Takoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C. and part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called 'Azalea City,' is a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone. A planned commuter suburb, it is situated along the Metropolitan Branch of the historic Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, just northeast of Washington. It is governed by an elected mayor and six elected councilmembers, who form the city council, and an appointed city manager, under a council-manager style of government. The city's population was 17,299 according to the 2000 national census.
History
Takoma Park was founded by Benjamin Franklin Gilbert in 1883 and incorporated in 1890. It was one of the first planned Victorian commuter suburbs,[citation needed] centered on the B&O railroad station in Takoma, D.C., and bore aspects of a spa and trolley park. For many decades it was the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which maintains a regional hospital, college, radio station and several churches and other local facilities in the city.[citation needed]In 1964, an inside-the-Capital-Beltway extension of Interstate 70S, also known as the North Central Freeway, was proposed via a route known as 'Option #11 Railroad Sligo East,' up to 1/4 mile parallel to the B&O railroad upon an swath of land displacing 471 houses, that would have cut the city in two. In the mid-to-late 1960s, the future Mayor and civil rights activist Sam Abbott led a campaign to halt freeway construction and replace it with a Metrorail line to the site of the former train station, and worked with other neighborhood groups to halt plans for a wider system of freeways going into and out of DC.[citation needed]This controversy also raised the profile of Takoma Park at a time in the late 1960s and 1970s when it was becoming noted regionally and nationally for political activism outside the Nation's capital, with newspaper commentators describing it as 'The People's Republic' or 'Berkeley East', also 'Tacky Park'.Also dividing the community is the boundary line of the District of Columbia, which contains part of the original Gilbert tract. This area is now known as Takoma, D.C. While politically separate from Takoma Park, Maryland, it shares its history and much of its culture.Much of the old town Takoma Park was incorporated into the Takoma Park Historic District; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.Before 1995, the eastern boundary of the city of Takoma Park was in Prince George's County, Maryland, causing the community to be divided across two counties and the Maryland/D.C. line (where the original downtown area is located). For several years, Takoma Park lobbied the State of Maryland for legislation allowing county boundaries to be adjusted. The State finally agreed to this change, with the stipulation that cross-county municipalities would no longer be allowed; the new municipal boundary would forever remain within the county of its choosing. In August 1995, after passage of the law, the city held a public referendum asking registered voters living in three Prince George's County neighborhoods north of New Hampshire Avenue whether they wanted to be annexed to the city of Takoma Park. There was a majority of votes, 211 out of 304, in favor of annexation to the city.In November 1995, the State-sponsored referendum was held asking whether the portions of the city in Prince George's County should be annexed to Montgomery County, or vice versa. The majority of votes in the referendum were in favor of unification of the entire city in Montgomery County. Following subsequent approval by both counties' councils and the Maryland General Assembly, the county line was moved to include the entire city into Montgomery County (including territory in Prince George's County newly annexed by the city) on July 1, 1997. This process became known as Unification.The city has experienced substantial gentrification in the 1990s and early 2000s, with many group houses containing accessory apartments being converted back into single-family homes. This process was encouraged by an M-NCPPC 'phase back', effectively eliminating scattered-site multifamily housing and implementing single-use zoning citywide, which prompted calls by some residents for the city to have its own planning authority. The majority of the city's population remain tenants, many of whom live in a cluster of high-rise and mid-rise apartment buildings surrounding Sligo Creek, which cuts a deep valley through the community.
