Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, and part of the larger Washington metropolitan area.

Takoma Park was founded in 1883 and became an official city in 1890. It's sometimes called "Azalea City" because of its beautiful flowers. The city is also known as a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone, showing its commitment to nature and peace.

This city was planned as a place where people could live and easily travel to work by train. It sits along the historic Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line, just northeast of Washington, D.C. Takoma Park shares a border and history with the nearby Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Takoma.

The city is run by an elected mayor and six elected council members. They form the city council. There is also an appointed city manager. This is called a council-manager style of government. In 2020, about 17,629 people lived in Takoma Park.

Since 2013, young people in Takoma Park can vote in city elections when they turn sixteen. It was the first city in the United States to let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in local elections. The City of Hyattsville later did the same.

History of Takoma Park

How Takoma Park Began

Takoma Park was started by Benjamin Franklin Gilbert in 1883. It was one of the first planned Victorian suburbs where people could live and travel to work by train. It was built around the B&O train station in Takoma, D.C..

The name Takoma comes from a Native American language, Lushootseed. It means 'snow-covered mountain' and was originally the name for Mount Rainier. In 1883, a local resident named Ida Summy chose the name Takoma for the new city. She thought it meant 'high up' or 'near heaven'. The city of Tacoma in Washington state is also named after Mount Takhoma (Mount Rainier).

Gilbert bought his first piece of land in spring 1884. It was about 100 acres and was mostly thick forest. He cleared some of the land to create streets and housing lots. By August 1885, about 100 people lived in Takoma Park. Gilbert himself lived in a large wooden house with 20 rooms.

Gilbert bought more land in 1886 and called it New Takoma. He also bought other farms and named them North Takoma. He hired Fred E. Dudley to build many homes. By 1888, there were 75 houses, and by 1889, there were 235 homes.

Takoma Park officially became a town on April 3, 1890. The first election was held on May 5, 1890. Gilbert was elected mayor. A fire destroyed the town's business area and a hotel in 1893.

Early 1900s in Takoma Park

Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church

In 1904, the Seventh-day Adventist Church bought land in Takoma Park. They planned to build their church headquarters, offices, and homes for church members. They chose Takoma Park because it was close to Washington, D.C., but still had clean water from a natural spring. For many years, Takoma Park was the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They moved to Silver Spring in 1989.

In 1908, the North Takoma Hotel became the Bliss Electrical School. After a fire, the school was rebuilt elsewhere. This site later became part of Montgomery College's Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus.

Mid-1900s and Activism

The Takoma Blue Devils in 1963.

In the 1960s, there were plans to build a large highway that would have cut Takoma Park in half. Future mayor and civil rights activist Sammie Abbott led a group to stop the highway. They wanted a Metrorail line (subway) instead. This effort helped Takoma Park become known for its political activism. People sometimes called it "The People's Republic of Takoma Park" or "The Berkeley of the East."

This time of activism continued into the 1980s. Takoma Park declared itself a Nuclear-free zone. This meant the city supported peace and opposed nuclear weapons. It also became a safe place for refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala.

Much of old Takoma Park is now part of the Takoma Park Historic District. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Late 1900s and Early 2000s

Before 1995, Takoma Park was split between two counties: Montgomery County and Prince George's County. The city wanted to be all in one county. After a vote by residents and approval from the state, the entire city became part of Montgomery County on July 1, 1997. This process was called Unification.

In 1981, Takoma Park passed a Rent stabilization Law. This law limits how much landlords can raise rent. This has helped keep rents lower in Takoma Park compared to other areas in the D.C. region.

The city also adopted the Takoma Park Safe Grow Act in 2013. This law bans certain chemical pesticides and requires natural lawn care on all city lands.

In 2018, the city thought about renaming streets that were named after generals from the United States Civil War. These included Grant Avenue, Lee Avenue, Sherman Avenue, Sheridan Avenue, and Jackson Avenue.

Geography and Nature

Map of Takoma Park

Takoma Park is a hilly city. It has many narrow streets. The city covers about 2.09 square miles (5.43 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.

Two creeks, Sligo Creek and Long Branch, flow through the area. Both are small rivers that lead to the Anacostia River. Sligo Creek Park and the 9-mile (14 km) Sligo Creek Trail run through the city. These are great places for walking and biking.

Takoma Park has many large trees. These trees are protected by local laws. This helps keep the city green and beautiful.

Takoma Park is bordered by several other areas:

Silver Spring to the northwest.
East Silver Spring to the north.
Langley Park to the northeast.
Chillum to the southeast.
Takoma, D.C. to the southwest.

