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Object ID

2009.2086.105

Title

Speech given by Edward Hall Asher

Object Name

Presentation

Date

June 2, 1990

Creator

Edward Hall Asher

Description

Speech Given By Edward Hall Asher
Vice President
The Chevy Chase Land Company of Montgomery County, Maryland
on June 2, 1990 at the Chevy Chase Community Center

GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THE CHEVY CHASE LAND COMPANY. AS THE COMPANY CELEBRATES ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR, WE HAVE MUCH TO LOOK BACK ON AND EVEN MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
VERY FEW COMPANIES SURVIVE THEIR FIRST 100 YEARS IN BUSINESS AND EVEN FEWER HAVE SUCH A RICH HISTORY TO SHARE WITH SO MANY. IN PREPARING FOR THIS ADDRESS, I REVIEWED A NUMBER OF OLD SPEECHES AND PAPERS THAT FOCUSED ON THE HISTORY OF CHEVY CHASE AND SENATOR FRANCIS G. NEWLANDS, THE MAN WHO PLAYED SUCH A MAJOR ROLE IN MAKING CHEVY CHASE PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN SUBURB IN THE COUNTRY ... AND, ONE THOUGHT KEPT COMING TO MY MIND ... IT IS INCREDIBLE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THE LEGACY OF ONE MAN HAS HELPED TO SHAPE THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA WE NOW CALL HOME AND THAT SO MANY - IN OTHER PARTS OF THE NATION - WISH THEY COULD DUPLICATE IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS.

FROM TOP-FLIGHT SCHOOLS TO BEAUTIFUL RESIDENCES TO WORLD-CLASS SHOPPING, CHEVY CHASE HAS IT ALL ... BUT IT STILL MAINTAINS THAT QUAINT, "SMALL-TOWN" FEELING THAT SO MANY OF US LOVE. YOU CAN RUN INTO OLD FRIENDS AT THE CHEVY CHASE CENTER OR ENJOY THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ALONG CONNECTICUT AVENUE ... STOP BY THE POST OFFICE OR CHAT OVER THE FENCE. SO, WHO IS FRANCIS G. NEWLANDS AND HOW DID ONE MAN'S VISION HELP TO BRING ALL OF THIS ABOUT? AFTER MANY YEARS OUT WEST DURING THE GOLDRUSH AND COMSTOCK LODE ERA, NEWLANDS RETURNED TO WASHINGTON AS A CONGRESSMAN FROM NEVADA. HE HAD SPENT PART OF HIS CHILDHOOD IN WASHINGTON, SO THIS WAS A SORT OF HOMECOMING FOR HIM.

DURING THE 1880s, NEWLANDS PLANNED TO CONSTRUCT THE IDEAL SUBURB FOR THE EXPANDING FEDERAL CITY. HE AND A NUMBER OF FRIENDS INCLUDING EDWARD STELLWAGEN AND WILLIAM K. SCHOEFF HAD THE VISION TO CREATE ONE OF AMERICA'S FIRST PLANNED COMMUNITIES. THE LAND HOLDING COMPANY STARTED TO PIECE TOGETHER SOME 1,700 ACRES OF FARM LAND THROUGH STRAW PURCHASES ALONG WHAT IS NOW CONNECTICUT AVENUE FROM CALVERT STREET, N.W., TO CHEVY CHASE LAKE. NEWLANDS WAS NOTED FOR TAKING A VITAL INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHEREVER HE LIVED - CALIFORNIA, NEVADA OR WASHINGTON, D.C.

HIS TWO CAREERS - AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL AND AS A LAND DEVELOPER - WERE COMPLETELY SEPARATE IN A SENSE. HOWEVER, HIS PERSONALITY TRANSCENDED BOTH "HALVES" OF HIS CAREER AND NEWLANDS QUICKLY MOVED TO MAKE CHEVY CHASE INTO A REALITY.

HISTORICAL RECORDS FROM THE 1880s SHOW THAT THERE WERE FEWER THAN TEN HOUSES ALONG THE ENTIRE ROUTE FROM THE EDGE OF THE "FEDERAL CITY" TO WHAT IS NOW CHEVY CHASE. EVEN THOUGHT THEY DID NOT PURCHASE EVERY FARM ALONG THE ROUTE, THE COST OF THE LAND WAS NEARLY $1 MILLION. THE COMPANY GRADED CONNECTICUT AVENUE SOME SIX MILES OUT INTO THE "MIDDLE OF NOWHERE" AT A COST OF ANOTHER $1 MILLION AND THEN TURNED IT OVER TO THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FREE OF CHARGE.

