or after May 1, 2022 are redeemable in whole or in part, on or after May 1, 2021 – Page 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington, DC (1862-1962)
    NFS Form 10-900-b (Revised March 1992) RECEIVED United States Department of the Interior National Park Service 0 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES MULTIPLE PROPERTY DOCUMENTATION FORM This form is used for documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instruction in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Complete each item by entering the requested information. For additional space, use continuation sheets (NFS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to compete all items. X New Submission Amended Submission A. Name of Multiple Property Listing Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington, D.C., 1862-1962 B. Associated Historic Contexts (Name each associated historic context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for each.) Local Public Transportation, 1862-1962 C. Form Prepared by_________________________________________________ name/title Laura V. Trieschmann, Robin J. Weidlich, Jennifer J. Bunting, Amanda Didden, and Kim Williams, Arch. Historians organization___E.H.T. Traceries, Inc.________ date June 2005 street & number 1121 Fifth Street________ telephone 202/393-1199 city or town___Washington_____________ state DC zip code 20001 D. Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this documentation form meets the National Register documentation standards and sets forth requirements for the listing and related properties
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Spring Newsletter
    Chesapeake Beach NEWSLETTERSpring 2017 Waterpark, page 11 Happy Spring Everybody, Thank you for entrusting me with the leadership of committees anxious to include citizen participation the Town of Chesapeake Beach. I am truly honored are Economic Development, Walkable Communities, and humbled. My mission is to bring you advance- Opioid Abuse Awareness, Bayfront Park and Trails to ments in infrastructure, safe streets and intersections, name a few. walkable sidewalks and an increase in services with Committee meetings information are included in the minimal impact to rates. weekly “Chesapeake Beach Happenings” blast email. What that looks like is an efficient Town Hall, a If you do not already subscribe and want to, please Public Works team focused on a prioritized plan sign up on our website. for improvements and a highly collaborative Town The Town Council and I Council who presents progressive ideas to solve wish you a happy, safe and complex issues. To these efforts, I will add process fun summer. oriented leadership, vision, focus and passion. Your faithful public servant, You, the citizenry, did your job by electing a pro- gressive, forward thinking Town Council; thank Pat “Irish” Mahoney you. We have begun initiating some exciting ideas Mayor that were critical to their respective campaigns. New In thIs Issue: Stars and Stripes Festival . 7 Water Park . 11 Summer Events . 2 Calvert Library Twin Beaches . 8 End Opioid Abuse . 14 CBRM News . 4 CBOCS . 10 Economic Development . 15 Trail Cleanup . 5 Utility Bill . 11 Infrastructure . 15 Calling Town of Chesapeake BeaCh on Event Volunteers 2017 summer ake a look at these spectacular summer events.
    [Show full text]
  • DC State Rail Plan Website
    STATE RAIL PLAN: FINAL REPORT 2017 State Rail Plan Table of Contents Contents Chapter 1 The Role of Rail in District Transportation ............................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Federal Authority For States ...................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Institutional Governance Structure of The District’s Rail Programs .......................................... 1-2 1.4 Multimodal Transportation System Goals .................................................................................. 1-3 1.5 Rail Transportation’s Role within The District’s Transportation System ................................... 1-5 1.5.1 Role of Freight Rail ................................................................................................................ 1-5 1.5.2 Role of Commuter Rail .......................................................................................................... 1-6 1.5.3 Role of Intercity Rail ............................................................................................................... 1-6 Chapter 2 Approach to Public and Agency Participation ...................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Stakeholder Roundtables ...........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Department of Parks & Recreation
    DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Planning Commission VIA: Carolyn Sunderland, AICP, Planning Commission Administrator FROM: Shannon Q. Nazzal, CPRE, Director of Parks & Recreation DATE: May 22,2019 SUBJECT: Program Open Space Annual Program for FY 2020 Background: Calvert County is required to submit a Program Open Space (POS) Annual Program to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of Planning each year before July Pt in order to remain eligible for POS funds (Title 5, §5-905 of the Natural Resources Article of the Maryland Annotated Code). The annual program includes proposed acquisition and development projects. A project is not eligible for POS funding unless it is listed in the annual program. The municipalities may submit their programs through their county. Calvert County submits municipal projects on behalf of the Towns of Chesapeake Beach and North Beach. County staff works with the towns in preparing the annual program. There are more projects listed in the annual program than are ever likely to be funded, given available resources. Listing a project does not constitute a commitment on the part of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) or the municipalities, and the list can be amended at any time. Discussion: Title 3, §3-205 of the Land Use Article of the Maryland Annotated Code specifies that certain types of projects may not be constructed or authorized in the local jurisdiction until approved by the planning commission as consistent with the comprehensive plan. Types of public projects include streets, squares, parks, or other public ways, grounds, or open spaces, public buildings or structures, and utilities.
