Evening star., 1934-07-29
CHEVYCHASE CIVIC
GROUP CREDITED
WITH EXPANSION
Group Organized in 1909
at the New Home of
! ?. |. Kicker.


and the fashionable suburb Of Chevy
Chase Just settlement Of 10 property
holders and their families when the
Chevy Chase Citizens Association met
for the first time That this area now
II a htgh-type residential section is
due IN q large part 10 the continued
efforts Of the clvic-minded men who
have been and nov are members OF
this association
The group was organized at the
home Of p. l. Kicker. January IA.
1909 Mr. Rlckers house was the
first In the new subdivision. ground
being broken in July. 1907, and the
house being completed the following
October. The first meeting was at
tended by Is OF the l8 property
holders ia the section. and one year
later, In January. 1910. the member
ship had increased 20 %. while. the
population had incresaed 10 i27 per-
sons. occupying 81 houses The pres
tnt membership is approximately $50.
Transportation naturally was a
problem for a residential section at
AtlA@ uAEldilGE tflc QONIlLOWn
business area. This problem was
taken care Of at an early date. how
ever, by the Chevy Chase Land Co,
with the construction Of the Chevy
Chase Railway at an original cost of
81 10000 The cars operated from
Seventh and U streets along U street
10 Eighteenth and over their present
route to Chevy Chase Lake. The por-
tion OF the route along u street be-
tween Seventh and Eighteenth was
the first commercial underground
trolley system in the world, according
to history of Chevy Chase which ap-
peared in the Chevy Chase News,
publication Of the citizens aSSocia-
ton.
Two Freight Cars Daily.
Two freight cars were operated
daily on this line for the transporta-
tion Of all supplies. The arrival Of
these cars from the city was an event
comparable to the arrival of the daily
train in a small town. Medicine.
needed in an emergency could be
ordered by telephone from a down
town drug store, and would be de-
i.
box was maintained at Connecti-
cut avenue and Irving street for this
purpose.
While transportation always has
been available. for a number of past
years many of the Chevy Chase citi-
zens have telt the trip downtown by
street car called for a bit of courage
and daring. Not because of the trans
portation itself however. The reason
for the trepidation was the necessity
for street cars to cross Rock Greek
Park twice, once by the Klingle Ford
Bridge and again by the Calvert
Street Bridge, both dilapidated struc-
lures. A dozen years ago members of
the Chevy Chase group were trying
every way they knew TO have the
Klingle Bridge replaced, and were
breathing faint sighs Of relief because
the Calvert street structure might be
a little safer after some of the old
wooden beams had been replaced by
ones Of steel. Efforts to have the
Klingle Bridge replaced finally were
successful, the new structure being
completed and opened to traffic Jan
uary 81, 1882. Construction of a new
Calvert Street Bridge now is under
way.
Hampered by Division.
Work of the Chevy Chase Associa-
tion was hampered somewhat at first
because its territory comprised only
those blocks east of Connecticut ave-
hue between Livingstone and Patter-
son streets. The section north and
east OF Chevy Chase. d. c., later was
developed, the residents there forming
the PtnehurSt Citizens Association.
which later was merged with the
Chevy Chase group. The citizens of
Chevy Chase living west of Connecti-
cut avenue and also those east of it,
south OF Livingstone street, were
members Of the Connecticut Avenue
Citizens Association.
The situation was felt to be that
OF a house divided against itself, and
solution was not found until Fred
S. Lincoln joined the association. He
brought about a consolidation in 1920
OF that part of the Connecticut Ave-
nue. Association north of Albemarle
street with the Chevy Chase group,
which he accomplished, quoting the
Chevy Chase history mentioned above,
with such tact and ability as to win
the appreciation and gratitude OF
al well-wishers of Chevy Chase"
So the Chevy Chase section could be
built into the better type of residential
area, 1t was necessary to have a net
work of paved streets making alf parts
of the district easily accessible
Through continuous campaigning the
association has obtained most of the
needed thoroughfares. The paving of
Connecticut avenue, the main traffic
artery through the area. and an al
ternate route to Frederick. Md. and
the West, was a project long sought
by the group. This finally was ac-
Comphshed, along with the removal
of the 4-inch curbing along the
street car tracks and the unsightlv
trolley poles in the center Of the
street. Other streets have been graded
and paved, and new one laid out.
Interested in Zoning.
To insure upholding the character
standard Of the neighborhood, it has
been necessary for the Chevy Chase
organization to apply itself continu-
ouSIy 10 zonlng problems. The as
sociation has continually taken a
stand against any inroads by COM
merclal enterprises into sections its
members felt should be reserved for
residential purposes only,
Improvements in the educational
facilities available to residents in the
community also have been continually
sought by this association. The group
obtained branch library and has been
instrumental in obtaining the modern
public schools which serve the area.
Members OF the Chevy Chase organi-
zation now are actively interested in
the Woodrow Wilson High School,
which is under construction. and the
ooincident Fort Reno Park develop
ment. The establishing of the Chevy
Chase Recreation Club a little over
10 years ago was another project
for which this group worked