Geography
Takoma Park is located just northeast of Washington, D.C.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.36 square miles (6.1 km2), all land. Sligo Creek and Long Branch (both tributaries of the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River) flow through the area. Sligo Creek Park and the 9-mile Sligo Creek Trail bisect the area. The main street, Carroll Avenue, and the main state highway, Route 410/East West Highway, narrow to two lanes within city limits. Takoma park has an extensive hardwood tree canopy which is protected by local ordinance.Takoma Park sits on the edge of the Mid-Atlantic fall line and is thus extremely hilly, with many narrow, gridded streets.Takoma Park is bounded by downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, a major urban center to the northwest, by Montgomery College campus; East Silver Spring, a community of houses, apartments and small shops, along Flower Avenue and Piney Branch Road, to the north; Langley Park, Maryland, a community of apartments and shopping centers, along University Boulevard to the northeast; Chillum, Maryland, in Prince George's County to the southeast, bounded by New Hampshire Avenue, a state highway; and Takoma, Washington, D.C. to the southwest, separated by Eastern Avenue, which follows the District of Columbia line.The corner of Eastern and Carroll Avenues roughly marks the center of the old commercial district. Other town centers include: 'Takoma Junction', the corner of Carroll Avenue and Route 410 in the geographic center of town, home to the city's large food co-op; Takoma-Langley Crossroads in downtown Langley Park, and the Flower shopping district, both of which are home to many immigrant-owned establishments. Takoma Park's municipal center is located at the corner of Maple Avenue and Route 410. Washington Adventist University marks the corner of Carroll and Flower Avenues.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,299 people, 6,893 households, and 3,949 families residing in the city. The population density was 8,152.4 inhabitants per square mile (3,147.7 /km2). There were 7,187 housing units at an average density of 3,387.0 per square mile (1,307.7 /km2). The racial makeup of the city was 48.79% White, 33.97% African American, 0.44% Native American, 4.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 7.44% from other races, and 4.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.42% of the population.There were 6,893 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. Approximately 4.5% of all couples were unmarried same sex couples. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.13.In the city the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.The median income for a household in the city was $48,490, and the median income for a family was $63,434. Males had a median income of $40,668 versus $35,073 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,437. About 8.4% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 20.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Culture
Takoma Park is known for a variety of cultural events, most notable of which is the Takoma Park Folk Festival, which attracts an audience from across the Mid-Atlantic region.The Takoma Park Folk Festival is a music festival held annually in the city. It has been in existence since 1978, founded by Sam Abbott, former Mayor of the city and civil-rights activist. In addition to hosting concerts on several stages by musicians from around the world, the festival also celebrates cultural diversity of the region, with a wide variety of ethnic food and crafts.The festival features numerous varieties of music from local and national artists, including blues, klezmer, bluegrass, Celtic, and hip-hop, and traditional music and dance from around the world. Other performers specialize in traditional and progressive folk music. In addition to music and dance, the festival features traditional storytellers from around the world.Takoma Park is notable for being the home of Takoma Records, a nationally-known blues label started by blues guitarist John Fahey, who (together with other local music institutions) popularized the city as a haven for folk musicians. Mary Chapin Carpenter, Al Petteway (composer of Sligo Creek) and many other prominent local and national artists have made their home in and around Takoma Park. Root Boy Slim and Goldie Hawn are from Takoma Park.Other annual festivals include the mildly countercultural Takoma Park Street Festival, the Takoma Jazz Fest, the Takoma Park Independent Film Festival, and the Takoma Park Fourth of July Parade, which is attended by residents and neighboring politicians from across the metropolitan region. The parade typically includes ethnic musical troupes representing a wide variety of global cultures, neighborhood performance troupes, and groups supporting causes, such as LGBTQ and fair trade, reflecting Takoma Park's historic reputation for activism.Immediately adjacent to the downtown, Takoma, D.C. is home to the A.Salon Building, a large art studio warehouse and former printing plant, which is home to the backstage office and rehearsal center for the Washington Opera. Two (currently vacant) freestanding theaters, the Takoma Theater and the Flower Theater, anchor either end of town. Takoma Park is also home to the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange and the Institute of Musical Traditions, a performance society founded by the House of Musical Traditions. Kinetic Artistry, a notable theatre supplier for the Washington area, is also located in Takoma Park. A Historic Takoma Museum is under construction by the local historic society.[citation needed] The Electric Maid is a collectively-managed community venue and cultural center. The Takoma Theatre Conservancy is an organization attempting to renovate the 500-seat Takoma Theatre for multiuse purposes.Takoma Park has been home to a variety of local characters who have contributed to the city's sense of identity and culture, including 'Catman' and Motor Cat, Roscoe the Rooster, The Banjo Man, and 'Fox Man', a local animal rights activist and founder of the city's Tool Library. Takoma Park also has a year round farmer's market and two other farmers markets which sell local produce and free range meats.
