Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2009.03.02 |
Title |
The VIllage of Friendship Heights 1914-1989 |
Object Name |
pamphlet |
Date |
April 1989 |
Creator |
Friendship Heights Village Council |
Description |
The Village of Friendship Heights 1914-1989 Published in April 1989 by the Friendship Heights Village Council A special 75th anniversary edition of the official Village information booklet, including a history of the Village, and information abut its government and Village services. WELCOME TO FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS You are living or working in, or perhaps visiting, one of the most unique communities in America, which was once described not as a place but "as a state of mind." In the 75 years since being established as a Special Taxing District, Friendship Heights, like the country at large, has undergone enormous change. From turn-of-the-century countryside with two farms and a blacksmith shop, to a community of approximately 100 houses and a population of 500 by 1959, the Village was transformed in the last 30 years, becoming the first officially zoned Central Business District in Montgomery County, with eight high-rise apartment buildings, three office buildings, a hotel, and numerous fine shops serving almost 5,000 residents and possibly an equal number of daytime workers and shoppers. The Village's 32 acres is assessed at almost $175 million, with an actual market value of almost $10 million an acre! Despite these waves of change, a sense of identity- of community- endures and flourishes. More than 45 percent of the residential population is 55 years of age or older. And there is a large contingent of college students and an even larger representation of the Washington area's international community as well- in all, an experienced, well-educated and cosmopolitan community rich in human resources. Lively discussions often abound on controversial topics, sometimes resulting in noteworthy decisions, such as passage of the nation's first "bullet ban" by the Village Council, the elected governing body of Friendship Heights. Also innovative, but perhaps of a more practical nature, are the free shuttle bus service and a free grocery-shopping service for those covered by Medicare or handicapped residents. Friendship Heights is one of only a few Maryland towns or cities to be designated a Bicentennial Community for celebrations commemorating both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Political leaders from both parties are frequent and welcome visitors to the Village. Governors, congressmen, county council and state officials have all been honored speakers at our July 4th and other annual celebrations. Symbolizing the unity in our rich diversity is our award-winning community center, so honored by the American Institute of Architects. The Friendship Heights Village Center was opened on Thomas Jefferson's birthday, April 13, 1986. "The Center" has become truly that. Here we come together, to listen, talk, debate, learn, and enjoy. But before entering the Village Center, stop at the entrance to Hubert H. Humphrey Friendship Park-which has twice been the first-prize winner in the county's beautification contests. At the entrance you will see, on a bronze plaque, a quotation from the former Vice-President: "The greatest gift in life is the gift of friendship." To the degree that we give such a gift to our neighbors, by working together and participating in community activities, then to such a degree we will be worthy of our name-Friendship Heights. Alfred Muller, M.D. Chairman, Friendship Heights Village Council April 1989 Boundaries and general description "Friendship Heights" and "The Hills" were originally two subdivisions of land around farms belonging to the Shoe-maker and Led families. They became part of a village formed by the Maryland General Assembly in 1914 and called a Special Taxing District. The second part of the name, "The Hills," has fallen into disuse, although a vestige remains in a Village street name, "The Hills Plaza." The Village now referred to as Friendship Heights is a triangular-shaped, 32-acre jurisdiction bordered on the south by Willard Avenue (from the Irene to Wisconsin Avenue), on the east by Wisconsin Avenue (from Willard to the end of the Chevy Chase Building), and on the north by the Somerset House development and the town of Somerset. Friendship Heights is governed under the legal charter established by the Maryland legislature in 1914, which has been amended four times since then. The most important change was approved in 1973, when tenants were given the right to vote in Village elections and the election hours were extended from two to thirteen hours. Special Taxing Districts as a governmental form have become anachronistic. They have most of the responsibilities of full municipalities but not the same rights under law. For example, local ordinances such as weed