Takoma Park

Takoma Park is a city of 18,000 people (2020) in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a suburb of Washington D.C. Takoma Park is known for its Bohemian atmosphere and progressiveness, and has been called the "Berkeley of the East" and "The People's Republic of Takoma Park."

Understand

Takoma Park is bordered by, and often confused with the adjacent Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The Takoma Metrorail Station is in D.C., near the border of the 2 cities.

The area is populated with many Hispanic, African and Asian immigrants. Together with nearby Hyattsville, they form an area that is one of the most politically liberal districts in the U.S. and home to a sizable percentage of Maryland's immigrant population.

The Old Town area of Takoma Park is composed of three historic districts which run along Carroll Avenue from 4th Street NW (in Washington, D.C.) to Takoma Junction in Maryland. This is an artsy, counter-cultural area anchored by the Metro station, Takoma Theater, the Washington Opera warehouse and the House of Musical Traditions.

More densely forested than the surrounding city, with huge oak trees, Takoma Park is known as a "tree city" and is bisected by numerous steep hills, narrow streets at odd angles, and the gorge-like Sligo Creek Park.

With its small-town ambiance and residents determined to preserve its charm, it is one of few areas to successfully discourage chain stores and national franchises in its Old Town commercial district and instead encourages privately owned, unique commercial establishments.

History

A train station was located here on the B&O railroad in the 1880s, around which the Victorian community of Takoma Park and neighboring Takoma, D.C. developed, at a time when much of D.C. was still farmland. Takoma Park quickly became the central commercial area for farmers, commuters and gentry commuting into Washington, D.C. by train and streetcar. Now it is a vibrant satellite city with a "small town" ambiance and a reputation for post-1960s era counterculture political activism.

Founded by B.F. Gilbert in 1887, the hilly town became a haven for Seventh-Day Adventists, who moved their World Headquarters here from Battle Creek, Michigan (home of the Matthew Broderick cereal drama Road to Wellville). At the turn of the century, they built several downtown churches, a small Christian liberal arts college, a printing press, a vegetarian health food co-op, elementary schools, and a sanitarium. Since then, gentrification has brought in academics and political consultants who restored many of the area's group houses into Victorian mansions.

Takoma Park's legendary socialist mayor, Sammy Abdul Abbott, was widely known in the 1960s for fighting successfully (alongside future DC Mayor Marion Barry and other members of SNCC) to prevent Takoma Park and central D.C. from being torn apart by a 10-lane freeway, which was projected to bisect Dupont Circle and at one point, the Lincoln Memorial. His slogan was "No white men's roads through black men's homes." As a result, there are no continuous freeways running through D.C. today. Ironically, Sam Abbott was white, and the son of a banker who had disowned him when he became a card-carrying Communist in the 1930s; most of the residents of Takoma Park at the time were elderly white civil servants and Seventh-Day Adventists, and as a result of the numerous decaying Victorian buildings, the area was flippantly known as "Tacky Park" or "Glaucoma Park". Hippies fleeing Adams Morgan were attracted to Takoma Park in the 1970s by its reputation as a health-conscious, Victorian Village populated by eccentric artists such as John Fahey, the founder of Takoma Records.

In 1997, after a referendum, the portion of Takoma Park that was in Prince George's County was annexed to Montgomery County.

Because of its proximity to the Silver Spring estate of noted abolitionist Montgomery Blair (after whom the local high school is named, and whose family continues to own part of downtown Silver Spring), Takoma Park is also home to two former Freedmen's Villages from the Civil War era. One of these is now a high-rise apartment district along Maple Avenue, while the other was built on the site of an old Civil War fort and amusement park located on Sligo Creek. It is now populated by art houses in addition to the historically black community near Sligo Creek. A similar Freedmen's Village, much more preserved, is on Hawkins Lane in the affluent town of Bethesda.

Today, Takoma Park has a strong bohemian artistic culture, to complement its radical activist history. It is an eclectic blend of alternative and often offbeat culture with a surprisingly robust dining scene ranging from farm-to-table restaurants and cafes to independent bookstores and vintage stores on Carroll Avenue. Takoma Park melds seamlessly into the Takoma section of D.C., which shares its left leaning roots. You'll find a lively mix of old hippies, bikers, retirees, students, immigrants, skaters, yuppies and families in all living in harmonious co-existence.

Get in

By Metrorail

Takoma Park is served by the Red Line of the Washington D.C. Metrorail. For more information on riding the Metrorail, see Washington DC#Get_In.

Most of the "Old Town" is within a 6-block walk of the Metrorail Station.

By bus

Metrobus and Ride-on-Bus operate service to Takoma Park from either D.C. or Silver Spring.

By car

Route 410 (East-West Highway) tuns through Takoma Park. It connects Takoma Park with I-495 (Capital Beltway), the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, and Bethesda.

From Silver Spring or D.C., take Blair Road, (another 2-lane cow path and the former driveway for the Blair estate). From the East End, follow North Capitol Street which becomes Blair Road. After passing the Takoma Metrorail Station, Blair Road runs into Georgia Avenue at the D.C. line, just south of the railroad underpass in downtown Silver Spring. From Blair Road, turn under the Takoma Metro station on Cedar St. NW, which becomes Carroll Avenue.

Alternatively, take 13th St. NW all the way to Fort Stevens where it turns into Piney Branch Rd. Turn right on Cedar St. and go under the Metrorail Station. This is also the bike route.

By foot or bike

Sligo Creek Trail is a 10.6-mile asphalt trail that runs between Hyattsville and Wheaton, through Takoma Park.

