Carole Highlands, Maryland facts for kids

Carole Highlands is a community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It is located between East West Highway (MD 410) to the south and University Boulevard (MD 193) to the north. To the west, it's bordered by Larch Avenue, Hopewell Avenue, and 15th Avenue, and to the east by Riggs Road (MD 212).

Carole Highlands is next to other neighborhoods like Chillum, Green Meadows, Lewisdale, and Langley Park in Prince George's County. It also borders the city of Takoma Park in Montgomery County. For official statistics, it's considered part of the Langley Park census-designated place (CDP). The community also has a group called the Carole Highlands Neighborhood Association that helps residents.

What Carole Highlands Looks Like

Carole Highlands mostly has single-family houses. There's also a building complex called the Riggs Hill Condominium Complex.

Since Carole Highlands doesn't have its own city government, most homes and businesses here use Hyattsville addresses (zip code 20783). A few places on the western side, near the border with Montgomery County, use Takoma Park addresses (zip code 20912).

The community was planned and named after the developer's daughter, Carole. It's also called "Highlands" because much of the area is on high ground. At the very top of the neighborhood, you can find a water tower. The highest point in the neighborhood is about 220 feet (67 meters) above sea level near the water tower. The land slopes down to about 95 feet (29 meters) on Elson Street, which is near Sligo Creek Park.

A ridge, which is like a long, narrow hill, runs through the neighborhood. This ridge divides the Sligo Creek area from the Northwest Branch area. When there are no leaves on the trees, you can see far away from the ridge. You might even see parts of Washington, D.C., like the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Plants and Animals

Carole Highlands is known for its many mature trees, which create a green canopy over the neighborhood. If you look at satellite images of the Washington area, Carole Highlands appears as a dark green patch.

Many of these trees are native to the Piedmont region of Maryland. Some common trees you'll see include oak, maple, birch, beech, elm, cherry, spruce, pine, sassafras, and flowering dogwood.

You can also spot many animals here:

• Mammals: Squirrels, raccoons, and opossums are often seen. Sometimes, you might even see badgers, foxes, and deer.
• Birds: Many different bird species visit local backyards. These include cardinals, titmice, robins, ospreys, crows, woodpeckers, flickers, mockingbirds, wood thrushes, gray catbirds, cowbirds, chickadees, blue jays, mourning doves, towhees, summer tanagers, goldfinches, house and purple finches, and common birds like starlings and sparrows. Near Sligo Creek, you might see Kingfishers, herons, and hawks.

History of the Community

The largest part of Carole Highlands was developed as a planned community starting in 1947 by Carl M. Freeman Associates, Inc. (now called the Carl M. Freeman Companies). The developers tried to save many old oak trees by building houses on large lots (6,000 to 12,000 square feet). These lots were shaped to fit the natural ridges and slopes of the land. The company even won an award for this development.

The houses built had different styles. Some were traditional two-story "brick colonial" or one-and-a-half-story "Dutch colonial" homes. There were also new "California Cottage homes" designed by Carl Freeman himself, which were made to feel connected to the outdoors. One-story ranch houses were also built. Some of these original houses have been made bigger over time, while others still look just as they did when they were first built.

In 1960, the neighborhood's Citizen's Association won a legal case against the county. This stopped a gas station from being built on a specific lot.

A part of Takoma Park, located west of 15th Avenue, used to be in Prince George's County until July 1, 1997. In 1997, the people living in that part of Takoma Park voted to join Montgomery County. This changed the county line for the first time since 1791.

Education and Libraries

Schools

Students living in Carole Highlands in Prince George's County attend public schools. They go to Carole Highlands Elementary School, which is located right in the community. After elementary school, they attend Buck Lodge Middle School and then High Point High School. These schools are part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system.

You can learn more about these schools:

• Carole Highlands Elementary School
• Buck Lodge Middle School
• High Point High School

Places of Worship

In 2003, the Turner Memorial AME church bought a large church building in the community. Before that, the Wallace Memorial Presbyterian church used the building. There are also two Protestant churches and one Roman Catholic church within walking distance on nearby New Hampshire Avenue.

Public Libraries

The closest public library to Carole Highlands is the Takoma Park Library]. It's about one and a half miles west of Carole Highlands. You can get there by bicycle paths and local streets. This library is special because it's run by the City of Takoma Park, not the county. It's the only independent city library in Maryland! It has a children's book room, an adults' book room, and a place to read magazines and newspapers. If you live in Takoma Park, you can borrow books for free. If you live in Prince George's County, you can get a library card for $10 a year.

The second closest public library is the Hyattsville Library]. It's about two miles (3 km) east of Carole Highlands, near the Prince George's Plaza shopping mall. This library also has a children's book room, an adults' book room, a computer area, and a place to read. The Hyattsville Library also has a special "Maryland Room" with a collection of historical and genealogical information focused on Maryland.

Community Information

Here are some facts and details about Carole Highlands:

• Latitude: 38.98139 N
• Longitude: 76.98361 W

The community is represented by different elected officials:

• County Council: These officials make decisions for the county.
  • For Prince George's County, Carole Highlands is in District 2, represented by Wanika Fisher. You can find more info here.
  • For Montgomery County, check District 5 here.
• Maryland House of Delegates: These officials are part of the state's law-making body.
  • For Prince George's County, it's District 47B, represented by Deni Taveras.
  • For Montgomery County, it's District 20.
  • You can find a list of current delegates here.
• Maryland State Senate: These officials are also part of the state's law-making body.
  • For Prince George's County, it's District 47B, represented by Malcolm Augustine.
  • For Montgomery County, it's District 20.
  • You can find a list of current senators here.
• United States House of Representatives: These officials represent Maryland in the U.S. Congress.
  • Carole Highlands is in Maryland District 4, represented by Glenn Ivey.
• United States Senate: These officials represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.
  • Maryland's current U.S. senators are Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin.
• Governor of Maryland: The head of the state government.
  • The current governor is Wes Moore.
• Lieutenant Governor of Maryland: The second-highest official in the state government.
  • The current lieutenant governor is Aruna Miller.