July 1, 2022, marks the 25th anniversary of the unification of Takoma Park into Montgomery County, ending 107 years of divided jurisdiction between Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties and capping a 17-year effort to become One City – One County. Historic Takoma is documenting this remarkable accomplishment with an oral history project involving the citizen activists, elected officials, and City staff who were instrumental in leading and implementing the unification effort. A new window exhibit at Historic Takoma traces the history of the unification of Takoma Park into one county; on September 18, 2022, Historic Takoma and the City of Takoma Park will present a program at the Takoma Park Community Center – Sam Abbott Citizens’ Center.
Takoma Park’s divided jurisdiction began when B.F. Gilbert bought his first parcel of land in 1883, subdivided it into streets, blocks, and lots, and called it “Takoma Park.” That initial purchase of 100 acres straddled the B&O Metropolitan Branch railroad line and the District of Columbia-Maryland boundary line. At the time, the portion in Washington was in unincorporated Washington County, DC and the portion in Maryland was in unincorporated Montgomery County. Gilbert continued to purchase land in both Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. When the State of Maryland chartered the new Town of Takoma Park in 1890, the boundary encompassed lands in both counties.
The difficulties of managing a town in two counties arose early. Town Council minutes discuss the challenges of working with two counties with different laws for taxation and other matters. For nearly 100 years Takoma Park lived with these problems. Fast forward to the mid-late 1970s when citizen activists began seriously discussing unifying into one county.
Takoma Park circa 1970s
Why Unification?
The argument for unification boiled down to two points: inefficient local governmental services and schools.
City Information Brochure, 1970s
For elected officials and City staff, working in two counties meant tracking and following two sets of county laws for taxes, housing, planning and zoning, licensing and permits, alcohol, animal control, social services, and more. Trash picked up in Montgomery County went to its landfill; trash picked up in Prince George’s County went to its landfill. Takoma Park police carried two sets of ticket books, one for each county, and had to appear in two different courts forty miles apart. City ordinances had to be constructed to comply with both sets of county laws. Everything the City did had to be done twice.
Takoma Park children attended different school systems. In neighborhoods split by the county line, friends went to separate schools – those on one side of the line to Montgomery County and those on the other side to Prince George’s County. Montgomery County spent much more per student in its schools than did Prince George’s County. Parents in Prince George’s County worked with their PTAs and school leaders to improve local schools, but system-wide changes and improvements were not forthcoming. For many families the choice was private schools or moving to a house in Montgomery County. It was not unusual for families to move as children reached school age, creating instability in the neighborhoods.
And for residents living near the dividing line between the two counties there was persistent confusion and headaches. In some cases, houses were divided, with living rooms and bedrooms in different counties. Police, fire, and other emergency responders were confused about where their jurisdictions began and ended. Cabs and pizza deliverers got lost (or refused to come).
And finally, when it came to state and county issues, the divided city of Takoma Park had little political clout.
A 17-Year Campaign
Tapping into growing community interest to unify into one county, mayoral candidate Sam Abbott made unification a central part of his successful 1980 campaign. Thus began a nearly two decade effort by citizen activists and city leaders. Unification required a change in state law to change the boundaries of the two counties. From a practical standpoint, legislative approval required the support of both the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County delegations to the House of Delegates and the State Senate. The Montgomery County delegation was sympathetic and supportive, though none chose to make it a priority. In Prince George’s County the County Executive, the County Council, and the legislative delegation were firmly opposed to redrawing the county line to place all of Takoma Park in Montgomery County. (Unification could have meant moving the Montgomery County portion of Takoma Park into Prince George’s County, but about two-thirds of the city was already in Montgomery County, and citizen activists strongly favored unifying into Montgomery County).
For several years a bill was introduced annually in the legislature to change the county line. Each year the opposition from Prince George’s County’s elected officials doomed the prospects. The City held advisory straw votes in 1982 and 1985 to demonstrate resident support for unification.
City Newsletter, March 1982
1985 Straw Vote Ballot
1982 Straw Vote
Citizen organizations and individuals pursued various strategies to raise public awareness. A “walk the line” event was held to show how the county line cut neighborhoods and houses. One year, a July 4 parade float featured a small moving van to “move the line”. But citizen activists and city leaders were persistent and by the early 1990s the political climate began to change.
Walk the Line, 1984
In Montgomery County, Takoma Park resident Peter Franchot was elected to the House of Delegates. In the fall of 1990, Takoma Park Mayor Steve Del Guidice was elected to the Prince George’s County Council and soon persuaded his colleagues on the Council to reverse their long-standing opposition and support unification.
