History

The city is named for its founder, Christopher Clark Hyatt (17991884), who
purchased his first parcel of land in the area in 1845. Hyatt opened a store and
began mail delivery, officially naming the nascent community "Hyattsville" in his
1859 application to become postmaster. The community's location at the intersection
of the Washington and Baltimore Turnpike (modern day US 1) and the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad line made the land attractive for development. In the years following
the Civil War, Hyatt and other local landowners subdivided their properties and
sold lots, and the population of Hyattsville grew. Hyattsville was incorporated as
a city on April 7, 1886.[7]

The historic district of the city is home to a number of Victorian houses built in
the late 1880s and Sears bungalows and Arts & Crafts houses built between the wars
(late 1910s and early 1940s). Historic Hyattsville is roughly bounded by East West
Highway to the north; Route 1 to the east; the 38th Street Neighborhood Park to the
south, and Queens Chapel Road to the west.[8]

Town description[edit]
The City of Hyattsville consists of six subdivisions; Hyattsville Hills, Downtown
Hyattsville, Kirkwood, Queens Chapel Manor, Castle Manor, and University Hills.
Historic Hyattsville reportedly consists of the Hyattsville Hills, Downtown
Hyattsville, and Castle Manor subdivisions.

Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood[edit]

Neighborhood character[edit]
The Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood is contained between Ager Road to the south,
East West Highway to the north, Queens Chapel Road to the west, and the Northwest
Branch Anacostia River to the west. The neighborhood mainly consists of old, small
red brick houses. In addition to these small houses, Queens Chapel Manor consists
of four main apartment complexes; the Mosaic at Prince George's Plaza Metro
Apartments, the Ager Road Station Apartments, Madison Park Apartments, and Hamilton
Manor Apartments.

Public transportation[edit]
As far as transportation goes, the Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood is primarily
served by the Prince Georges Plaza Metro Station, which is conveniently located
inside its neighborhood parameters. Residents do also however; have easy access to
the West Hyattsville Metro Station in the adjacent Kirkwood neighborhood, right
across Ager Road.

Commerce[edit]
The neighborhood is primarily served by the Queens Chapel Town Center, the Shoppes
at Prince Georges Plaza Metro Station, a Giant Food Store on East West Highway,
Jerry's Restaurant on East West Highway, and a Home Depot Store on East West
Highway, in terms of commerce. Residents also have additional access to shopping at
the Prince Georges Plaza Shopping Center and University Town Center in the adjacent
University Hills neighborhood.

Education[edit]
In terms of education, the neighborhood is served by Nicholas Orem Middle School
and the recently built Edward M. Felegy Elementary School. Queens Chapel Manor is
also served by the St. Matthew's Day Parish School, which is a private, religious
school.

Parks and recreation[edit]

In terms of recreation, the Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood is served by the
Heurich Neighborhood Park. The Northwest Anacostia Trail passes through it.
Interestingly, Metro's Green Line tracks go through Heurich Park and the Madison
Park Apartments, in the Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood when going between the
Prince George's Plaza and West Hyattsville Metro Stations.

Places of worship[edit]
Last but not least, neighborhood also features the Redeemer Lutheran Church, First
United Church, St. Matthew's Day Parish School, and the West Hyattsville Baptist
Church, as worship places.

University Hills neighborhood[edit]

Neighborhood character[edit]
The University Hills neighborhood is contained between East West Highway to the
south, University Boulevard to the north, the Northwest Branch Anacostia River to
the west, and Adelphi Road to the east. The University Hills neighborhood is not
surprisingly[to whom?] located adjacent to the University of Maryland College Park
Campus. The University Hills neighborhood contains the Prince George's Plaza
Shopping Center, University Town Center Shopping Center/ High Rise Apartment
Complex, Hyattsville Branch Public Library, Historic Kaiser Permanente Buildings,
the Family Dentist Group Building. In addition to these few buildings, University
Hills also contains the Belcrest Plaza Apartments, Seville Condominiums, Toledo
Plaza Apartments, Dean Manor Apartments, Post Park Apartments, the Highview
Apartment complex, and Graduate Hills Apartments (apartments availible only for
University of Maryland Graduate Students to rent while they are completing Graduate
School).

Public transportation[edit]
University Hills, unfortunately[for whom?], does not have its own metro station.
However; residents of the University Hills neighborhood, have nearby access to the
Prince George's Plaza Metro Station in the adjacent Queens Chapel Manor
neighborhood. Fortunately, though, residents of the Highview Apartment Complex,
Dean Manor Apartments, Belcrest Plaza Apartments, and University Hills
neighborhood, all have unique access to the special metrobus R4 shuttle that runs
from these apartment complexes to the Prince Georges Plaza, West Hyattsville, and
Brookland-CUA Metro stations. In addition to the R4 metrobus service, residents
also have access to three other metrobus routes on Adelphi Road, two other metrobus
routes at the corner of University Boulevard and Adelphi Road (behind the Graduate
Hills Apartments), and another metrobus route on Toledo Terrace. Additionally,
University of Maryland College Park students and faculty have access to the free UM
Shuttle that goes from University Hills to the University of Maryland College Park
Campus.