control, noise abatement, and animal control must go to the County Council for final approval. To correct the legal inequities and provide greater protection for Village interests the Village Council has sought for many years to bring the question of municipal incorporation to a full referendum. History In 1959, near the dawn of what might be called the modern era at Friendship Heights, when the Village consisted of single-family housing and before the first high-rise building went up, the elected "Citizen's Committee" (which later was to be called the Village Council) published a booklet called "Information for the Citizens of Friendship Heights." In it appeared a "Brief History of the Special Taxing Area of 'Friendship Heights and The Hills'", written by Committee Member Mark Shoemaker. Excerpts from Mr. Shoemaker's history follow, with editorial comments or clarifications added in brackets: In the broad aspect of the area in which we live, we find that it is part of what was originally a vast grant of land by the King of England to one individual. This grant extended from what is now Cleveland Park to Rockville, and took place long before the District of Columbia was in existence. This tract was called "Friendship". The Friendship Station Post Office on Wisconsin Avenue, just south of "Tennallytown" derives its name from this source as also did the naming of the subdivision called "Friendship Heights". The former lush estate of John R. McLean in Cleveland Park, and now McLean Gardens, was also called "Friendship". In more detail, the special taxing area designated as "Friendship Heights and The Hills", is a wedding (for administrative purposes only, of course) of two subdivisions; one was called "Friendship Heights", and the other "The Hills", which together with some adjacent property that, at the time of the nuptials, had not been incorporated into either of the two areas, as named above, formed the special taxing area. This wedding was blessed in 1914 by Act of the General Assembly of Maryland, responding to the desire of residents of the two communities to achieve partial autonomy, so as to insure a fair return to the area of the tax dollar collected by the County and State, rather than face the possibility of its diversion to more politically favored areas. The history of the taxing area involved, substantially, two farms, the Shoemaker farm [the author being a descendent of that original farm family] which, in part, became "The Hills"; and the Eld Farm, which became "Friendship Heights. "The Hills" is bounded on the north by High Street as far as the first turn, and then continuing, on the projected line of High Street [now South Park Avenue] to its intersection with Willard Avenue at Willoughby Street. It is bounded on the south by the north side of Willard Avenue- this was part of the Isaac Shoemaker Farm. The entire farm included the area now occupied by Woodward & Lothrop and Geico, extending along Western Avenue to River Road. It was acquired by the Shoemaker family about 1791. The remainder of the taxing area along Willard Avenue, west of Willoughby, and which is bounded on the north, roughly, by High Street [this portion is now North Park Avenue], was also a part of the Shoemaker farm. This area was never a part of the two named subdivisions, but in recent years was subdivided in part and largely developed by Mr. Lester Cook, and known as the Cook subdivision. The other subdivision, "Friendship Heights," occupies that portion of the taxing area north of High Street and extends west as far as 4615 High Street (Sarah Hannan's). This was part of the Eld Farm. The Elds came from England in 1811, and occupied the old farmhouse at 4531 High Street, now and for the past 54 years, lived in by Mrs. Anne Sheiry, who is one of our earliest and most loved residents. High Street originally was the farm road leading to and terminating at the Eld Farmhouse (that is why it is so crooked). It is interesting that here was an even earlier wedding of the two areas in that the Shoemaker and Eld families intermarried. "Friendship Heights" and "The Hills" together, are among the oldest subdivisions in the Washington suburban area. Albert Shoemaker subdivided "The Hills" in 1900, and built many of its residences. The first house was at 4503 Willard Avenue (Ed: in 1959 the Latterner's, now The Carleton); the second at 4511 Willard Avenue (in 1959, Mark Shoemaker's), built in 1901 (Ed: now The Willoughby). Closely following this effort, Mr. Henry Offutt bought the 16 acres comprising "Friendship Heights", subdivided it, and over a span of years built most of its homes. The first home to be built in Friendship Heights, after subdivision, was probably Offutt's, now the Thomases' (Ed: now the southeast corner of Friendship Park). The writer smoked his first cigar at 5 in front of Offutts', and never smoked again until 21. Richard Ough was the builder of most of the Offutt