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Photo credit: Traceries, 04/2001

Riverdale Park Historic District

Inventory No.: PG:68-4

Date Listed: 12/23/2002

Location: Roughly bounded by Tuckerman Street, Taylor Road, Oglethorpe Street, the B&O Railroad Tracks, Madison Street, and Baltimore Avenue, Riverdale Park, Prince Georges County

Category: District

Period/Date of Construction: 1801-1864; 1889-1940

Architect/Builder: Builders: Joseph A. Blundon, Walter R. Wilson; Plat: D.J. Howell

Resources: 524 (439 contributing, 85 non-contributing)

Description: The neighborhood of Riverdale Park is bordered by Baltimore Avenue (US 1) to the west and the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia River to the east, with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracks bisecting the community north to south. The City of College Park is located to the north, and the City of Hyattsville to the southwest. The plat, as laid out by surveyor D.J. Howell in 1889, consisted of three sections. Queensbury Road was designated as the primary east-west corridor. The community was centered around the B & O passenger station. As envisioned by the development company, rail-related transportation spurred the initial settlement of Riverdale Park and the development of many of the surrounding communities. The emergence of the automobile as a primary form of transportation prompted the establishment of a commercial corridor along Baltimore Avenue, which later became the main north-south route for the community. Riverdale Park developed gradually, thereby ensuring that the original 1889 plan and the three additions platted in the first half of the 20th century remained largely intact. One of the more imposing features of the community is the early-19th century mansion known as Riversdale, and its freestanding outbuilding and family cemetery. As the centerpiece of the community, Riversdale is set within an 8-acre parcel surrounded by subdivided housing lots. Residential buildings make up most of the neighborhood, with commercial corridors at the center of the town and to the west along Baltimore Avenue. The residential buildings date from the 1890s to the last decade of the 20th century, with only three resources associated with Riversdale dating from before the platting of the neighborhood. Residential buildings are set back from the tree-lined streets on rectangular lots, and many have driveways and freestanding garages.

Significance: Riverdale Park is an excellent example of the many residential subdivisions that emerged in Prince George's County in the last decades of the 19th century to support the burgeoning population flocking to the nation's capital. The middle-class suburb, which is framed by major transportation corridors, expanded with the early-20th century advent of the streetcar and automobile. Riverdale Park developed primarily under the direction of the Riverdale Park Company between the 1889 platting of the community and 1920. As originally laid out by D.J. Howell, Riverdale Park incorporated a series of angular streets and landscaped traffic circles. The three original sections of the suburb utilized relatively uniform lot dimensions and building setbacks, thereby creating a cohesive development of middle- and upper-middle class housing. The residential housing lots surrounded the Federal-style Riversdale Mansion, which was constructed for the Stier and Calvert families between 1801 and 1807. The original subdivision of Riverdale Park was smaller than the present neighborhood, which now includes additions platted as "West Riverdale," "Gretta Addition to Riverdale," and "Dr. R.A. Bennett's Addition to Riverdale." The chronological development of the now-enlarged Riverdale Park neighborhood is documented by its architecture, which includes a wide arrange of construction dates from the 1890s to the infill construction of the late 1990s. Varying from large 2 1/2-story wood frame dwellings to smaller bungalows, the residential areas of the neighborhood are generally defined by an eclectic collection of imposing Queen Anne and Colonial Revival houses, and more modest examples of Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Tudor Revival dwellings. The availability of retail stores at the center of the subdivision and along Baltimore Avenue aided the independence of the community and its eventual incorporation as a town.

District Resources (524) (439 contributing, 85 non-contributing)

From associated listing in National Register nomination form. C = Contributing, NC = non-contributing, blank = not evaluated.

