kids encyclopedia robot

Chillum, Maryland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Chillum, Maryland
Location of Chillum, Maryland
Location of Chillum, Maryland
Country  United States
State  Maryland
County Prince George's
Area
 • Total 3.40 sq mi (8.81 km2)
 • Land 3.37 sq mi (8.73 km2)
 • Water 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation
148 ft (45 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 36,039
 • Density 10,687.72/sq mi (4,126.52/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
20782, 20783, and 20912
Area code(s) 301, 240
FIPS code 24-16875
GNIS feature ID 0597239

Chillum is a community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It's not an official city but a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area defined by the government for counting people.

Chillum is right next to Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County. The Chillum CDP includes the Chillum neighborhood and other nearby communities. These include Avondale, Carole Highlands, Green Meadows, and Lewisdale. In 2020, about 36,039 people lived here.

The Chillum neighborhood is bordered by rivers and main roads. It's near Takoma Park and parts of Northeast Washington D.C. Famous actor Jonathan Banks grew up in Chillum.

Where is Chillum Located?

Chillum is located at 38°58′6″N 76°58′45″W. It covers about 8.9 square kilometers (3.4 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Since Chillum isn't an official city, it uses postal codes from nearby places. Most residents have Hyattsville postal codes (20782 or 20783). Some residents on the west side, near Takoma Park, use Takoma Park's postal code (20912). Even with a Takoma Park address, these homes are still part of Chillum.

What is Chillum's History?

Chillum got its name from a large piece of land called "Chillum Castle Manor." This land was set up in 1763 by William Dudley Digges. It was named after Chilham Castle in England, which was the old home of William Dudley Digges' ancestor.

A historic house called Green Hill was part of this land. Pierre L'Enfant, who designed Washington, D.C., lived and died there in 1825. He was buried at Green Hill until his remains were moved to Arlington National Cemetery in 1909. Later, George Washington Riggs bought the property and built the current Green Hill house in 1868.

For a long time, Chillum was mostly farmland. In the 1930s, people started building homes closer to Washington, D.C. Developers sold land for houses, and later, they built entire communities. Many neighborhoods, like Green Meadows and Brookdale Manor, were built in the 1940s. More subdivisions and apartment buildings were added in the 1950s and 1960s.

Schools in Chillum

Lewisdale Elementary School (cropped)
Lewisdale Elementary School
Rosa L. Parks Elementary School
Rosa L. Parks Elementary School

Public schools in Chillum are part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system.

  • Elementary Schools: Chillum Elementary School, Cesar Chavez, Lewisdale, Rosa Parks, and Ridgecrest. Cesar Chavez Elementary was once called Parkway Elementary. The community chose to rename it after Cesar Chavez because many students were of Hispanic/Latino heritage.
  • Middle Schools: Nicholas Orem Middle School in Hyattsville and Buck Lodge Middle School in Adelphi.
  • High Schools: Northwestern High School in Hyattsville and High Point High School in Beltsville.

Chillum also has four private schools: St. John's De La Salle School, Children's Guild School, Parkway School, and George E. Peters Adventist School.

Parks and Fun Places

Chillum has several parks and recreation spots for everyone to enjoy:

  • Chillum Community Park: This park is split between Chillum and Avondale. It has playgrounds, picnic areas, a soccer field on the Chillum side, and a basketball court on the Avondale side.
  • Michigan Park Hills Neighborhood Park: Located near Chillum Road, this park offers a playground, tennis court, small basketball court, and benches.
  • Parklawn Community Park: This small park on East West Highway has a playground, a county building, and direct access to the Sligo Creek Trail.
  • Rollingrest Community Center/Splash Pool: This center on Sargent Road offers a community center and a splash pool for cooling off.

How to Get Around Chillum

Several main roads pass through Chillum, making it easy to travel. These include East West Highway (MD 410), New Hampshire Avenue (MD 650), Riggs Road (MD 212), Sargent Road (MD 211), Chillum Road (MD 501), and Eastern Avenue NE.

While Chillum doesn't have its own Washington Metro station, there are stations very close by.

  • The Fort Totten Metro Station in Washington D.C. is served by the Red, Yellow, and Green lines. Many local buses take people to this station.
  • The Prince George's Plaza Metro Station is just outside Chillum in Hyattsville. It's on the Green and Yellow lines.

Historic Places to See

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission has identified several historic sites in Chillum:

Site name Image Location M-NCPPC Inventory Number Comment
1 Green Hill 2009 Van Buren Street 65-008 Located in Lewisdale / West Hyattsville.
1 Green Hill Overseer’s House 6606 22nd Place 65-013 Located in Lewisdale / West Hyattsville.

Who Lives in Chillum?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1970 35,656
1980 32,775 −8.1%
1990 31,309 −4.5%
2000 34,252 9.4%
2010 33,513 −2.2%
2020 36,039 7.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
2010 2020

Population in 2020

In 2020, Chillum had a population of 36,039 people. The community is very diverse, meaning people from many different backgrounds live there.

Chillum CDP, Maryland – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 1,298 1,143 3.87% 3.17%
Black or African American alone (NH) 16,700 14,451 49.83% 40.10%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 62 36 0.19% 0.10%
Asian alone (NH) 758 745 2.26% 2.07%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 24 4 0.07% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 119 224 0.36% 0.62%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 453 670 1.35% 0.62%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14,099 18,766 42.07% 52.07%
Total 33,513 36,039 100.00% 100.00%

Many people in Chillum have Hispanic or Latino backgrounds. In 2020, about 31.5% of the population was from El Salvador, 4% from Guatemala, and 3.6% from the Dominican Republic.

Notable People from Chillum

  • Jonathan Banks, an actor known for his roles in TV shows like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Chillum (Maryland) para niños

kids search engine
Chillum, Maryland Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.