    [Show full text]
  • Calvert County FY 2019 Program Open Space Annual Program Project Descriptions
    Calvert County FY 2019 Program Open Space Annual Program Project Descriptions Adopted June 19, 2018 A-1 Canoe and Kayak Launch Sites The County is actively looking for additional public launch sites for canoes, kayaks, and other hand carried boats along the Chesapeake Bay, Patuxent River and County creeks. This is one of the goals specifically identified in the Calvert County Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan. Each site will be designed to provide parking space for a limited number of cars and a launching area. These types of small craft can launch from sites on the Patuxent River at Kings Landing Park, Nan’s Cove, and Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. Small craft can launch onto the Chesapeake Bay from Breezy Point Beach Park, Bay Front Park in the Town of Chesapeake Beach, and at the beach in the Town of North Beach. In addition, canoes and kayaks can launch at public boat ramps at Solomons, Hallowing Point, and Chesapeake Beach. Canoeing and kayaking are low-impact recreational uses, which help promote the State’s Planning Vision #1 on quality of life and sustainability. (Refer to the last page for a list of the State of Maryland’s Planning Visions.) 2 A-2 Flag Ponds Nature Park Addition The Wright property contains 70 acres (more or less) and adjoins the northeast corner of Flag Ponds Nature Park. This is the last remaining parcel to fulfill the preservation goal of the park, which now contains 546 acres of upland hardwood, swamp, marsh, and beach habitats. The acquisition of the Wright property would maintain the natural visual integrity along MD 2/4 at the park’s entrance.
    [Show full text]
  • National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet the Town Of
    United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Town of Upper Marlboro Residential Area Prince George’s County, Maryland Section number 7 Page 1 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Town of Upper Marlboro Residential Area is located in central Prince George’s County, approximately eighteen miles southeast of Washington, D.C. The residential area encompasses the western area of the 0.4 square miles that comprises the incorporated Town of Upper Marlboro, which is the county seat for Prince George’s County. The residential area, which includes approximately 99.14 acres, is bounded by Old Marlboro Pike to the north, the Western Branch of the Patuxtent River to the south, and the incorporated boundary to the west, and the properties at 14519 Elm Street and 14508 Main Street to the east. The commercial and civic section of town borders the residential area to the east, and late-twentieth and early-twenty-first-century residential development borders the area to the north. Woodland largely comprises the areas to the west and south of the residential area. The topography of Upper Marlboro is predominantly flat except at the western and southern ends of the residential area, which is characterized by rolling hills. The main thoroughfares include Old Marlboro Pike, which runs northeast to southwest, and Old Crain Highway, which runs east to west and becomes Main Street in the commercial part of town. The Town of Upper Marlboro Residential Area consists of approximately seventy-five contributing buildings, objects, and structures, including sixty-eight dwellings, two churches, three cemeteries, one utility building, and one historical marker, which date from ca.