Address	Status	Resource Name and MIHP (if any)
6302 45th Place	C
6303 45th Place	C
6304 45th Place	C
6305 45th Place	C
6308 45th Place	C
6404 45th Place	C
6405 45th Place	C
6406 45th Place	C
6407 45th Place	C	PG:68-4-74 -- Kastler-Kline Bungalow
6408 45th Place	C
6409 45th Place	C
6410 45th Place	C
6302 46th Avenue	C
6303 46th Avenue	C
6304 46th Avenue	C	PG:68-69 -- Grimes-Clayton House
6305 46th Avenue	C
6306 46th Avenue	C
6307 46th Avenue	C
6309 46th Avenue	C
6313 46th Avenue	C
6402 46th Avenue	C
6404 46th Avenue	C
6406 46th Avenue	C
6407 46th Avenue	C
6301 47th Avenue	C
6302 47th Avenue	C
6303 47th Avenue	C
6304 47th Avenue	C	PG:68-68 -- Thift House
6305 47th Avenue	C
6307 47th Avenue	C
6308 47th Avenue	C
6311 47th Avenue	C
6312 47th Avenue	C
6314 47th Avenue	C
6315 47th Avenue	C
6005 48th Avenue	C	Riverdale Mansion Caretaker's House
6413 48th Avenue	C
6203 49th Avenue	C
6302 49th Avenue	C
6311 49th Avenue	C	PG:68-70 -- Clark-Owsley House
6411 49th Avenue	C
5801 Baltimore Avenue	C
6009 Baltimore Avenue	C
6033 Baltimore Avenue	C
6035 Baltimore Avenue	C
6037 Baltimore Avenue	C
6201 Baltimore Avenue	C
6203 Baltimore Avenue	C
6205-6207 Baltimore Avenue	C
6209 Baltimore Avenue	C
6211 Baltimore Avenue	C
6213 Baltimore Avenue	C
6217-6223 Baltimore Avenue	C	PG:68-4-38 -- KEM Building, site
6231-6233 Baltimore Avenue	C	PG:68-4-40 -- Norken & Son Insurance, site
6235-6241 Baltimore Avenue	C	PG:68-4-41 -- Riverdale Shoe Repair/Consignment Shop, site
6401 Baltimore Avenue	C
6423 Baltimore Avenue	C
6501 Baltimore Avenue	C
5817 Baltimore Avenue (US 1)	C
6001 Baltimore Avenue (US 1)	C
6215 Baltimore Avenue (US 1)	C	PG:68-4-37 -- Lynn Animal Hospital
6227 Baltimore Avenue (US 1)	C	PG:68-4-39 -- Peelers Dry Cleaners, site
6203 Beale Circle	C
6205 Beale Circle	C
6207 Beale Circle	C
6209 Beale Circle	C
5801 Cleveland Avenue	C	PG:68-6 -- Chambers Funeral Home (Marion Wicks House)
5803 Cleveland Avenue	C
5805 Cleveland Avenue	C
5806 Cleveland Avenue	C
5807 Cleveland Avenue	C
5809 Cleveland Avenue	C	PG:68-4-59 -- Knight House, site
5810 Cleveland Avenue	C	PG:68-4-77 -- Paul J. Hidgon House
5900 Cleveland Avenue	C
5902 Cleveland Avenue	C
5904 Cleveland Avenue	C
5905 Cleveland Avenue	C	PG:68-4-20 -- Dodge-Klein House
5907 Cleveland Avenue	C	PG:68-4-58 -- Kerfoot House
5908 Cleveland Avenue	C
5910 Cleveland Avenue	C	PG:68-4-21 -- Gray House
5801 (Rear) Cleveland Avenue	C
4504 East West Highway	C
4506 East West Highway	C
4508 East West Highway	C
4510 East West Highway	C
4512 East West Highway	C
4514 East West Highway	C
4516 East West Highway	C
4600 East West Highway	C
4601 East West Highway	C
4603 East West Highway	C
4605 East West Highway	C
4906 East West Highway	C
East-West Highway (MD 450) & Cleveland Avenue	C	PG:68-3 -- Calvert Family Cemetery
