A Walking Tour in Cheverly, 1925

In 1925 the Washington Post published a series of guides to hikes in nearby areas by “Mapmaker.” A hike published in the August 23, 1925 issue took the walker through a Cheverly then only partially built. The hiker enters Cheverly from the south, through what became the Old Fourth Ward, then crossing the railroad tracks.

“Beyond the tracks you will suddenly come upon a solid concrete road, starting on the right-hand turn and curving past the Cheverly Spring” (very good drinking water) (15) and up among the new bungalows among the sparse woods dotted with pines and other trees. You keep along this concrete road – which is not crowded with traffic because it does not connect with any arterial highway – over the first hill, along a very distinct saddle, and will notice a steep downhill street started to the right into a heavy grove of pines. Just beyond this, and as you have about reached the limits of your next climb, you will find a street leading level off to the left (16). You can tell it from other previous left lead-offs by the fact that they all started down-hill; this goes off quite horizontal, and into regular woods. In the midst of the woods, about 150 from your concrete road, you will see a house. Then about an equal distance further in you will find all the curbings for a cross-road, or four-corner crossing (17).

Here you shift to the right, momentarily following a series of little white stakes marked: “S. 4-271" – “S. 4 - 272" &c. About this stake you will strike the remnants of a wood leading left. This you take, keeping sharp left on all turns (18) until you come downhill on a right-hand curve into the open on a hill 200 feet above sea level with a marvelous view of the distant city of Washington.”

The solid concrete road is today’s Cheverly Avenue. The water of Cheverly Spring, also known as Magruder Spring, has not been fit to drink since at least 1955. The “steep downhill street” is probably Inwood, and the level street heading left is Kilmer. The four-corner crossing (17) is the intersection of Kilmer and Belleview. The stakes marked section 4A of Cheverly, and lots 271 and 272 are now 3201 Belleview. The house seen 150 feet from Cheverly Avenue is likely 6015 Kilmer.