houses and lived in the house just to the north of Offutts (Thomases). The Susie Pyles family home at 4611 High Street is also one of the oldest, being the tenant house of the Eld farm. We understand that the house now occupied by Mrs. Frank Pyles was the barn of the same Eld farm. Historically, the members of the first Citizens* Committee were named by the Legislature in the Act of 1914, which created the special taxing area. These were: Henry W. Offutt, Chairman; Walter Balderson, Charles E. Roach, John A. Garrett, Emory H. Bogley, J. Walter Bogley, and William Tyler Page (Ed: author of The Americans' Creed). At that time, elections were required to be held yearly. In 1921 or 1922, the Legislature made certain amendments to the Act, one of which was a requirement that elections be held once every two years. In this Act, as amended, the Legislature again designated the initial Committee members-they were: Claude H. Woodward, Chairman; Henry W. Offutt, Charles E. Roach, Charles W. Rippey, John A. P. Farnum, George W. Offutt, Jr., and Emory H. Bogley. It would be only fitting that we here recognize those citizens of the early days who still live among us and who were witnesses to and made their contributions to the growth of this community during its formative years. (It must be admitted that Mr. Henry Offutt once claimed that the writer's contribution was destructive rather than constructive, having cut down a street tree that he had just planted- but then, so did George Washington.) When arbitrarily selecting the period dating from the first construction, about 1900, to 1921, when the State Legislature designated the members which were to comprise the initial committee for the special taxing area which followed the Act of 1921, it is found that only a relative handful yet remain of those residents of that period. The remainder have either moved away or have bowed to the normal processes of time. Of a present population of over 400, only some seventeen "Old Timers" can now be counted. These we list as follows, but with considerable trepidation, as it is inevitable that someone will inadvertently be excluded or resent being called an "Old Timer": Mrs. Ethel Kilpatrick Corrigan, Mrs. Addie Constantine, Lester Cook, Mrs. Emily Kline, Col. James S. McAuliffe, Mrs. Myrtle Duckett Pursell, John Pursell, Mrs. Susie Pyles, Mrs. Frank Pyles, Mrs. Aubrey Woodward Shoemaker, Mark Shoemaker, and Claude H. Woodward. (Ed: The only survivor of this small group that we could locate in 1988 was Col. James McAuliffe, the first sheriff of Montgomery County, and father of two incumbent judges.) Recollections By Old Timers On Some Historical Sidelights Of Events And Personalities 1. Willard Avenue was originally the roadbed of the Glen Echo Railroad. After the line was abandoned, the writer spent many happy hours riding a forgotten hand-car down the tracks along now Willard Avenue-and also many unhappy hours pushing it back up again. (When abandoned on Willard Avenue, the line was moved north to enter at Somerset and to follow the stream just south of the Somerset Gate. It rejoined the original line just before it crossed River Road-the ballast for this spur is still in place, along the creek.) Just why the move was made is still a mystery. 2. On a large sycamore tree overhanging the Willard Avenue creek, and opposite Mark Shoemaker's, a man was found hanged in about 1904. Unfortunately, Wyatt Earp was not around so the culprit was never apprehended and the victim remains unnamed. 3. In the early development of the community, property owners made many public improvements by the sweat of their brows. Streets were graded and coal ashes collected and spread to improve the "going" in wet weather. Delivery wagons were often mired to the axles in mud on High Street. Also, until recently, all property owners kept mowed, and otherwise maintained, the area between property lines and the street. Such things as Lawn Fetes were held to raise street improvement funds- ninety dollars was once so raised in 1914 for the purpose of tarring High Street. [North & South Park Avenues] 4. Pedestrians, for many years, were kept out of the mud by boardwalks (2 x 4's, on edge, with cross slats nailed thereon)- mighty hot to the barefooted kids, and splinters were as common as thorns on a cactus. 5. At a time when the electric railway went past Friendship Heights on Wisconsin Avenue, grocery lists were phoned or mailed in to Georgetown, and sent out on the street car to be intercepted at the Friendship Gate [Ed: the bronze inscription is on the front of the Community Center] by the housewife. If she missed connections, somebody went hungry-but it wasn't the motorman. 6. Wisconsin Avenue [Rockville Pike], for many years was surfaced with white flint rock. Cavalry detachments from Mt Myer [Fort Myer] frequently went past on night maneuvers. The kids would sit on the bank of the now Harper House, to watch the fireworks-like display of sparks produced by the flint and the steel of the horseshoes. 