5903 Harrison Avenue	C
5909 Harrison Avenue	C
5911 Harrison Avenue	C
5913 Harrison Avenue	C
6003 Lafayette Avenue	C
6009 Lafayette Avenue	C
6403 Lafayette Avenue	C
4512 Madison Street	C
4514 Madison Street	C
4516 Madison Street	C
4518 Madison Street	C
4520 Madison Street	C
4522 Madison Street	C
6201 Natoli Place	C
6205 Natoli Place	C
4501 Oliver Street	C
4503 Oliver Street	C
4504 Oliver Street	C
4505 Oliver Street	C
4506 Oliver Street	C
4507 Oliver Street	C
4508 Oliver Street	C
4509 Oliver Street	C
4510 Oliver Street	C
4511 Oliver Street	C
4512 Oliver Street	C
4513 Oliver Street	C
4514 Oliver Street	C
4515 Oliver Street	C
4600 Oliver Street	C
4601 Oliver Street	C
4602 Oliver Street	C
4603 Oliver Street	C
4604 Oliver Street	C
4605 Oliver Street	C	PG:68-4-12 -- Reibetanz House
4606 Oliver Street	C	PG:68-4-13 -- Collier House
4608 Oliver Street	C
4609 Oliver Street	C
4611 Oliver Street	C
4700 Oliver Street	C
4702 Oliver Street	C
4704 Oliver Street	C
4705 Oliver Street	C
4707 Oliver Street	C	PG:68-4-1 -- Harry Smith House
4710 Oliver Street	C
4711 Oliver Street	C	PG:68-4-97 -- Wilson-Gleis House
4712 Oliver Street	C
4713 Oliver Street	C
4714 Oliver Street	C
4715 Oliver Street	C	PG:68-4-57 -- Charles Earl House
4716 Oliver Street	C	PG:68-4-2 -- Warren House (Oliver Street House)
4500 Queensbury Road	C	PG:68-4-22 -- Ernie's Lock & Key
4502 Queensbury Road	C
4504 Queensbury Road	C
4505 Queensbury Road	C	PG:68-4-23 -- Dorsey's Plumbing
4507 Queensbury Road	C
4509 Queensbury Road	C
4513 Queensbury Road	C
4600 Queensbury Road	C
4601 Queensbury Road	C
4602 Queensbury Road	C
4605 Queensbury Road	C
4606 Queensbury Road	C
4608 Queensbury Road	C
4609 Queensbury Road	C
4610 Queensbury Road	C
4612 Queensbury Road	C	PG:68-4-24 -- Riverdale Haircutters, site
4616-4618 Queensbury Road	C	PG:68-4-25 -- Upholstery Service
4622 Queensbury Road	C
4701 Queensbury Road	C	PG:68-4-8 -- Riverdale Bookstore
4711 Queensbury Road	C
4713 Queensbury Road	C
4714-4718 Queensbury Road	C
4717 Queensbury Road	C
4719 Queensbury Road	C
4800 Queensbury Road	C
4801 Queensbury Road	C
4802 Queensbury Road	C
4803 Queensbury Road	C
4804 Queensbury Road	C
4805 Queensbury Road	C
4806 Queensbury Road	C
4812 Queensbury Road	C
4813 Queensbury Road	C
4900 Queensbury Road	C
4901 Queensbury Road	C
4902 Queensbury Road	C
4903 Queensbury Road	C
4904 Queensbury Road	C
4905 Queensbury Road	C
4906 Queensbury Road	C
4907 Queensbury Road	C
4908 Queensbury Road	C
4910 Queensbury Road	C
4912 Queensbury Road	C
5000 Queensbury Road	C
5002 Queensbury Road	C
4700 Ravenswood Road	C
4701-4703 Ravenswood Road	C
4705 Ravenswood Road	C
4710 Ravenswood Road	C
4711 Ravenswood Road	C
4712 Ravenswood Road	C
4713 Ravenswood Road	C
4716 Ravenswood Road	C
4800 Ravenswood Road	C
4801 Ravenswood Road	C
4802 Ravenswood Road	C