Institutions
The Sam Abbott Citizens Center, Takoma Park's former city auditorium, has been refurbished as a community theater and gallery. The municipal center, which includes the Takoma Park City Hall, Citizens Center and the Takoma Park Maryland Library, was expanded into a community center from 2003-2007. A gymnasium was requested by the city's youth sports leagues after lobbying from Steve Francis, the NBA basketball player, who grew up in Takoma Park; but funding was not identified.In 2010, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church received authorization to relocate the regional Washington Adventist Hospital from the center of town to an outlying area of nearby Silver Spring, Maryland, alongside its international headquarters and the Adventist Book and Health Food Store, which had also been located within city limits. This had followed an effort by county officials to close or relocate the city's fire station, located on the side of a steep hill. Due to resulting controversy, the City Council lobbied to retain the old Hospital facility as a 'health campus'. The Hospital had been in operation for over a century[when?], having been founded as the Washington Sanitarium overlooking Sligo Creek, shortly after the church's relocation from Battle Creek, Michigan.[citation needed] Officials also successfully lobbied to retain the former Columbia Union College, a small parochial college located on the same campus, which has been renamed Washington Adventist University.In the 1970s, the City experienced controversy over plans to expand or relocate Montgomery College, which has a campus located in the historic district of North Takoma, an area of large old homes adjacent to downtown Silver Spring. This debate was subsequently resolved when the County agreed to preserve the existing campus, and expand in the direction of downtown Silver Spring by building a bridge across the B&O railroad tracks. It was renamed the 'Takoma Park-Silver Spring Campus', focused on health, nursing and the arts. The expanded campus included a major new arts center located in South Silver Spring, near the boundary between the three jurisdictions.[citation needed]The Takoma Park-Silver Spring Food Co-op is one of the Washington area's largest food co-ops.In the late 2000s, regional and national debate occurred over the decision to close Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Takoma, D.C., and relocate its operations to the Bethesda Naval Medical Center.[citation needed] Takoma Park Soccer Club is the sponsor of many youth soccer teams in the Takoma Park area; such as the TAPK United, coached by professional Brazilian coach Manilton Santos. They are a team who have won many games and earned thhe affectionate nickname Tapioca United. To learn about Mani or sched ule for his clinics go to http://www.manisantosbraziliansoccer.com/
Law and government
Takoma Park's electorate and its elected officials are known for their liberal and left-of-liberal values, which have led to the enactment of several unusual municipal laws. For instance, Takoma Park allows non-U.S.-citizen residents to vote in its own municipal elections. The city was also forbidden, by statute, from doing business with any entity having commercial ties with the government of Burma (Myanmar), though after a United States Supreme Court decision struck down a similar Massachusetts provision, enforcement of the provision was suspended in the year 2000. As of 2007, the Free Burma Committee is inactive. Takoma Park is also forbidden from purchasing any World Bank financial instruments.[citation needed]. In 2008, the city unanimously approved a resolution to oppose foie gras. It is widely believed that Takoma Park prohibits national chain stores from operating within the city, but although such a law would accord with Takoma Park values, it does not actually exist.Takoma Park is noted for being a 'Nuclear Free Zone' along with cities including Berkeley, California, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and Madison, Wisconsin. It has an active Nuclear Free Zone Committee which advocates for nuclear disarmament and is entrusted with making purchasing recommendations to the city. Being a certified Tree City, residents must obtain a permit to cut down any tree on their property measuring more than 8 inches in diameter. This has contributed to the preservation of second-growth hardwood forest which covers much of the city, as visible in satellite photos.For these and other policies, the city is affectionately nicknamed the 'People's Republic of Takoma Park' by its residents.Takoma Park is chartered with its own police force, public works department, and has historically maintained its own Volunteer Fire Department and Municipal Library. Until 2007, the city operated a Tool Library as well, and continues to operate its own compost recycling program and silo for corn-burning stoves. As one of the most urbanized areas outside Washington, D.C., Takoma Park is densely developed with narrow houses on deep lots, often featuring mid-block developments and a mix of apartments and homes which are no longer permitted under regional suburban zoning laws, under which many apartments were de-zoned in 1989. Development and reconstruction of the fire station and other public facilities have been highly controversial[citation needed], with some advocating that facilities be closed and moved to outlying, automobile-friendly areas.
Mayor
Takoma Park is governed by a city council composed of a mayor and council members for each of six wards. The city administration is run by a City Manager, since 2004, Barbara Burns Matthews. The current Mayor of Takoma Park is Bruce Williams (since 2007). Former mayors are:Benjamin Franklin Gilbert(1890–1892)
Enoch Maris (1892–1894)
Samuel S. Shedd (1894–1902)
John B. Kinnear (1902–1906)
Wilmer G. Platt (1906–1912)
Stephens W. Williams (1912–1917)
Wilmer G. Platt (1917–1920)
James L. Wilmeth (1920–1923)
Henry D. Thizzle (1923–1926)
Ben G. Davis (1926–1932)
Frederick L. Lewton (1932–1936)
John R. Adams (1936–1940)
Oliver W. Youngblood (1940–1948)
John C. Post (1948–1950)
Ross H. Beville (1950–1954)
George M. Miller (1954–1972)
John D. Roth (1972–1980)
Sammie A. Abbott(1980–1985)
Stephen J. Del Giudice (1985–1990)
Edward F. Sharp (1990–1997)
Kathy Porter (1997–2007)
Bruce Williams (since 2007)
Representative body
Takoma Park has a non-partisan City Council elected by wards. Council members serve terms of two years, and are elected in the odd-numbered years. Non-U.S. citizens may register and vote in the municipal election. The members of the council elected in 2009 are:Ward 1: Josh Wright
Ward 2: Colleen Clay
Ward 3: Dan Robinson
Ward 4: Terry Seamens
Ward 5: Reuben Snipper
Ward 6: Fred Schultz
Voting methods
In the 2005 election, an advisory referendum on the institution of Instant-Runoff Voting (IRV) for municipal elections passed with 84% approval.[17] In 2006, the City Council amended the City Charter to incorporate IRV. With this, Takoma Park joins a small but growing number of municipalities across the nation who have chosen IRV, such as San Francisco, California, Burlington, Vermont and, more recently, Ferndale, Michigan.In the 2009 election, Takoma Park used the Scantegrity voting system. This marked the first time an open source voting system was used in a public sector election in the United States, as well as the first time a system with end-to-end verifiability was used.