7. The last house on Wisconsin Avenue, toward Somerset, is quite old, and reputed to once have been a "change station" for stage coaches. As far back as 1854, owned by the Ball family, and now by the Montgomery family. (Ed: presently where the Holiday Inn stands.) 8. With no County school available for a time, the community hired a teacher to teach the first three grades. Classes were held for a while in the home of Albert Shoemaker, and later in the home of Richard Ough and other private homes. Johnny Pyles was one of the students. 9. One of the biggest commotions ever experienced in the area came yearly at hog killing time at the McAuliffes' (Colonel McAuliffe's father) and now the property owned by the Raabs at 4518 High Street...and the Shoemaker cow was sort of noisy, too. 1O. SOME REMEMBER: The swimming holes, built by the boys (no girls allowed!), on the two streams between Woodward and Lothrop and Geico-not the stream along Willard. They were fine swimming holes and safe places to smoke corn silk and grape leaves; When all sewer pipes emptied into the Willard Avenue stream (some pollution is still coming from some undeter-mined source); When there was an ornamental waiting station at "The Gate" for protection of street car commuters; The large blackheart cherry tree on High between Wisconsin Avenue and Wooton [Ed: now Hills Plaza]; When windmills and individual wells furnished the water supply for many places, and when you pumped by hand when the wind failed to blow. (In the writer's case, it took 375 strokes to fill the tank); The wonderful pear orchard, remains of the Elds' farm, and located where the Matzens, Holmes and Crawfords lived. [Ed: presently near the Carleton]; That William Tyler Page, the author of "The Americans' Creed", was Clerk of the House of Representatives for a great many years, and was a direct descendent of President Tyler, and that Mrs. Sullivan, his neighbor, was descended from President Polk; Mr. Page's wife was a direct descendent of Pocahontas. The ninety-foot well of the Eld farmstead, still existing on the Moyer property [Ed: site of the new Park Center], but now covered with a concrete slab-this at 4600 High Street. When Mr. Shipley delivered mail in a horse and buggy. 11. The community built a dam on Somerset Creek for fire protection. Fortunately, only one serious fire has ever occurred in the community, and that when Frosts' house burned to the ground with the help of the D.C. fire department. Residents formed a bucket brigade to douse nearby houses to prevent spreading- and that was a long carry from Somerset Creek. As customary, the residents had been burning off the Bergdoll tract. Mr. Frost had been beating out some of the fire with a broom, and later returned the smoldering broom to his back porch where it "huffed and it puffed and burned the house down". A new house was built on the foundation- this is now occupied by the Larry Myers family. [Ed: towards the end of Friendship Boulevard, now the site of the 5550 Friendship Blvd. office building lawn]. The Citizens' Committee immediately petitioned the County for better fire protection. 12. Public-spirited community builders sometimes lived dangerously in the early days. The bump in High Street in front of Clarks' (4406 High Street) [Ed: about where Highland House West stands now] was once much bigger. It is due to a large rock formation. In 1912, some citizens and laborers undertook to lower the hump. A nearby woman resident, and doubtless a lover of the rock, forced the workers to stop their labor at pistol point. She was charged with intent to kill- outcome unknown. However, she made her point, as the hump is still a landmark. 13. The same resident, one day, personally painted the steep sidewalk along the entire side of her property with grey paint when children ignored her demands to cease roller skating. Obviously, this just stopped them while the paint was wet. 14. The water supply for Friendship Heights once was from a large water tank close to Jesse Maury's property [Ed: where the Village Center now stands]. (Mrs. Sheiry reminds me that once, when it began to leak badly, Mr. Offutt, the owner of the facility, was advised to dump bran into the tank. The bran was supposed to enter the cracks, swell up and stop the leaks. This it did-but the stench of fermentation and decomposition was a horrible experience to the consumers. (It was the first large scale "still" in Friendship Heights until prohibition.) 