If biking from Washington D.C., follow the 13th Street (Takoma) signed bike lane north of Downtown D.C. to Piney Branch Road and turn left on Cedar.

For information on bike sharing programs in the Washington D.C. area, see Washington D.C.#Get_around.

Get around

By foot

The old town is best explored by walking. In general, Takoma Park is extremely hilly. Some side streets go up a 50-ft incline in the space of a block.

By car

Langley Park / International Corridor and its ethnic restaurants are best explored by car. Parking is available both off-street and on-street.

By bus

Metrobus and Ride-on-Bus operate service around Takoma Park.

See

The Takoma Park Historic District, near the Metrorail Station is full of houses from the early 1900s and is nice to walk around.

  • 🌍 Fort Stevens Park and Battlefield National Cemetery. Commemorates the battle between Union troops and Confederate Gen. Jubal Early, who snuck into the city in 1862 by driving straight down Georgia Ave, stopping off at the Blair Mansion inn in Silver Spring (now a dinner theater) for a bite to eat. Abraham Lincoln's hat was allegedly shot off here as he observed the action. Oliver Wendell Holmes is alleged to have said, "get down, you fool!" A burger is named Jubal Early at the Woodside Deli in Silver Spring and Rockville. The dead from the battle were buried in the tiny National Cemetery on Georgia Ave at the end of Whittier St. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Statue of Roscoe the Rooster. A free-range rooster who lived behind the small apartments in Old Town, along with several hens said to be kept in a chicken coop. Roscoe died in 1999 and 30 people attended his funeral. Often confused with a separate rooster who lived on Flower Avenue, also run over by a hapless motorist. Roscoe woke up neighborhood residents for about 10 years. 

Do

Festivals and events

Dance classes
  • 🌍 Roda Movements, 7003 Carroll Ave (Downtown/Old Takoma Park), ☏ +1 301-920-0913. Roda Movements is the D.C. area's premiere studio dedicated to Brazilian-Latino Movements, offering classes in Capoeira, Zumba, Salsa, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Samba, Flamenco and other dance genres. Drop in, Sessioned classes & memberships available. Roda Movements also hosts RODAplayspace - and indoor playspace for children 4 months- 3½ years. 
  • 🌍 Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, 7117 Maple Ave (off Carroll St), ☏ +1 301-270-6700, . Internationally renowned dance artist Liz Lerman opened this dance studio to benefit novice dancers and drummers. Regular programs and workshops. 

Buy

There are many small shops in Takoma Old Town, centered around the clock tower.

Farmer's markets and specialty grocers

Specialty stores
  • 🌍 Amano, 7034 Carroll Ave, ☏ +1 301-270-1140. Fabulous women's shoes and clothing. 
  • 🌍 The Big Bad Woof, 6960 Maple St NW, Washington, DC, ☏ +1 202-291-2404. M-Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Well-stocked pet supply store with quality items and helpful staff. (updated May 2023)
  • 🌍 The Covered Market, 7000 Carroll Ave, ☏ +1 301-270-1219. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Turkish fabrics, pillows, and imported jewelry, plus some cool pendant lamps and hookahs. 
  • 🌍 Fair Day's Play, 7050 Carroll Ave. A unique toy store. 
  • 🌍 House of Musical Traditions, 7010 Westmoreland Ave, ☏ +1 301-270-9090. Founded in 1969, this unique store features a wide variety of exotic instruments such as acoustic guitars, djembe drums, squeezeboxes, wooden flutes, erhus, ouds, and 16-string sitars. Also hosts music classes and repairs instruments. 
  • 🌍 India Sari Palace, 1337 University Blvd E, ☏ +1 301-434-1350. 11AM-8PM. This is the place to buy traditional and unique Indian saris. 
  • 🌍 Magic Carpet, 6939 Laurel Ave, ☏ +1 301-270-5623. Turkish fabrics, rugs, pillows, and imported jewelry. 
  • 🌍 PollySue's Vintage Shop, 6915 Laurel Ave, ☏ +1 301-270-5511. M-F 11AM-7PM, Sa 11AM-6PM. There are plenty of very wearable items here, but there are also a good amount of clothes that would be more fun at a party than in public! Prices are reasonable. 
  • 🌍 S&A Beads Store, 6929 Laurel Ave, ☏ +1 301-891-2323. Beads galore! Make your own necklaces at this bead store, with thousands of different beads and clasps. Also sells ready-to-wear jewelry, purses, funky clothing, and other eclectic items. 
  • 🌍 Takoma Bicycle, 7030 Carroll Ave, ☏ +1 301-270-0202. M-F 10AM-8PM, Sa Su 10AM-4PM. One of the best bike stores in the region; good repair service. In a house. 
  • 🌍 The Tranquil Soul, 7014-B Westmoreland Ave (less than one block from Carroll Ave; diagonally across from the gazebo), ☏ +1 240-254-5250. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Green and fair trade products for a sustainable future, including eco-clothing, Himalayan salt lamps, body care, soy and beeswax candles, and world music. 

Eat

Takoma Park and Takoma are both an excellent, if highly underrated part of the D.C. area to dine in and if you search around enough, you'll find no need to go to nearby Silver Spring or Dupont Circle to cater to your tastes. As expected farm to table, organic and vegan options standout, however, it's easy to find unique flavors all in these two unique suburbs.

Drink

Takoma Park does not have many bars. For more nightlife options, go to Silver Spring.

Learn

Sleep

Across the border, in Washington D.C., are:

Connect

Most restaurants and cafes offer free WiFi.

Public libraries

Computer terminals are available for free use at the public libraries:

Go next
Routes through Takoma Park
East End ← Brookland ←  S  N  → Silver Spring → Wheaton


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