4803 Ravenswood Road	C
4805 Ravenswood Road	C
4806 Ravenswood Road	C
4808 Ravenswood Road	C
4809 Ravenswood Road	C	PG:68-64 -- Burrhus House
4810 Ravenswood Road	C	PG:68-63 -- G.A. Meyer House
4811 Ravenswood Road	C
4900 Ravenswood Road	C
4901 Ravenswood Road	C
4902 Ravenswood Road	C
4903 Ravenswood Road	C
4904 Ravenswood Road	C
4906 Ravenswood Road	C	PG:68-4-56 -- Sehorn House
4907 Ravenswood Road	C
4908 Ravenswood Road	C	PG:68-4-49 -- Joseph Gossett House
4909 Ravenswood Road	C
4911 Ravenswood Road	C
4912 Ravenswood Road	C
4913 Ravenswood Road	C
6000 Rhode Island Avenue	C
6002 Rhode Island Avenue	C
6004 Rhode Island Avenue	C
6008 Rhode Island Avenue	C
6105 Rhode Island Avenue	C
6108 Rhode Island Avenue	C	PG:68-4-52 -- S and J Grill
6214-6218 Rhode Island Avenue	C	PG:68-4-54 -- Park Avenue Window Fashion Center, Entertainment World
6220 Rhode Island Avenue	C	PG:68-4-55 -- Post Office/Town Hall
6407 Rhode Island Avenue	C
6200 Rhode Island Avenue (6200-6212 Rhode Island Avenue)	C
6202-6208 Rhode Island Avenue (6200-6212 Rhode Island Avenue)	C
6210-6212 Rhode Island Avenue (6200-6212 Rhode Island Avenue)	C
4709 Rittenhouse Street	C
4711 Rittenhouse Street	C
4713 Rittenhouse Street	C
4715 Rittenhouse Street	C
4717 Rittenhouse Street	C
4719 Rittenhouse Street	C
4801 Rittenhouse Street	C
4805 Rittenhouse Street	C
4807 Rittenhouse Street	C
4809 Rittenhouse Street	C
4811 Rittenhouse Street	C
4813 Rittenhouse Street	C
5004 Rittenhouse Street	C
5006 Rittenhouse Street	C
4501 Riverdale Road	C
4503 Riverdale Road	C
4504 Riverdale Road	C
4505 Riverdale Road	C
4506 Riverdale Road	C
4507 Riverdale Road	C
4508 Riverdale Road	C
4509 Riverdale Road	C
4510 Riverdale Road	C
4511 Riverdale Road	C
4512 Riverdale Road	C
4514 Riverdale Road	C
4600 Riverdale Road	C
4601 Riverdale Road	C
4602 Riverdale Road	C
4603 Riverdale Road	C
4607 Riverdale Road	C
4609 Riverdale Road	C
4700-4704 Riverdale Road	C	PG:68-4-7 -- Dumm's Corner
4705 Riverdale Road	C
4707 Riverdale Road	C
4708 Riverdale Road	C
4709 Riverdale Road	C
4710 Riverdale Road	C
4711 Riverdale Road	C
4712 Riverdale Road	C
4715 Riverdale Road	C
4716 Riverdale Road	C	PG:68-66 -- Holland-Brown House
4717 Riverdale Road	C
4718 Riverdale Road	C
4721 Riverdale Road	C
4722 Riverdale Road	C	PG:68-67 -- Read-Low House (Rose Villa)
4800 Riverdale Road	C
4802 Riverdale Road	C
4804 Riverdale Road	C
4808 Riverdale Road	C
4811 Riverdale Road	C	PG:68-5 -- Riversdale (Calvert Mansion)
4811 Riverdale Road	C	PG:68-5A -- Riversdale Slave Quarters
4812 Riverdale Road	C
4900 Riverdale Road	C
4904 Riverdale Road	C
4905 Riverdale Road	C
4907 Riverdale Road	C
4908 Riverdale Road	C
4909 Riverdale Road	C
4911 Riverdale Road	C
4912 Riverdale Road	C
4913 Riverdale Road	C
5001 Riverdale Road	C
5003 Riverdale Road	C
5005 Riverdale Road	C
