In Honor of Veterans Day

This presentation details how a Boy Scout camp, Camp Schmitt, was created in honor of the eight men in 1959. Adult leaders and scouts gave of their time and talents and worked together to build the camp that is serving the Takoma Park scouting community today. Photographs of the building of the camp help tell the story.

About the Presenter: Kevin Patti, a former member and Eagle Scout from Troop 33 is the son of the late Donald Patti who served as scoutmaster between 1973 and 1994. Kevin grew up enjoying, forming friendships and learning from Camp Schmitt. Professionally, Kevin has worked in public history as a park ranger for the National Park Service for twenty-eight years. His scouting experience led directly to his career.  

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They Called Him Mister Lee

It was standing room only at the Takoma Park Community on February 26 for the screening of the film They Called Him “Mister Lee.” Jointly sponsored by Historic Takoma and the Takoma Park Recreation Department, the event featured the audience singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black National Anthem, led by Lorraine Gibbs and Cammille Taylor from the God Glorified Church of God in Christ on Geneva Avenue.

A panel discussion followed the screening, with community members featured in the film (Patricia Matthews (Lee Jordan’s daughter), Otis Matthews, and Cedric Boatman), oral historian Ali Kahn, and filmmaker Michel Fincham. More about this film and the African American Oral History Project can be found at historictakoma.org. The films from the Project can be viewed on YouTube at They Called Him “Mr. Lee” and Doing Oral History: An Introduction. The City of Takoma Park is producing a video of the February 26 event; a link will be posted on our website when it is available.

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2022 Annual Report

Historic Takoma had a busy year in 2022. The Takoma Authors project was launched, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of unification into one county, events resumed post-COVID restrictions, work on the archives continued, and more… Read the full annual report to members here.

Our work depends on member and community support. Please consider joining Historic Takoma (or renewing your membership for 2023).

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Film Screening: They Called Him Mr. Lee

Join us for a screening of a vibrant new documentary about Lee Jordan—the school custodian, coach, and mentor to Takoma Park’s young people, both Black and White. Jordan founded the city’s Boys and Girls Club and organized Montgomery County’s first integrated sports teams. A tireless advocate for the Black community, he led campaigns to improve the living conditions of African American residents in the face of segregation and racial discrimination.Produced by Historic Takoma’s African American Oral History Project. Discussion to follow with filmmakers Michael Fincham and Ali Kahn, project team members, and interviewees. Event is free and open to all ages.

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African American Oral History Project

In 2019, Historic Takoma launched an initiative designed to collect and preserve the reflections  of older African Americans who had  been longtime residents of our city’s  historically Black neighborhoods – which centered around the “Hill” (Ritchie, Geneva, and Oswego Avenues) and the “Bottom” (Cherry and Colby Avenues off of Sligo Creek Parkway), along with smaller settlements such as the one at the foot of Lincoln Avenue at Maple Avenue – to elevate their voices and stories and share them with the larger community. 

Residents Susan Schreiber (Historic Takoma board member) and Denny May  reached out to local folklorist and oral historian Ali Khan and documentary filmmaker Michael Fincham and assembled a project team including community advisors Patricia Matthews, Dale Jones, Gaynell Catherine, Dianne Bradley (joined later by Joan Francis), and secured initial funding from the City of Takoma Park’s Community Grants Program.  

Over the past three years (with some time out for pandemic delays) the project has conducted and filmed oral history interviews with individuals who shared their reflections on growing up in Takoma Park from roughly the 1940s through the early 1960s, and  how parents and community leaders came together to build a vibrant and resilient community for their families in the face of racial and economic challenges.   Both the filmed interviews and written transcripts will be accessible to researchers, students, and the general public through Historic Takoma’s archives, along withl links for each of the project films. Read More

The principal focus of the project has been the production of documentary films based on these oral history interviews.  Completed recently, They Called Him “Mister Lee,” tells the story of the legendary Lee Jordan, the school custodian who had a huge influence on Takoma Park youth, both Black and white, as mentor and coach, including breaking racial barriers by organizing the first integrated sports programs in Montgomery County and founding the city’s Boys and Girls Club. Lee Jordan’s advocacy on behalf of African American residents sheds light on the challenges faced by the Black community during segregation and the decades that followed. 