The corner of Eastern and Carroll Avenues is the center of the old business district. Other important areas include "Takoma Junction," which has the city's large food co-op. The city's main offices are at the corner of Maple Avenue and Route 410. Washington Adventist University is at the corner of Carroll and Flower Avenues.

Neighborhoods in Takoma Park

Welcome sign to Takoma Park

Takoma Park has many small neighborhoods. People in these neighborhoods often use online groups called listservs to share information. Here are some of the neighborhoods, grouped by their city ward:

Ward 1

* Hodges Heights * Old Takoma (also called Philadelphia-Eastern Neighborhood) * North Takoma

Ward 2

* B.F. Gilbert Subdivision * Glaizewood Manor * Long Branch-Sligo * South of Sligo

Ward 3

* SS Carroll Neighborhood (also known as "The Generals" streets: Grant Ave, Lee Ave, Sherman Ave, Sheridan Ave) * Pinecrest * Takoma Junction * Westmoreland Area

Ward 4

* Maple Ave apartment district * Ritchie Ave * SS Carroll Neighborhood

Ward 5

* Between the Creeks (part of the larger Long Branch / East Silver Spring area)

Ward 6

* Hillwood Manor * New Hampshire Gardens

People and Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	164	—
1900	756	361.0%
1910	1,242	64.3%
1920	3,168	155.1%
1930	6,415	102.5%
1940	8,938	39.3%
1950	13,341	49.3%
1960	16,799	25.9%
1970	18,507	10.2%
1980	16,231	−12.3%
1990	16,700	2.9%
2000	17,299	3.6%
2010	16,715	−3.4%
2020	17,629	5.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 2010–2020

In 2010, there were 16,715 people living in Takoma Park. The city had 6,569 households and 3,904 families. About 33.6% of households had children under 18.

The people in Takoma Park come from many different backgrounds. In 2010, about 49.0% of residents were White, 35.0% were African American, 4.4% were Asian, and 14.5% were Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in the city was 38 years old. About 22.4% of residents were under 18.

Economy and Jobs

Takoma Park has several important employers. These businesses and organizations provide many jobs for the community.

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Montgomery College	775
2	Montgomery County Public Schools	248
3	City of Takoma Park, Maryland	244
4	Washington Adventist University	121
5	Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School	75
6	Takoma Park / Silver Spring Co-Op	46
7	International House of Pancakes	36
8	Taco Bell	27
9	Chuck E. Cheese	26
10	Mid Atlantic Seafood	18

Arts and Culture

Takoma Park clock at Ward Sinclair Plaza

Takoma Park is known for its many cultural events. One of the most famous is the Takoma Park Folk Festival. This festival brings in people from all over the Mid-Atlantic region.

The Takoma Park Folk Festival is a free event held every year. It features music by local musicians on six stages. You can hear everything from old-time fiddle music to folk-rock and Afro-Latin fusion. The festival also has activities for children, a crafts show, and community tables. It started in 1978, founded by former mayor and activist Sam Abbott.

Takoma Park has been home to famous musicians like blues guitarist John Fahey. He even named his music label, Takoma Records, after the city. Many of his songs mention local places. Other artists like Mary Chapin Carpenter and Al Petteway have also lived in the area.

Other yearly festivals include the Takoma Park Street Festival, the Takoma Jazz Fest, and the Takoma Park Independent Film Festival. The Takoma Park Fourth of July Parade is also very popular. It features different music groups and community groups.

The Takoma, D.C. area has the A.Salon Building, which is a large art studio warehouse. Takoma Park is also home to the Dance Exchange and the Institute of Musical Traditions. The Takoma Theatre Conservancy is working to fix up the old Takoma Theatre for different uses. Takoma Radio, a local radio station, is also part of the community.

Takoma Park has a year-round farmer's market. There are also other farmer's markets that sell local produce and meats.

Libraries in and Near Takoma Park

The Takoma Park Maryland Library is one of the few city libraries in suburban Maryland.
The Takoma Park Library, part of the District of Columbia Public Library system, was the first neighborhood library in Washington, D.C. It is a Carnegie library.
The Long Branch Library in Silver Spring is part of the Montgomery County Public Libraries.

Community Places and Institutions

The Sam Abbott Citizens Center is Takoma Park's former city auditorium. It has been updated to be a community theater and art gallery. The city's main center, which includes City Hall and the library, was expanded into a community center from 2003–2007. A small basketball court was built next to the community center.