5007 Riverdale Road	C
5015 Riverdale Road	C
5017 Riverdale Road	C
4502 Sheridan Street	C
4504 Sheridan Street	C
4506 Sheridan Street	C
4507 Sheridan Street	C
4508 Sheridan Street	C
4509 Sheridan Street	C
4510 Sheridan Street	C
4511 Sheridan Street	C
4512 Sheridan Street	C
4513 Sheridan Street	C
4515 Sheridan Street	C
4516 Sheridan Street	C
4600 Sheridan Street	C
4601 Sheridan Street	C
4603 Sheridan Street	C
4605 Sheridan Street	C
4607 Sheridan Street	C
4706 Sheridan Street	C
4707 Sheridan Street	C
4708 Sheridan Street	C
4709 Sheridan Street	C	PG:68-4-47 -- Kilby-Marquis Bungalow
4710 Sheridan Street	C
4711 Sheridan Street	C	PG:68-4-32 -- Castella House
4712 Sheridan Street	C
4714 Sheridan Street	C
4800 Sheridan Street	C	PG:68-4-33 -- Bullock House
4801 Sheridan Street	C
4804 Sheridan Street	C	PG:68-4-34 -- Palmer House
4805 Sheridan Street	C
4806 Sheridan Street	C
4808 Sheridan Street	C	PG:68-4-35 -- Lynch House
4809 Sheridan Street	C
4902 Sheridan Street	C
4904 Sheridan Street	C
4905 Sheridan Street	C
4906 Sheridan Street	C
4907 Sheridan Street	C
4908 Sheridan Street	C
4914 Sheridan Street	C	PG:68-4-36 -- Heid House
4700 Somerset Road	C
4701 Somerset Road	C
4702 Somerset Road	C
4703 Somerset Road	C
4704 Somerset Road	C
4706 Somerset Road	C
4708 Somerset Road	C
4709 Somerset Road	C
4710 Somerset Road	C
4711 Somerset Road	C
4713 Somerset Road	C
4800 Somerset Road	C
4801 Somerset Road	C
4802 Somerset Road	C
4803 Somerset Road	C
4804 Somerset Road	C
4805 Somerset Road	C
4806 Somerset Road	C
4807 Somerset Road	C
4808 Somerset Road	C	PG:68-4-14 -- H. Dale Smith House
4809 Somerset Road	C
4811 Somerset Road	C
4812 Somerset Road	C
4813 Somerset Road	C	PG:68-4-15 -- Riedel House
4900 Somerset Road	C
4901 Somerset Road	C
4902 Somerset Road	C
4903 Somerset Road	C
4905 Somerset Road	C
4906 Somerset Road	C
4907 Somerset Road	C
4908 Somerset Road	C
4909 Somerset Road	C
4910 Somerset Road	C	PG:68-4-16 -- Kreider House
4911 Somerset Road	C
4912 Somerset Road	C
4913 Somerset Road	C
6010 Taylor Road	C
6012 Taylor Road	C
6303 Taylor Road	C
6304 Taylor Road	C
6415 Taylor Road	C
6417 Taylor Road	C
6419 Taylor Road	C
6426 Taylor Road	C
4502 Tuckerman Street	C
4504 Tuckerman Street	C
4505 Tuckerman Street	C
4506 Tuckerman Street	C
4508 Tuckerman Street	C
4510 Tuckerman Street	C
4512 Tuckerman Street	C
4516 Tuckerman Street	C
4517 Tuckerman Street	C
4518 Tuckerman Street	C
4519 Tuckerman Street	C
4520 Tuckerman Street	C
4522 Tuckerman Street	C
4524 Tuckerman Street	C
4600 Tuckerman Street	C
4601 Tuckerman Street	C
4602 Tuckerman Street	C
4603 Tuckerman Street	C
4604 Tuckerman Street	C
4606 Tuckerman Street	C
4607 Tuckerman Street	C
4608 Tuckerman Street	C
4609 Tuckerman Street	C
4610 Tuckerman Street	C
4701 Tuckerman Street	C
4705 Tuckerman Street	C