AS GRADING PROGRESSED, NEWLANDS EMPLOYED WILLIAM SCHOEFF TO ADVISE HIM ON TRANSPORTATION MATTERS. HE ORGANIZED THE ROCK CREEK RAILWAY BETWEEN 1886 AND 1890 TO PROVIDE "RAPID TRANSIT" SERVICE OUT TO HIS NEW SUBURB. YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT "RAPID TRANSIT-IN THE LATE 1880s WAS CHANGING OVER FROM HORSE-DRAWN STREET CARS TO CABLE CARS AND ELECTRIC. THE CHARTER WHICH NEWLANDS SECURED FROM CONGRESS FOR THE ROCK CREEK RAILWAY ALLOWED THE RAILWAY TO SUBSEQUENTLY COMBINE INTO WHAT BECAME D.C. TRANSIT AND LATER FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF TODAY'S METRO SYSTEM.

AS NOTED EARLIER, THE AREA WAS SPARSELY DEVELOPED. FOOD AND PROVISIONS WERE USUALLY BROUGHT TO CHEVY CHASE BY RAIL FROM DOWNTOWN. THE RAILWAY CONDUCTORS WERE KIND ENOUGH TO LEAVE PARCELS OF GROCERIES IN BOXES ALONG THE ROUTE THROUGH CHEVY CHASE FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS TO PICK UP BEFORE WALKING BACK THROUGH THE FARMLAND TO THEIR HOMES.

ONE OF THE FIRST PARCELS OF LAND PURCHASED BY NEWLANDS WAS A 304-ACRE TRACT WHICH LORD BALTIMORE HAD GRANTED TO COLONEL JOSEPH BELT IN 1720. COLONEL BELT GAVE THE NAME OF THE PARCEL AS CHEIVY CHACE. THE NAME OF THE LAND WAS DERIVED FROM AN ANCIENT BALLAD WHICH DESCRIBED THE BATTLE BETWEEN SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND IN 1388 - OVER THE HUNTING GROUNDS THAT DIVIDE THE TWO COUNTRIES - KNOWN AS THE CHEVIOT HILLS. WHEN NEWLANDS INCORPORATED HIS LAND COMPANY ON JUNE 9, 1890, HE GAVE IT THE NAME OF ONE OF THE PROPERTIES PURCHASED.

NEWLANDS PLANNED HIS NEW VILLAGE IN A COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED MANNER. FROM ARCHITECTURAL CONTRACTS TO STRICT ZONING TO WELL-PLANNED STREETS, NEWLANDS AND THE OTHERS ON THE ORIGINAL LAND COMPANY BOARD LAID THE GROUND-WORK FOR THE SUCCESS YOU SEE NOW SOME 100 YEARS LATER. DESPITE A LIFE ABSORBED IN PRACTICAL MATTERS, NEWLANDS SHOWED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AN APPRECIATION AND LOVE OF BEAUTY. WIDE STREETS, BRICK SIDEWALKS, DOUBLE-ROW HEDGES AND PLEASANT ENGLISH STREET NAMES BECAME THE HALLMARK FOR CHEVY CHASE - ALL AT NO COST TO MARYLAND OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS NEWLANDS DID IN HIS "PERFECT SUBURB" WAS TO DAM A SMALL CREEK TO CREATE CHEVY CHASE LAKE WHICH PROVIDED POWER AND RECREATION FOR RESIDENTS. THE COMPANY ARRANGED FOR SUNDAY CONCERTS BY THE U.S. MARINE CORPS BAND AT THE LAKE WHICH WAS JUST AT THE END OF THE RAIL LINE. THE COMPANY ALSO BUILT THE CHEVY CHASE INN - WHICH IS NOW THE 4-H CENTER - FOR TRAVELERS. EVERY PART OF CHEVY CHASE WAS DESIGNED TO ATTRACT THE PRIVILEGED HOME BUYERS WHO WERE PART OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WHO VIEWED CHEVY CHASE AS A COUNTRY ESCAPE FROM THE OPPRESSIVE WASHINGTON SUMMERS.

AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE VILLAGE IS ENTERED THROUGH CHEVY CHASE CIRCLE. THE NEWLANDS ESTATE - WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN KNOWN AS THE CORBY MANSION AND ISHPEMING - STOOD PROMINENTLY ON CHEVY CHASE CIRCLE. A LARGE NUMBER OF CHURCHES ALSO STAND ON OR CLOSE TO THE CIRCLE. NEWLANDS GAVE LAND FOR THE FIRST CHURCH, ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL. TWO OTHER CHURCHES STARTED IN THE VILLAGE HALL WHICH WAS BUILT BY THE LAND COMPANY AND WHICH, OF COURSE, CONTAINS THE POST OFFICE AND TOWN OFFICES. IN EARLIER DAYS, THE HALL ALSO CONTAINED A LIBRARY AND ROOMS FOR DANCING CLASSES AND A SCHOOL.

