The History of
Capitol View Park

1689- A 4,220 acre land grant, which includes the land that later became Capitol View Park, was made to William Joseph.

1776-The land becomes part of the land holdings of the famous Daniel Carroll (Archbishop of Baltimore, founder of Georgetown University).

Between 1776-1829-The acreage is passed from Daniel Carroll, Jr., to his son, William, and subsequently 800 acres were acquired by Daniel Brent, son of Robert Brent, and executor of the will of Daniel Carroll, Sr.

1829-The land is sold in parcels. Four hundred and ninety-eight acres were purchased by Robert Brown, a farmer.

1864-Robert Brown passed 276.5 acres of that on to his son Thomas J. Brown. Thomas Brown built a house on that land (the Frederick Case house, now 9834 Capitol View Ave) which was the first known dwelling in the area now known as Capitol View Park.

Subsequently, the land was bisected by the railroad. The 123.5 acres north of the tracks  was sold to Mary Harr, Messrs. Harr, Burgdorf, and a Washington real estate broker named Pratt who subsequently undertook to subdivide the property making Capitol View Park one of the first subdivisions in Montgomery County.

1882-The Harrs moved to their farm and built a house (the Trimble House, now 10011 Capitol View Ave).

1888-Additional houses were built in Capitol View Park, the first houses built on the subdivided land. From the third floors of several of these homes it was possible at that time to see the Capitol Building in Washington DC; hence the moniker of Capitol View Park for our community. Thanks to the growth of trees in the interim, the Capitol is no longer visible from our neighborhood.

October 18, 1888 -the day after the Eckington and Soldier's Home began operation, Congress authorized the Brightwood Railway to electrify the Metropolitan's streetcar line on Seventh Street Extended NW or Brightwood Avenue NW (now known as Georgia Avenue NW) and to extend it to the District boundary at Silver Spring.

1890-The Brightwood Railroad Company bought the former Boundary and Silver Spring line from the Metropolitan, but continued to operate it as a horse line.

1892- it was ordered by Congress to switch to overhead electrical power and complete the line. This increased transportation option allowed people to live in the subdivision of Capitol View and participate in the activities of Washington DC much as we do today.

1908- Maps reveal approximately 17 buildings in Capitol View Park.

1911-Capitol View Avenue was laid out and recorded. Prior to this, there was no direct connection to Kensington by road north of the tracks.