This unexpected development breathed new life into the unification efforts in the city. Support was also growing among the many small municipalities in Prince George’s County. Citizen activists and city leaders learned from prior defeats and became more adept at lobbying Prince George’s County leaders. Efforts continued to fail, but support was growing, and the votes in the legislature were narrowing.
By 1993 Mayor Ed Sharp and members of the City Council such as Kathy Porter and Bruce Williams (both of whom went on to become mayors of Takoma Park) began working closely with citizen activists, including Jan Schwartz, Tom Gagliardo, Norm Gleichman, Marie Ritzo, Sherry and Ed Mahon, and many, many others (nearly all from the Prince George’s side of the city and nearly all principally concerned about school issues) under the banner of One Takoma. City Manager Bev Habada had deep roots in Prince George’s County municipal government and worked her connections. 1993 was another unsuccessful year but the campaign continued. The newly elected Mayor and Council began their terms with a renewed effort in November 1993.
Takoma Voice, March 1993
City Newsletter, December 1993
The opportunity for legislative success came in 1994. Long-standing unification opponent Prince George’s County Executive Parris Glendenning announced his candidacy for governor of Maryland and subsequently dropped his opposition to unification. Multiple candidates to replace Glendenning campaigned in the Democratic Party primary that spring, all supporting unification. Looking back in 1997, Ed Sharp attributed the ultimate success of the effort to the fact that Del Guidice had moved out of Takoma Park to Hyattsville and thus gained credibility in Prince George’s County as a now non-Takoma Park resident advocating for unification, and to resident Peter Franchot, who “provided candid and skillful advice on how to get the unification bill passed.”
Takoma Voice, December 1993
City Newsletter, January 1994
Campaign Kickoff Flyer
The bill under consideration by the legislature would not itself unify the city. Rather, it would grant the right of the residents of the city to decide whether to unify in a binding referendum. Two principal arguments were advanced: the efficiency and complexity of services and the right of the people to choose. While support was generally strong in the House of Delegates, the State Senate was a different matter.
City Newsletter, February 1994
Takoma Voice, February 1994
Senate President Mike Miller, a Prince George’s County resident, remained opposed and the Prince George’s Senate delegation took their cues from him. One Takoma lobbied heavily, making frequent trips to Annapolis to testify and meet with members of both county delegations.
City Newsletter, March 1994
City Newsletter, April 1994
The House passed the bill and sent it to the Senate for consideration, with Senate President Miller still opposed. However, as the session was ending, Miller withdrew his opposition, and the Senate passed the bill, giving the green light for a city-wide referendum. Governor Schaeffer signed the bill in May 1994 – with Miller covering his head in the signing ceremony picture!
Takoma Voice, June 1994
Approving Unification
With the state’s approval for a binding referendum, it was now up to the residents of Takoma Park to decide if they wanted to unify. The referendum was set for Election Day November 7, 1995, the date of the next city election. Meanwhile, there was a new wrinkle: in late 1994 residents of Pine Crest and other nearby neighborhoods, an area roughly bounded by Eastern, Kansas, Gude, and New Hampshire Avenues petitioned to be annexed into the City. This area, part of unincorporated Prince George’s County, pleaded “take us with you.”
Takoma Voice, December 1994
Just outside the corporate boundaries of Takoma Park, and long ignored and underserved by the county, residents of the area saw annexation into Takoma Park, and then eventual unification into Montgomery County, as an opportunity to improve their neighborhoods, although some in Prince George’s County saw this as a last minute land grab by Montgomery County. But with the City Council’s go-ahead, a vote was held among the residents of the area in August 1995. Their approval came days before the deadline for finalizing the November binding referendum. The map of Takoma Park now included the annexed areas – but the city remained in two counties.
Takoma Voice, September 1995
The final hurdle for unification was looming and the voting strategy was counterintuitive to many. Under the terms of the bill establishing the referendum, residents had to not only agree to unify, but also agree on which county. The phrasing of the ballot required Montgomery County voters to vote “no” not to unify into Prince George’s County; Prince George’s voters had to vote “yes” to unify into Montgomery County. Otherwise the results would have nullified each other and unification would have failed. One City – One County activists mobilized to support unification into Montgomery County. None of the members of the Takoma Park City Council faced opposition in the 1995 city election. It was all hands on deck to approve unification into one county.