4707 Tuckerman Street	C
4709 Tuckerman Street	C
4713 Tuckerman Street	C
4800 Tuckerman Street	C
4802 Tuckerman Street	C
4803 Tuckerman Street	C
4804 Tuckerman Street	C
4805 Tuckerman Street	C
4806 Tuckerman Street	C
4808 Tuckerman Street	C
4809 Tuckerman Street	C
4812 Tuckerman Street	C
4814 Tuckerman Street	C
4901 Tuckerman Street	C
4902 Tuckerman Street	C
4903 Tuckerman Street	C
4904 Tuckerman Street	C
4905 Tuckerman Street	C
4906 Tuckerman Street	C
4907 Tuckerman Street	C
4908 Tuckerman Street	C
4909 Tuckerman Street	C
4910 Tuckerman Street	C
4911 Tuckerman Street	C
4912 Tuckerman Street	C
4913 Tuckerman Street	C
4914 Tuckerman Street	C
4916 Tuckerman Street	C
6306 45th Place	NC
6307 45th Place	NC
6309 45th Place	NC
6310 45th Place	NC
6311 45th Place	NC
6403 45th Place	NC
6306 47th Avenue	NC
6310 47th Avenue	NC
6301 49th Avenue	NC
6412 49th Avenue	NC
6414 49th Avenue	NC
5803 Baltimore Avenue	NC
5811 Baltimore Avenue	NC
6411 Baltimore Avenue	NC
6419 Baltimore Avenue	NC
5903 Cleveland Avenue	NC
5906 Cleveland Avenue	NC
5909 Cleveland Avenue	NC
200 Dupont Circle	NC
4902 East West Highway	NC
4903 East West Highway	NC
4904 East West Highway	NC
4908 East West Highway	NC
5801 Harrison Avenue	NC
5805 Harrison Avenue	NC
5809 Harrison Avenue	NC
5813 Harrison Avenue	NC
5901 Harrison Avenue	NC
5907 Harrison Avenue	NC
6401 Lafayette Avenue	NC
4706 Oliver Street	NC
4717 Oliver Street	NC
4503 Queensbury Road	NC
4603 Queensbury Road	NC
4705 Queensbury Road	NC	PG:68-4-9 -- NASA Washington Federal Credit Union
4706 Queensbury Road	NC
4709 Queensbury Road	NC
4710 Queensbury Road	NC
4715 Queensbury Road	NC
4808 Queensbury Road	NC
4810 Queensbury Road	NC
4811 Queensbury Road	NC
4911 Queensbury Road	NC
4709 Ravenswood Road	NC
4714 Ravenswood Road	NC
4807 Ravenswood Road	NC
4813 Ravenswood Road	NC
4905 Ravenswood Road	NC
4910 Ravenswood Road	NC
6100 Rhode Island Avenue	NC	PG:68-4-10 -- Dorsey Plumbing & Heating Co.
6313 Rhode Island Avenue	NC
6323 Rhode Island Avenue	NC
6403-05 Rhode Island Avenue	NC
6409 Rhode Island Avenue	NC
6501 Rhode Island Avenue	NC
6200 Rhode Island Avenue Block	NC
4604 Riverdale Road	NC
4605 Riverdale Road	NC
4606 Riverdale Road	NC
4714 Riverdale Road	NC
4719 Riverdale Road	NC
4720 Riverdale Road	NC
4902 Riverdale Road	NC
4906 Riverdale Road	NC
5011 Riverdale Road	NC
4701 Sheridan Street	NC
4703 Sheridan Street	NC
4705 Sheridan Street	NC
4802 Sheridan Street	NC
4803 Sheridan Street	NC
4810 Sheridan Street	NC
4900 Sheridan Street	NC
4903 Sheridan Street	NC
4910 Sheridan Street	NC
4911 Sheridan Street	NC
4913 Sheridan Street	NC
4705 Somerset Road	NC
4707 Somerset Road	NC
4810 Somerset Road	NC
4904 Somerset Road	NC
4711 Tuckerman Street	NC
4807 Tuckerman Street	NC
4810 Tuckerman Street	NC
4811 Tuckerman Street	NC
4900 Tuckerman Street	NC