Parks and recreation[edit]

For recreation, University Hills has the Duck Pond Neighborhood Park. The park
consists of a medium sized pond facing University Boulevard as well as a small
playground. The park is also connected by the Northwest Branch Anacostia River
trail, which connects this park to the bigger Lake Manor Park across the Anacostia
River in the neighborhood of Lewisdale.

Education[edit]
In terms of education, the University Hills Neighborhood features Northwestern High
School.

Historic house[edit]
Hitching Post Hill (also known as Ash Hill); listed on National Register of
Historic Places on September 16, 1977

Kirkwood neighborhood[edit]
Kirkwood is a tiny neighborhood contained between the Northwest Branch Anacostia
River to the south and west, Queens Chapel Road to the east, and Ager Road to the
north. It neighbors the communities of Avondale, Green Meadows, and Queens Chapel
Manor. The Kirkwood neighborhood is mainly occupied by the Kirkwood Apartment
Complex, Kirkwood Neighborhood Park, and West Hyattsville Metro Station.

Commerce[edit]
Unfortunately, in terms of shopping and education, Kirkwood residents have to rely
on other adjacent communities.

Parks and recreation[edit]

Interestingly, the Kirkwood neighborhood has two trails that go though the Kirkwood
neighborhood park; the Northwest Branch trail and Sligo Creek Trail. The Kirkwood
Neighborhood Park, itself, consists of a small basketball court, big soccer field,
a picnic area, and small playground.

Historic Hyattsville (The Main/ Original Hyattsville)[edit]

Neighborhood character[edit]
Historic Hyattsville consists of the four main/ oldest subdivisions that made up
the original Hyattsville; Downtown Hyattsville, Ellaville, Hyattsville Hills, and
Castle Manor. This neighborhood mainly features small one to two story houses as
well as several apartment complexes; such as the Queensbury Park Apartments, Oliver
Gardens Apartments, Courtyard Park Apartments, Hyattsville House Apartments, Park
Place Apartments, Castle Manor Apartments, Prince Georges Apartments, Top of the
Park Apartments, The Oglethorpe A Condominiums, and the newly constructed
Hyattsville Arts District Apartments. Historic Hyattsville also uniquely features
the Independent Court Assisted Living Homes on Queens Chapel Road for the elderly
and disabled to live and be taken care of. Historic Hyattsville also features a
courthouse on Rhode Island Avenue (Route 1).

Education[edit]
In terms of education, Historic Hyattsville consists of two public schools that are
part of the Prince George's County Public School District; Hyattsville Elementary
School and Hyattsville Middle School. Historic Hyattsville also consists of two
private schools as well; such as the DeMatha Catholic School, and St. Jerome's
Academy.

Commerce[edit]
In terms of commerce, the primary place where residents of the Historic Hyattsville
do their shopping is in the Hyattsville Arts District located in Downtown
Hyattsville on Route 1. The Hyattsville Arts district was built in late 2011 and
consists of a Yes! Organic Grocery Store, Busboys & Poets Restaurant, Chipotle
Mexican Grill Restaurant, and Hair Cuttery. Behind Route 1 in Downtown Hyattsville
are where the former B&O Railroad tracks are located. These tracks in Hyattsville
were once part of the B&O Hyattsville Rail Station. The station was eventually
destroyed and those tracks were used by the historic 82 streetcar line, which
traveled from West Potomac Park to Branchville. Now, the train tracks are used by
cargo trains. Next to the Hyattsville Arts District is where the longtime Franklin
Restaurant Bar & General Store is located. The few other places that residents of
Historic Hyattsville have to shop are Sammy's Chinese Carryout, Brenda Lee's Hair
Stylist Store/ Barber Shop, Mina Wash Laundromat, Surf n' Suds Laundromat, and
Bestway Supermarket. The Bestway Supermarket took over the former Safeway Food &
Drug store's spot on Hamilton Street when it closed its doors on February 4, 2012.
The Safeway Food & Drug Store had reportedly been operating in Historic Hyattsville
for nearly a century. Lastly, if residents want to shop at a much larger shopping
mall, they have access to the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center in the
University Hills neighborhood.

Public transportation[edit]
Unfortunately in terms of transportation, Historic Hyattsville does not have a
direct metro station in its neighborhood. However, residents have access to the
Prince George's Plaza Metro Station in the Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood and the
West Hyattsville Metro Station in the Kirkwood neighborhood. Additionally, if
residents of Historic Hyattsville are willing to bear a little bit of a longer
commute to the District of Columbia, they have access to the Rhode Island Avenue
Metro Station. In addition to metrorail service, residents of Historic Hyattsville
have access to the nearby Riverdale Marc Train station, as well as a few metrobus
and "The Bus" routes. Students and staff at the University of Maryland College Park
have access to the free Shuttle UM Bus that goes from Historic Hyattsville to the
University of Maryland College Park Campus.

Parks and recreation[edit]

In terms of recreation, Historic Hyattsville has five neighborhood parks; Deitz
Park, Hyatt Park, Robert J. Memorial Park, the 38th Avenue Neighborhood Park,
Melrose Park, and Magruder Park. Magruder Park is Historic Hyattsville's main park.
It consists of a recreation center, pool, playground, basketball courts, and soccer
field.

Geography[edit]