    [Show full text]
  • Transportation-Related Facilities Have Been Intimately Tied With
    Transportation ransportation-related facilities have been intimately tied with growth and development in Prince George’s County with many Tmajor trends, such as changes in agriculture, suburbanization and settlement, and the influence of the federal government. The earliest settlement tended to be along navigable rivers and streams, and several towns were established during the early-eighteenth century along waterways such as the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers and their tributary streams. As population increased and spread westward, roads were established that linked the towns to one another and to the rural hinterland. These roads became important for the transport of agricultural produce, especially tobacco, to market. In the 1830s, with the advent of rail transportation, a railway linking Baltimore and Washington, D.C., ran through the western part of the county. Additional railroads were constructed after the Civil War, and these, along with streetcars, began a process of suburbanization that continues to this day. However, recent suburbanization is associated with the spread of the automobile, made possible by the improved roads constructed during the twentieth century. Finally, Prince George’s County was the site of the first military airfield in the United States, and to this day includes Andrews Air Force Base, an important military facility in the defense of Washington, D.C. Wharves, Ferries, and Landings Wharves and landings, as well as ports, were the initial nodes of transportation in Prince George’s County, and were located on the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers or on tributaries of these two waterways (Pearl 1991b:21). An overview of these topics can be found in Tilp (1978), while Holly (1991) documents the steamboat trade of one of the major companies on the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, the Weems Line and its successors.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 09 Settlement.Pdf
    Settlement his section on settlement focuses on large-scale settlement trends in Prince George’s County during the postbellum period Tin both rural and urban settings. It focuses on the history and locations of urban and suburban settlement and the continuity and change in rural settlement. An overview of the general trends is first presented, followed by more detailed discussions of suburbanization and the rise of the rural crossroads communities. Settlement based on agriculture has been discussed in Chapter 3 and is not the focus of this chapter. Finally, particular topics often associated with suburbanization and settlement are also treated here: architectural trends, public health, churches, and access to modern utilities. Settlement Patterns In many ways, settlement in Prince George’s County through much of the postbellum period appears to correspond to the “Southern County” model. The Southern County model is based upon a dispersed settlement pattern and posits that the organization of the county as community is coincident with the political boundaries of the county. The community, in this sense, is based on a day’s ride to and from the county seat (Arensberg 1965:106– 108). Another settlement model that is applicable is that associated with the Upland South tradition. Otto and Anderson (1982) define several characteristics of settlement concerning the Upland South tradition: a dispersed, kin-based settlement; a dispersed, low order central place such as a grist mill, general store, church, or school; and houses located on high ground near a road. Rural Prince George’s County has many of these characteristics, with the rural crossroads communities performing the role of a low-order central place.
    [Show full text]
  • Washington, Brandywine and Point Lookout Railroad 1 Washington, Brandywine and Point Lookout Railroad
    Washington, Brandywine and Point Lookout Railroad 1 Washington, Brandywine and Point Lookout Railroad Washington, Brandywine & Point Lookout Railroad The Washington, Brandywine & Point Lookout Railroad, then the Southern Maryland Railroad, as planned Locale Washington, DC to Seat Pleasant, Maryland and Brandywine, Maryland to Patuxent River, Maryland Dates of operation 1881–July, 1954 Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) 2 The Washington, Brandywine & Point Lookout Railroad (WB&PL), now defunct, was an American railroad of southern Maryland and Washington, DC built in the 19th century. The troubled WB&PL, originally the Southern Maryland Railroad operated in and out of bankruptcy and changed its name numerous times. It consisted of two pieces, one serving Washington, D.C. and Seat Pleasant, MD and the other, a single track line connecting Patuxent River, MD to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Despite numerous problems, the railroad was able to survive for 73 years before shutting down in 1954. The Washington, DC section was absorbed by the Chesapeake Beach Railway and later became the East Washington Railroad, which stayed in business until 1978. Parts of the right-of-way are now used for homes, a rail spur and a rail trail. History Origins The Southern Maryland Railroad (SMR) was incorporated on March 20, 1868 “for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and working a railroad from some point in Prince George’s County to Point Lookout.” As was typical of the roads of the era, the alignment of the right-of-way bisected the peninsula created by the Potomac and Patuxent rivers. A rail line from the major north-south Potomac River crossings into Virginia near Washington, DC, to a port on the Pawtuxet River near the Chesapeake Bay would be an ideal line to promote agricultural and mineral business and rail shipments from the counties of this peninsula.
    [Show full text]
  • Lighting up Our Lives: the History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative 7 a Wine Press
    LIGHTING UP OUR LIVES The History of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Written by Al Gough Jr. Tis book was published by Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. 15035 Burnt Store Road/P.O. Box 1937 Hughesville, MD 20637 www.smeco.coop © 2012 Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the copyright holders except brief quotations used in connection with reviews. All photos © their respective copyright holders. All photos not credited are from the collection of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. Every efort has been made to obtain permission to reprint photos. ISBN: 978-0-615-66998-4 Book design, layout, and jacket design by Jonna Jones. Te editing and book design were coordinated by Terry Ressler. Factual content is solely the responsibility of the author. Any questions concerning possible omissions or errors should be addressed to the author, care of Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc. All inquiries concerning reproduction or permissions should be addressed to Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc., Hughesville, Maryland. Printed in the United States of America. Table of contents Acknowledgements..................................................iv Foreword ...........................................................v 1 Back to the Future: 1880–1925 .........................................6 2 Alas! Poor La Plata: 1925–1929 ........................................10 3 Holding Companies, Folding
    [Show full text]