ONE EXAMPLE OF THE LEGACY OF SENATOR NEWLANDS'S ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND BEAUTY IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AT CHEVY CHASE CIRCLE -- THE BEAUTIFUL GATEWAY TO THE VILLAGE. BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS IN 1933, THE FOUNTAIN AND WONDERFUL PLANTINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CIRCLE WERE DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF SENATOR NEWLANDS.

AND, IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE PUBLICLY FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY THAT THE CHEVY CHASE LAND COMPANY - IN CELEBRATION OF ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY - WILL REJUVENATE AND REDEDICATE THE FOUNTAIN IN CHEVY CHASE CIRCLE THIS YEAR IN HONOR OF SENATOR NEWLANDS. WE EXPECT TO BEGIN RENOVATION WORK VERY SOON ON THIS PROJECT AND WILL HAVE A CEREMONY THIS FALL TO REDEDICATE THIS BEAUTIFUL PARK WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.

AND, SPEAKING OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO NOTE THAT ROCK CREEK PARK - WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY THE PARK SERVICE - IS ALSO CELEBRATING ITS CENTENNIAL THIS YEAR. ROCK CREEK PARK WAS CREATED THROUGH LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE CONGRESS BY NEWLANDS.

FOLLOWING SENATOR NEWLANDS' DEATH, HIS TRUSTED BUSINESS ASSOCIATES AND RELATIVES TOOK OVER STEWARDSHIP OF THE COMPANY AND SLOWLY SOLD OFF BITS AND PIECES OF THE REMAINING LAND. IT WAS ONLY AFTER WORLD WAR II THAT CHEVY CHASE LAND COMPANY TOOK A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN DEVELOPING ITS LAND HOLDINGS AS LONG-TERM, INCOME-PRODUCING PROPERTIES. IN THE 40S, WILLIAM SHARON FARR ~ A DESCENDANT OF SENATOR SHARON'S BROTHER - MARRIED JANET JOHNSTON, NEWLANDS' GRANDDAUGHTER. UNDER HIS STEWARDSHIP, THE COMPANY DECIDED TO BEGIN THIS SLOW, CAREFUL POLICY OF DEVELOPMENT.

I HAVE USED THE WORD "LEGACY" A NUMBER OF TIMES PREVIOUSLY THIS AFTERNOON AND USE IT AGAIN HERE ADVISEDLY ... THE SUCCESSORS TO SENATOR NEWLANDS - INCLUDING THE FARR FAMILY - WHO HAVE TAKEN THE HELM OF THE CHEVY CHASE LAND COMPANY OVER THE YEARS HAVE ALWAYS RECALLED THEIR "LEGACY". THEY HAVE MADE DELIBERATE DECISIONS TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN "LOOK" TO THE BUILDINGS BEING BUILT BY THE LAND COMPANY ... A CERTAIN "QUALITY OF LIFE" THROUGH BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC SPACES ... AND. MOST OF ALL, AN INTENSE PRIDE IN RETAINING CHEVY CHASE'S SPECIAL STATUS AS A NICE PLACE TO LIVE.

LIKE MANY ENDURING FAMILY BUSINESSES, THE CHEVY CHASE LAND COMPANY IS FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE WITH AN EYE TOWARD CONSERVING THINGS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. ALSO INFLUENCING CORPORATE DECISIONS IS THE LAND COMPANY'S CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO MAINTAIN THE DIGNITY OF FAMILY TRADITIONS IN DEALING WITH SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

THIS PHILOSOPHY CAN BE SEEN IN DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS PRESTON PLACE TOWNHOUSES, HAMLET PLACE AND THE NEWER 8101 CONNECTICUT AVENUE CONDOMINIUMS. EACH DEVELOPMENT WAS CAREFULLY PLANNED WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN MIND - PLENTY OF PARKING, ATTENTION TO DETAIL DURING CONSTRUCTION, AND, MOST IMPORTANT - BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING AND PUBLIC AREAS.