The initial public screening of “They Called Him “Mister Lee” will take place Sunday, February 26, 3:30-5:00 in the auditorium of the Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue in an event co-sponsored by Historic Takoma and the Takoma Park Recreation Department.   

Following the screening, Ali Kahn who conducted the oral history interviews, and Michael Fincham, who created the film, as well as   individuals  who shared their oral histories will be on hand for a discussion and questions and answers.. This event is co-sponsored by Historic Takoma and the Takoma Park Recreation Department.

After viewing “They Called Him “Mister Lee,”  Tracy Oliver-Gray, Social Studies Supervisor for Montgomery County Public Schools decided to circulate the film to educators across the county as a resource for Black History Month, saying “One of our goals in social studies is to help students to become change makers. Mr. Lee’s commitment to social action is a fantastic example of what it means to be a change maker.”

The project has also produced Doing Oral History: An Introduction, in collaboration with the media department at Montgomery Blair High School, which has been shown in secondary school classrooms across the county for over a year.  Currently under production, a third film focuses on community life, including daily activities, work, the importance of  Parker Memorial Baptist Church and the Black school funded in part by the Rosenwald Fund, both up on the Hill, and the transition to white schools beginning in 1955. 

And be sure and stop by our building at 7328 Carroll Ave. to see the exhibit in our window about the Takoma Park African American Oral History Project, featuring a 1954 photograph of the young Roland Dawes (longtime businessman, former city council member, and owner of Roland’s Unisex Barbershop up in the next block) and his wife Catherine, along with other images of people and neighborhoods. 

Historic Takoma’s African American Oral History Project has been made possible by generous support from the City’s Community Grants Program, Maryland Humanities, Preservation Maryland, and the Takoma Foundation.

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The Name “Takoma Park”

KIRO radio in Seattle, Washington recently ran a story about the relationship between place names in Maryland and Washington: Takoma Park, Maryland and Tacoma, Washington AND Mt Rainier, Maryland and Mount Rainier, Washington. You can read and listen to the story (featuring Historic Takoma’s archivist, Jim Douglas).

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Montgomery County Tax Credit Workshop

It’s historic preservation tax credit season in Montgomery County! You can receive a 25% tax credit for exterior improvements such as repairing windows or siding, painting, or replacing your roof.

Applications are due to Montgomery County Planning Office by April 1.

Montgomery Planning’s Historic Preservation Office will hold the Historic Preservation Tax Credit Open House online on Thursday, March 2 (starting at 7 p.m.). The meeting will be hosted via Microsoft Teams Live and details on how to join will be made available prior to the start of the meeting. RSVP is required to attend. Sign up here. At this event, staff will provide an overview of the county’s tax credit program for improving historic properties. Planning staff will also provide an update regarding upcoming historic preservation policy changes. A brief question-and-answer session will follow the presentations.

You can find out more about the tax credit program and the application process at the Historic Tax Credit Program website.

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Help Support Historic Takoma’s Programs

Historic Takoma is committed to documenting and sharing the history and culture of the Takoma Park community. In 2022 we were able to begin programming after a couple of years of COVID restrictions. We opened our public Reading Room, presented a program on the 25th anniversary of the unification of Takoma Park into one county, rejuvenated our archives work, initiated a project to collect works by Takoma Authors, presented workshops on researching house histories, and started regular postings on social media. In 2023 promises more….

But our programs depend on your financial support. Please consider making a 2022 end of the year contribution [DONATE] and becoming a MEMBER in 2023. Thank you for your support!

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2023 Historic Takoma Directors and Officers

The Board of Directors of Historic Takoma re-elected four members to new three-year terms at its December 2022 meeting. Rachel Hardwick, Elizabeth Thornhill, Ashley Florey, and Susan Schreiber will serve from 2023 through 2025. The Board of Historic Takoma consists of 12 members serving staggered 3 year terms.

At its January 2023 meeting the Board selected officers for 2023: President, Diana Kohn; Vice-President, Lorraine Pearsall; Secretary, Elizabeth Thornhill; Treasurer, Rachel Hardwick.

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