15. William Collins, in the early days, lived in the house now occupied by the Hannans [Ed: site of the present 4615 North Park] His was a colorful personality. As an ex-cavalryman, he kept a riding horse for a number of years. No western movie ever depicted greater horsemanship than he did, in coming home from work as he guided his horse around the dusty bends of now High Street. He rode at full gallop, and at the same time, vaulted from one side of the horse to the other, his feet touching the ground for but an instant. He was a good carpenter, and built many of the houses for Albert Shoemaker in "The Hills". His greatest contribution, perhaps, was the production of three beautiful daughters [Ed: Mrs. Hilland corrected this to "Four beautiful daughters and one son."] 16. The recorded street names in "The Hills" are not as now accepted. Lower "Wootton" is actually "Mercer", while lower "Prospect" is actually "Cordonier", being the French for "Shoemaker". The established names are those applied to Friendship Heights Streets. [Ed: At the time of building Hubert Humphrey Friendship Park and upgrading all the streets in July 1971, the crooked High Street was renamed North Park and South Park Avenues; Wooton was renamed Hills Plaza; Prospect was renamed Friendship Boulevard.] There is history yet to be made in the community. Let us hope and pray that the present and future residents will achieve, at least, the same measure of wealth, health, and happiness that the "Old Timers' have entered into their ledgers of "Assets and Liabilities". Mark M. Shoemaker, November 9, 1959 And 30 more years . . . Since 1959, when the last historical summary of Friendship Heights was written, a transformation of the area has occurred. What was, 30 years ago, a residential community of 105 single-family homes, has become home to almost 5,000 high-rise residents and many more daytime office workers, retail employees, and shoppers. When one reads the old newspaper clippings and council minutes, one is immediately struck by the enormous turmoil, litigation, and change in the 1960s and 1970s. During this time, three major developers (Milton Barlow, Milton Polinger, and Abe Pollin) and a real-estate agent (Thelma "Tim" Edwards) successfully assembled large parcels of land, and, with the approval of a development-oriented Montgomery County council, proceeded to change forever the face of Friendship Heights. But in the early 1970s the pendulum began to swing back. County voters replaced the old "pro-growth" county council with a new "balanced growth" group. In Friendship Heights, an activist group of tenants demanded, and won, the right to vote in Village elections. Once the Maryland Legislature had approved this measure ("one person, one vote"), the "pro-growth" Village Council was defeated in the 1973 village election. The new Village Council, composed of Robert Smith (chairman) and Cleonice Tavani, Irene Murphy, Howard Shlefstein, Barbara Tauben, and Barbara Hendley, then initiated litigation against the old Council, alleging conflict of interest in purchase of the property that is now Friendship Park. In addition, an umbrella group of citizens from a number of communities, including our own, formed The Citizens' Co-ordinating Committee on Friendship Heights, and led a suc-cessful battle to downzone the Friendship Heights Central Business District- by half. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the new Village and county leaders prevailed. Unfortunately, the emotions exacerbated by the litigation persisted throughout the decade, with various suits and countersuits continuing for many years. Throughout this time of turmoil, the new Village Council, and the successors to this "Smith Council," persisted in their efforts to build and protect a new community spirit. Despite the ongoing litigation, contested elections, and constant stress, little by little they succeeded. Bookmobile service came to the Village in 1975; our first annual July 4th ceremony was held in 1976; a village manager was hired in the same year; shuttle bus service began in June 1979; a security patrol was added in 1980; the "Parcel One" purchase in late 1980 led to the creation of Tavani Park (between The Irene and 4615 North Park); a grocery shopping service was added for the elderly or handicapped in 1983; a post office opened in 1984-and all through this period the hard edges of the Village's new high-rise architecture were being softened by numerous plantings of trees, flowers and other ornamental plants in the parks and along our streets. Individual buildings joined in with beautification plans of their own. And throughout these years a renewed sense of community was growing, a sense of a new kind of community, a mixed-use high-rise and high-density community with caring people and pleasant streets and parks- a people with a growing sense of the meaning of "common unity" within the word community. The culmination of this spirit was realized when a 12-year struggle to build a Center for our Village finally resulted, on April 13, 1986, in the opening of our award-winning Village Center, with all of Friendship Park for its front yard; a building with its arms opened wide for all to enter. The Village Center became at once the center of the community and a symbol of the