OTHER PROPERTIES OF THE LAND COMPANY INCLUDE A 67-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING IN NORTHWEST WASHINGTON AT 3901 CONNECTICUT AVENUE; THE CHEVY CHASE LAKE BUILDING, A 160,000 SQUARE FOOT OFFICE BUILDING WHICH HOUSES THE LAND COMPANY'S CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AS WELL AS THE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE B.F. SAUL COMPANIES; THE CHEVY CHASE LAKE AND LAKE WEST SHOPPING CENTERS, SERVING THE LAND COMPANY'S RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN CHEVY CHASE LAKE; AND THE CHEVY CHASE CENTER.

THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE CHEVY CHASE LAND COMPANY, GAVIN M. FARR, CONTINUES THIS TRADITION TODAY. HE HAS EXPANDED THE LAND COMPANY'S HOLDINGS TO INCLUDE PROPERTIES IN THE RICHMOND AREA AND HAS OVERSEEN SUCH DEVELOPMENTS AS THE CHEVY CHASE METRO BUILDING AND THE REJUVENATION OF THE CHEVY CHASE CENTER. GAVIN FARR HAS FIERCELY PROTECTED THE LEGACY HANDED TO HIM ... THIS CAN BE SEEN IN HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN THE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE CHEVY CHASE CENTER. THE LAND COMPANY FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GIVE THIS VENERABLE CENTER - WHICH WAS THE FIRST SHOPPING CENTER BUILT IN SUBURBAN MARYLAND IN THE 1950s - FIRST-CLASS IMPROVEMENTS. OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR THE CENTER REFLECTS OUR THINKING - "GOOD FRIENDS GETTING BETTER.' WE DID NOT WANT TO CHANGE THE CENTER, WE WANTED TO IMPROVE IT FOR FUTURE USE.

I MENTIONED EARLIER THE CHEVY CHASE METRO BUILDING ... I WANTED TO POINT OUT HOW HISTORY, IN A SENSE, REPEATED ITSELF HERE IN CHEVY CHASE. AS YOU WILL RECALL, SENATOR NEWLANDS WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING THE "RAPID TRANSIT" LINE OUT TO CHEVY CHASE. IN THE 1980s, THE LAND COMPANY REPEATED THIS LINKAGE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHEVY CHASE METRO BUILDING. NOW FULLY LEASED, THE CHEVY CHASE METRO BUILDING IS ONE OF THE FEW SUCCESSFUL OFFICE BUILDINGS IN THE LOWER PART OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. IT WAS A JOINT DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND THE LAND COMPANY. BY COMBINING THE AREAS OCCUPIED BY THE OLD BUS STATION AND HOWARD JOHNSONS, THE JOINT VENTURE WAS ABLE TO CREATE A REAL TRANSPORTATION HUB FOR THE COUNTY. THE BUILDING - WHOSE MAJOR TENANTS INCLUDE THE VICTOR O. SCHINNERER COMPANY, LEGEND FURNITURE AND TILAS RESTAURANT - SITS ATOP THE AIR-RIGHTS TO THE FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS METRO STATION ON THE RED LINE AND A MAJOR BUS TRANSFER POINT THAT LINKS METROBUS AND THE COUNTY'S RIDE-ON SYSTEM.

THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT OF THE LAND COMPANY CONSISTS OF GAVIN M. FARR; WILLIAM F. PARKER, TREASURER AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER; AND MYSELF AS VICE PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF LEASING AND DEVELOPMENT. OVER THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS WE HAVE WORKED CAREFULLY TO MANAGE FOR OUR FUTURE. THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE 175-UNIT LUXURY CONDOMINIUMS AT 8101 CONNECTICUT AVENUE AND THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY ALONG CONNECTICUT AVENUE BETWEEN MANOR ROAD AND JONES BRIDGE ROAD TO THE HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE. WHEN THIS PROPERTY WAS SOLD TO THE INSTITUTE, THE LAND COMPANY RETAINED THE RIGHTS FOR ARCHITECTURAL APPROVALS IN ORDER TO BE SURE THAT CHEVY CHASE'S ARCHITECTURAL INTRGRITY IS MAINTAINED. WE FEEL THAT ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT MUST ADD TO CHEVY CHASE'S CACHE OF WORLD-CLASS DEVELOPMENTS, NOT DETRACT FROM THEM.

THE LAND COMPANY IS ESPECIALLY HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK AT YOUR CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION TODAY.

THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF CITIZENS SUCH AS YOURSELVES, COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY TIES AND MAINTAINING NEIGHBORHOOD TRADITIONS, THE CHEVY CHASE COMMUNITIES HAVE REMAINED TRUE TO THE VISION OF ITS FOUNDERS.