Washington Adventist University

In 2010, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church moved the Washington Adventist Hospital to a new location in Silver Spring. City officials worked to keep the old hospital site as a "health campus." They also worked to keep Washington Adventist University on the same campus.

Montgomery College has a campus in Takoma Park. It was renamed the "Takoma Park-Silver Spring Campus." It focuses on health, nursing, and the arts.

The Takoma Park-Silver Spring Food Co-op is one of the largest food co-ops in the Washington area. The Takoma Park Presbyterian Church has been very active in the community. The Takoma Park Soccer Club sponsors many youth soccer teams.

Education in Takoma Park

Public Schools

The city is served by the Montgomery County Public Schools.

Elementary schools that serve the city include:

Piney Branch Elementary School (grades 3–5)
Rolling Terrace Elementary School (Pre-Kindergarten–grade 5)
Sligo Creek Elementary School (Kindergarten–grade 5)
Takoma Park Elementary School (Pre-Kindergarten–grade 2)

Most students in Takoma Park go to Takoma Park ES and Piney Branch. Sligo Creek Elementary School has a French Immersion program open to all Montgomery County families.

Middle schools that serve the city include:

Silver Spring International Middle School
Takoma Park Middle School (most Takoma Park residents go here)

All students in the city are zoned to Montgomery Blair High School. Students can also choose to attend one of four other high schools: Kennedy, Northwood, Einstein, and Wheaton.

Private Schools

John Nevins Andrews School, a K–8 Seventh-day Adventist Christian School.
Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, a private Catholic high school.
Takoma Academy, a private Adventist Education high school.

Colleges and Universities

Washington Adventist University, a private liberal arts university.
Montgomery College (Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus), a two-year college.

City Services and Transportation

Takoma Park has its own police force, public works department, housing department, library, and recreation department. It also has a Volunteer Fire Department. The city runs its own compost recycling program.

Roads and Highways

MD 650 southbound in Takoma Park

Several state highways serve Takoma Park. The largest is Maryland Route 650 (New Hampshire Avenue). Maryland Route 193 (University Boulevard) is a major shopping street that runs along the city's edge. Other state highways like Maryland Route 410, Maryland Route 320, and Maryland Route 195 connect Takoma Park to nearby areas.

Public Transportation

Takoma Park is part of Montgomery County. This means it is served by the Ride On bus system and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. These services provide bus and subway (rail) travel to the Maryland and Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C..

The Takoma Metrorail station is a subway station located in Washington, D.C., just two blocks from the Maryland line. It is also a hub for Ride On and Metrobus.

The Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center is just outside the city border. It is a future stop for the Purple Line, a new light rail system.

The 9-mile (14 km) Sligo Creek Trail is used for biking and walking. Parts of the trail within Takoma Park are closed to cars on weekends. The Takoma Park part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, a path that runs next to the subway line, is also complete.

Notable People from Takoma Park

Danielle Allen, a scholar of ancient Greece and politics.
Henry Allen, an author and artist.
Roger MacBride Allen, a novelist.
Tom Brosius, a track and field athlete.
Maia Campbell, an actress, singer, and model.
Mary Chapin Carpenter, a singer-songwriter.
Lorig Charkoudian, a Maryland State Delegate.
David Corn, a journalist.
Tommy Davidson, a comedian and actor.
Dominique Dawes, an Olympic gymnast.
Peabo Doue, a soccer player.
Matt Drudge, a political commentator.
Marc Elrich, the Montgomery County Executive.
John Fahey, a guitarist and founder of Takoma Records.
Peter Franchot, a former Maryland State Comptroller.
Steve Francis, a former NBA basketball player.
Goldie Hawn, an actress.
Bowie Kuhn, a former Commissioner of Baseball.
Denis McDonough, a former White House chief of staff and Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Mona Minkara, a chemist.
Heather Mizeur, a former Maryland State Delegate.
David Moon, a Maryland State Delegate.
Wes Moore, the current Governor of Maryland.
Cal Newport, an author.
Tom Perez, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Al Petteway and Amy White, composers and musicians.
Jamie Raskin, a U.S. Congressman.
Sarah Bloom Raskin, a former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury.
Hans Riemer, a former Montgomery County Councilmember.
Root Boy Slim, a musician.
Nina Gilden Seavey, an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker.
Kate Stewart, a Montgomery County Councilmember.
Henry Vestine, a guitarist.
Nick Zedd, an underground filmmaker.

Takoma Park, Maryland facts for kids

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