renaissance of friendship in Friendship Heights. In 1966 headlines spoke of "an uncertain future of Friendship Heights," but 20 years later, in 1986, our Village Center opened with a schedule of daily and evening programs and activities for residents and business employees in the community, and for all who come to visit. Our schedule of programs continues to expand with offerings for mind, body, and artistic spirit- from exercise classes to instruction programs and the arts, particularly paintings and sculpture. Our Village Center walls and hallways have become known throughout the area as the "Friendship Gallery," with a new exhibit of area wide artists each month. The cathedral ceiling resounds with classical, jazz, folk, and barbershop concerts. With the opening of the Center, a new publication, The Village Center News, was founded entirely by volunteers (and continued through 34 regular monthly issues, as of this writing) to spread the word of Village Center activities, and to supplement the governmental news of The Council Report. And what of the future? While vigilance remains ever necessary to protect against overdevelopment, there is a general spirit of optimism and confidence in the community as we celebrate our 75th birthday. If our history is any guide, Friendship Heights will continue to protect its proud tradi-tions of community participation and community service, while looking ahead to ongoing innovation. For many of the elected Village officials it is a longstanding hope that we may yet have the chance to vote on becoming a full-fledged municipality, which could offer the ultimate protection for property values, tenants, and the elderly. Only time will tell- and a future historian at the Village's centennial celebration in 2014! The Future: YOU Our Village, which was once wilderness, and then farmland, has undergone many changes in this century. Throughout its history, the driving, continuing force has been the involvement of its residents. Whenever change has been greatest, participation has also been greatest. While your elected and volunteer Council tries very hard to represent your interests to county and state governments, we are in the final analysis only as strong as your interest and commitment to the concept of local, self-government. We therefore urge and request your support for your community, by your participation in such Village Center committees as: library, tea, reception desk and many others. Almost 100 members of the community (in addition to council members) volunteer their invaluable time and talent to make this a better, more neighborly place to live. Won't you please join us? If time does not permit an ongoing committee assignment, at least come to as many social or public events as you can. We do need you. You do make a difference. You are the future of Friendship Heights! Major Events in Village history Circa 1790 -The Eld farmhouse and the "Holly Cottage" named for the surrounding holly bushes, were the first known residential structures on the land, near the present Elizabeth. Circa 1903-first "new homes" build by Hemy Offutt. 1914-Incorporated as a Special Taxing District by the Maryland Legislature. 1951-Woodward & Lothrop store built. 1953- Chevy Chase Shopping Center built. 1959- Geico built. 1964-Friendship Heights rezoned as C2 (commercial). 1965- Barlow Building built. 1966-The Irene and Highland House built. 1967-The Willoughby built. 1969- Chevy Chase Office Building built. 1970-The Holiday Inn built. July 1970- Village Park opened (officially named the Hubert H. Humphrey Friendship Park on April 29, 1978.) July 22, 1971-Village Streets renamed. May 1973- Tenants get the right to vote in Village elections. 1973-1974-1975- Highland House West, 4615 North Park, 4620 North Park (one of the first condominiums in the county), and The Elizabeth, variously under construction or opening. 1974-The first county Sector Plan downzones Friendship Heights to CBD-1- the first designated Central Business District in the county. 1975- Bookmobile service to Village begins. June 1979- Shuttle Bus service begins. November 5, 1980- Parcel 1 purchased by the Village (the site of the future Tavani Park). The county share was$175,000, Friendship Heights paid $375,000. 198O-The Carey-Winston Building built. December 14, 1981-The Friendship Heights "Bullet Ban" ordinance was proposed, gaining the Village national publicity. 1983- Grocery shopping service begins. July 1982-The Carleton was opened. 1984-A post office was approved for Friendship Heights. August 25, 1984- Metrorail Red Line opens. 1985-Village enacted a ban on cigarette sales to minors under the age of 18. January 20, 1986-The house at 4602 North Park Avenue was purchased for $445,000. April 13, 1986-The community center officially dedicated. 1987- Moussa Moaadel Building completed. 1988-Building One of Somerset House, a development directly north of the Village, opened. |