Welcome to
Historic Chevy Chase DC
HCCDC is celebrating its 30th year as a nonprofit historical society conducting research and documenting the history, design architecture, landscape, streetscape and development of Chevy Chase DC, a lovely circa-1907 community in Northwest Washington DC.
We have captured more than 32 oral histories of our residents, conducted a rigorous research study of the community’s desire for a Historic District, organize history-related talks and events and conduct a popular Historic Walking Tour every September, among many other activities. We welcome your involvement and interest!
Our Projects
HCCDC’s initiative to recognize the history of Black landowners forced out in 1928 to create Lafayette Park includes a plan to rename the park to Lafayette-Pointer Park. The letter above was written in 1829 by George Pointer, a slave who bought his own freedom at age 17 and whose descendants settled on Broad Branch.
House Histories
HCCDC’s online archives hold a growing collection of social and architectural histories of Chevy Chase DC houses, including Pam and Carl Lankowski’s 1919 kit house on McKinley Street.
Events
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Latest News
Historic Chevy Chase DC: A Chronicle and Assessment of a Citizens Initiative
HCCDC President Carl Lankowski’s look back over 30 years of modern local history starts with a quote from one of the organization’s founders. “Historic Chevy Chase DC was founded as a way to document the historic significance of the Chevy Chase DC neighborhood, a community comprised of a variety of architectural styles, neighborhoods, and cultures, bringing together both the east and west sides of Connecticut Avenue as a community of historical interest.” — William West Hopper
Historic Chevy Chase DC: A Chronicle and Assessment of a Citizens InitiativeRead More
Chris Myers Asch and George Derek Musgrove on “Race and Reform: Police Brutality in DC,” a June 16 Webinar
Listen to the recording of an insightful conversation held online with professors Chris Myers Asch and George Derek Musgrove, co-authors of Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital (2017). The June 16 event, co-sponsored by HCCDC and the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., focused on the history of police brutality …
Watch “A History of Your House” from HCCDC
At least 78 viewers logged into our first Zoom conference on May 12 entitled, “The History of Your House,” by HCCDC President Carl Lankowski. Carl, who bought his house on McKinley Street with his wife Pam in 2010, used his own house’s story to talk about what a house history entails, the types of things …
Lafayette Students Launch Letter-Writing Campaign
April 2020 About 250 fourth and fifth graders at Lafayette Elementary School sat listening patiently to a story that many of them couldn’t fathom. They learned that just outside their door, a small community of Black landowners had been evicted from their property nearly 100 years ago to make way for the very school under …
Ward 3 Heritage Guide Now Available
An exacting accounting of the historical events and places in DC’s Ward 3 is covered in a newly released publication by the D.C. Office of Historic Preservation. The guide, available online and by special request in print, is the second-to-last of the city’s eight wards to be featured in the fully illustrated color booklet. DC …
NEW! Read about the latest intrigues of Chevy Chase DC’s past in Cate Toups Atkinson’s most recent blog post. Reach her at cate.atkinson@gmail.com
A Backyard Castle on Livingston Street NW
Alley walkers know the place — a medieval-looking “castle” behind a house in the 3900 block of Livingston Street NW. With its thick stone walls, slate roof and solid red door with iron fastenings, it could be in Germany atop a walled fortress touching the clouds.
Join Us!
An annual contribution of just $25 a year supports our valuable work.