City Newsletter, November 1995
Thus it was that in November 1995 the voters of Takoma Park overwhelmingly voted in favor of unification into Montgomery County (2,382 in favor, 272 opposed). Now it was just a matter of time.
Becoming Unified
The date for unification was set for July 1, 1997. Now the work shifted from citizen activists and political leaders to City staff. It would take a year and a half to implement the complex set of changes needed to accomplish the transition. Under the leadership of city planner (and later city manager) Suzanne Ludlow, a task force of City, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County officials worked through some eighteen different issues: housing, zoning, social services, business licenses, alcohol licenses for stores, police and fire services, emergency services (911), recreation, and more.
One of the most difficult issues to resolve was schools. The Montgomery County school system faced the challenge of absorbing hundreds of students moving from Prince George’s County schools, and some from private schools. The schools in Prince George’s County all lay outside the boundaries of Takoma Park, requiring all the students to be accommodated in existing Montgomery County Schools. Fully incorporating these students into local Takoma Park schools would take another few years.
Becoming unified also required actions by residents. City staff and volunteers prepared and hand delivered welcome packages to the residents on the Prince George’s side of the city, with detailed “to do” lists on topics including changing voter registration, changing drivers’ licenses and auto registration, notifying insurance and mortgage companies, and more.
Unification: One County, One Community, One Voice
On July 1, 1997, all Takoma Park residents were united in Montgomery County.
City Newsletter, August 1997
City Newsletter, August 1997
As a result of Unification:
City government operations are more efficient – no more doing everything twice – –
Confusion about emergency services, addresses, and deliveries diminished
Auto and home insurance rates fell for former Prince George’s County residents
Property taxes decreased for former Prince George’s County residents since tax rates were lower in Montgomery County
All Takoma Park students attend schools in the same school system
Families no longer move as children reach school age
For Takoma Park as a whole, one of the greatest impacts of unification gained increased respect and attention, and a stronger voice in county and state government – as well as a greater sense of community.
Historic Takoma thanks the many individuals who have taken the time to share their memories and files to make this project possible. We would like to hear from others as well: why did you support (or not support) unification, what activities did you participate in, do you have memorabilia and records? If you’d like to share your experiences, please write to us at archives@historictakoma.org
Historic Takoma Honors Takoma Park Lesbians and Gays (TPLAG)
As we celebrate Pride Day in Takoma Park on June 26 Historic Takoma remembers the long history and culture of lesbians and gays in our community. In the 1980s, Takoma Park attracted many new residents from the counterculture generation. Among those who settled here were lesbians and gays who found welcome in Takoma’s progressive community. In October 1988 they came together as Takoma Park Lesbians and Gays (TPLAG) for the first of many monthly brunches, a tradition that continues to this day. The brunch itself served as a key networking and support community for lesbians and gays alike, at a time when the two groups often functioned separately. Read more about TPLAG and the history of gays and lesbians in Takoma Park here.
Historic Takoma has launched a project to collect and document the work of authors living in (or closely associated with) Takoma Park. Initially this project focuses on collecting the publications of Takoma Authors and developing short biographical profiles to introduce the authors to the community. We currently have a small collection of books by local authors in our Reading Room – but it’s a tiny fraction of this author-rich community. The current list of books in our Takoma Authors Collection can be be found here.
If you are a published author living in Takoma Park – or once lived in Takoma Park or otherwise are closely associated with Takoma Park – Read More
we have two requests: 1) A donation of your publication(s) to add to the collection. See the current list of items in our collection; 2) We’d like to know a little bit about you, in particular:- name and contact information (strictly for our records, not for public distribution)- a short (2-4 paragraphs) background about you – career, the nature of your work, ties to Takoma Park, etc.- if you have a web page or author site, the address of it- any awards, recognitions, etc. about you and your work (with links).
We will compile short biographical sketches of the authors in our collection and publish these through our website.
But there’s more…. Our goal is to initiate “author events” later this year. We’re thinking of a series of author talks, perhaps some panels, etc. Stay tuned for more on this.
Meanwhile, if you have donations of publications and your biographical information to provide (or have any questions or suggestions), please write to archives@historictakoma.org with the words “Takoma Authors” in the subject line.
PS – if you’re not an author, but know of someone we should add to our list please let us know. And if you have a publication of a Takoma Author (especially from the past) to donate, we’d happily accept it.