Transportation
Takoma Park's Metrorail station sits in the heart of the old downtown area, at the terminus of Carroll Street, Takoma Park's main street (Carroll Avenue in Maryland) on the D.C. side two blocks from the Maryland line. The Takoma Metro station is noted for having one of the highest pedestrian mode shares of any non-central business district station in the Washington Metrorail system.[citation needed]New Hampshire Avenue is the only six-lane thoroughfare running through city limits, continuing into central Washington, D.C. and primarily serving through-traffic to the east of the city. Other major roads narrow to two lanes within city limits, including Route 410/East West Highway, a major state thoroughfare, and Piney Branch Road, which was narrowed from four lanes to two within city limits as a result of a traffic calming measure.[citation needed] The primary route into D.C. is Georgia Avenue, the main turnpike through downtown Silver Spring, and Blair Road, a two-lane road (formerly part of the Montgomery Blair estate) which becomes North Capitol Street, a six-lane boulevard to the south. University Boulevard, the major suburban shopping strip, skirts the area to the northeast. Carroll Avenue ends two miles short of the Washington Beltway/I95 interchange.While the 9-mile Sligo Creek Trail is primarily used for recreation by bicyclists and pedestrians, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is sponsoring efforts to construct the Metropolitan Branch Trail, a rail trail in D.C. parallel to the Red Line, to connect Washington Union Station to Silver Spring and Bethesda, Maryland by way of the 12-mile Capital Crescent Trail for bicycle commuting purposes.
Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Associations by Ward
Ward 1:Hodges Heights
North Takoma
PEN (Philadelphia-Eastern Neighborhood)
Old Town Residents' Association (OTRA)
Ward 2:B.F. Gilbert
Long Branch-Sligo
South of Sligo Citizens Association (SOSCA)
Ward 3:Pinecrest (formerly and affectionately known as 'Hells Bottom')
Westmoreland Area Community Organization (WACO)
SS Carroll ('The Generals' streets: Grant Ave, Lee Ave, Sherman Ave, Sheridan Ave)
Circle Woods Community Association
Ward 4:Ritchie Citizens Association
Maple Ave. Apartment District
Ward 5:Between the Creeks
Flower Avenue (East Silver Spring)
Ward 6:Hillwood Manor
New Hampshire Gardens Citizens Association
Public schools
The city is served by the Montgomery County Public Schools.
Elementary
Elementary schools that serve the city include:Piney Branch Elementary School(3-5)
Rolling Terrace Elementary School(PK-5)
Sligo Creek Elementary School(K-5)
Takoma Park Elementary School(PK-2)
Most Takoma Park residents are zoned to Takoma Park ES and Piney Branch.
Middle
Middle schools that serve the city include:Silver Spring International Middle School
Takoma Park Middle School(most Takoma Park residents are zoned to Takoma Park MS)
High
All of the city is served by Montgomery Blair High School.Takoma Academy, a private high-school, is located in Takoma Park and is part of the Adventist Educational System.With the Downcounty Consortium, students have limited opportunity to enroll in one of four other schools, including Kennedy, Northwood, Einstein, and Wheaton.
Colleges and universities
Washington Adventist University, a private liberal arts university
Montgomery College(Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus) (a 2-year institution)
Strayer University(Takoma Park Campus), just across the state line in Takoma, DC
Washington Theological Union, just across the state line in Takoma, DC
Libraries
Takoma Park Maryland Library is one of the fewmunicipallibraries in suburban Maryland.
Takoma Park Library, part of theDistrict of Columbia Public Librarysystem, was the first neighborhood library in Washington, D.C. and aCarnegie library.
Long Branch Library inSilver Springis part of theMontgomery CountyPublic Libraries.
