SILVER SPRING, MD –
To shine a spotlight on the unique history of the historically African American
community of Lyttonsville, the Planning Department’s historic preservation staff
collaborated with a local citizens group to create an exhibit for the Gwendolyn
Coffield Recreation Center in west Silver Spring.
Before there was a Linden,
Woodside, or Forest Glen, there was Lyttonsville. The community began in 1853 when Leonard
Johnson, a white landowner, gave a parcel of land to Samuel Lytton, a freed
slave for whom the community is named.
The new exhibit, designed for
Black History Month, includes a copy of the original l853 deed conveying property
to Samuel Lytton, artifacts from the community, historical maps, photographs and
newspaper clippings.
The exhibit opened February 4 and
will run through February 29.
Tiny Lyttonsville, just 68
acres, is bounded by Lanier Drive, Brookville Road, Talbot Avenue and
Lyttonsville Road. When the B & O
Railroad was built in 1873, Charles M. Keyes platted a development called
Linden of 32 acres with 20 residential lots on the east side of the tracks—the
first “railroad suburb” in Montgomery County. A railroad stop called “Linden” dropped
commuters at the new destination.
Lyttonsville, however,
remained on the west side of the tracks. With its proximity to the railroad
stop, the whole area, including Lyttonsville, began to be called Linden. In
fact, the first school in the community was named Linden School.
This little enclave within growing,
urbanizing Silver Spring has a history of struggle and survival. Relying on the
foundation of the two community churches, residents worked together to create a
school for their children and employment for their citizens. From the 1940s
through the 1960s, residents fought and won up-hill battles to save their
community from industrial development, bring utilities into the area and
promote improved housing through urban renewal.
While Lyttonsville originally
was a predominantly African-American community, several Caucasian families
settled in the area and lived there as long as many old-timers could
remember. Today, Lyttonsville has a
highly diverse community including Latino and Eastern European immigrants.
The Gwendolyn Coffield Recreation Center, at 2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring, is open from 9 a.m.
to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.