Sadly the world does not seem to have left Covid behind to the degree needed before people feel comfortable opening their homes and interiors to the numbers who would show up.
We are still considering alternative ideas for some version of an outdoor event, probably in the fall. We will keep you posted.
Saturday, April 23, marks the official opening of the “Trees of Takoma” a site-specific installation in Historic Takoma’s front window by local artist Marty Ittner. The installation, which will be on view through June 12, opens in conjunction with the Earth Day event at the Co-op parking lot on April 23 and the celebration of Arbor Day on April 29.
Trees of Takoma features vintage photos of Takoma Park and offers a rare view of our rolling hills before development. The four “luminary” columns were made from cyanotypes. Leaves were placed directly on photosensitive mulberry paper, exposed to sunlight, and dried in the dark, producing full size images in a vivid blue color. Learn more about Marty’s process and purpose with WOWD’s Eric Bond interviewhere.
On April 1, 2022, the NARA (the National Archives and Records Administration) released the 1950 Census, after 72 years of confidentiality. NARA has made the census available on a free dedicated website from the National Archives: 1950census.archives.gov. This is a great resource for anyone researching the people and families of Takoma Park.Read More
The website provides full access to 1950 Census images, including digitized population schedules for U.S. states and territories, enumeration district maps, and enumeration district descriptions. Go to this NARA sitefor additional information about census and information that is available.
Historic Takoma has received a major grant from theMiller History Fund, administered by the Maryland Center for History and Culture. We were among 11 grantees from around the state for projects to expand capacity to steward and share state history. The announcement can be foundhere.
The grant is for $20,000 over two years, beginning in April 2022. Our application focused on two major facets: (1) Collections Care and Preservation and (2) Collections Access. Read More
Storage & housing capacity needed!
In Collections Care and Preservation we will be able expand our storage capability, properly house collections materials in acid-free and other appropriate boxes, folders, and sleeves; perform preservation reformatting of tapes and other magnetic media; and begin digitizing selected fragile and high value/interest materials to allow public use/access without the need for physical handling of the materials.
Historic photographs to digitize
In Collections Access we will create the capability to digitize collections, and begin digitizing high priority items, thereby increasing the capacity to make collections readily available both online and on premises.
The Archives and History Committee is responsible for implementing this grant. In the coming months they will be identifying specific tasks and activities. Anyone with an interest or expertise in working on this project as a volunteer should write to archives@historictakoma.org.
About the Archives
The Historic Takoma Archives consists of 350 linear feet ofphotographs and archival materials including correspondence, photographs, documents, maps, clippings, scrapbooks, Takoma Park government records, records of civic organizations, local newspapers, and other materials related to the history and culture of Takoma Park, MD and Takoma, DC. Included are the records of many community and civic organizations. Many of these items are unique and invaluable.
Family papers to be cataloged
The Archives also include over 60 cassette tapes of oral history interviews conducted over 20 years ago. The collections also contain hundreds of photographs and negatives from the 19th century to present day; local newspaper collections from the 1960s to date, correspondence, scrapbooks, financial records, and over 150 boxes of paper records.
Over the last year Archives Committee has been updating policies and procedures for the archives and cataloging the contents to make them available for public use. General reference collections are currently available through the regular Reading Room hours or by appointment. Anyone with an interest in using the archival materials may request an appointment by writing to archives@historictakoma.org. The Miller Fund grant will allow us to open the archives to regular public use in the future as well as making various items available online.
Watch the website for more details on this project.
Beginning in late 1987 the Takoma Voice appeared in street corner news boxes, shop windows, and other locations – sharing and spreading the news of Takoma Park culture, politics, activities and events on a monthly basis. Started by Lou deSabla and continued for many years by Eric Bond, the Voice ceased publication as a print newspaper in 2012 but continued online for a few more years.
Historic Takoma has a nearly complete set of copies of the Voice in its archives along with another set for general public use in the Reading Room, thanks to Eric and the Takoma Park Maryland Library. Indexing of the Voice is ongoing. The current index can be found here.
First issue of the Takoma Voice
Eric has generously donated hundreds of extra copies of past issues to Historic Takoma. In turn, Historic Takoma is pleased to be able to make these available to the public via a Takoma Voice newspaper box (also donated by Eric) in front of our building at 7328 Carroll Avenue. Copies of various months and years will be placed in the box on a regular basis.
Final Issue of the Takoma Voice (print edition)
Stop by to pick up a piece of history and stop into the Reading Room to browse the complete set.