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P.O. Box 453, Kensington, MD 20895
To request archival information, send an email to archives@tok.md.gov.
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Southeast Kensington
Connecticut Avenue was renamed Armory Avenue when Connecticut Avenue was reconfigured to its current location. This view is from the Howard Avenue end looking south. The house to the left is an office now.
This rainy day view shows the Piggly Wiggly, a barbershop and the Standard Gasoline station in the late 1920’s. The buildings hold new shops today.
The gas station at Howard and Armory Avenues has continuously served the community since the 1920’s.
More shops with apartments above them replaced the larger homes at the corner of Fawcett Street and Howard Avenue. Today’s shops have antiques which reflect the hundred and more years or Kensington’s history. (c.1960)
Here we can see the first Safeway in town. To the right are two homes which were converted to shops, as businesses developed in town.
The Hermann family home was transformed into the Reinhardt School for Deaf Children in 1921. It was demolished in 1963.
The Armory Dedication 1927
The Kensington Fire Department moved into the rear of the Armory. The Women’s Auxillary proudly displays the 1902 Dodge pumper.
This scene shows the Baltimore Street hill before the current Connecticut Avenue was cut through.
These homes on Fawcett Street and Carroll Place are viewed from across Baltimore Street.
This dirt road in front of Warner’s home led to Noyes Library c. 1893.
Hadley Hall, built by Brainard Warner, is now the centerpiece of the Montgomery County Warner Circle Park.
This dirt road in front of Warner’s home led to Noyes Library c. 1893.
Windmills could be seen all throughout Kensington as shown behind 10213 Montgomery Avenue.
10000 Kensington Parkway. The Kensington Cabin was built in 1934.
Look back at these homes. They are the first you see as you leave Howard Avenue and walk toward Noyes Library.
The 10308 Kensington Parkway Flinn house is no longer standing. This park honors Nancy Rutheford Flinn, a popular Kensington teacher. Sit by the founain and imagine an earlier time.
This view shows the Kensington Bank on East Howard & Montgomery Avenues in front of a large building which housed Town Hall, the post office, a pharmacy and grocery.
A view of the railroad tracks from the station’s parking lot looks toward St. Paul Street.
A view from the train station shows the bank as it was expanding, and the early McKeevers Ice Cream shop to the left.
The original Kensington Bank opened in 1908 and a bank has continuously operated at this location since that time. The new bank building has ewnveloped the old, as you can see from the roofline on the left side.
McKeevers Ice Cream was very popular and even had its own truck.
At first, the Train Station, built in 1891, had only a small parking area at its rear. The tracks had a raised walkway shown to the left of the station.
This building was lost to fire in the 1960’s. The bank is to the left and the Montgomery Press building, 3716 Howard Avenue, is on the right.
Southwest Kensington
3915 Baltimore Street under Construction From this home construction site on the Baltimore hill, one can see the large home to the rear which became the Reinhardt School for the Deaf. In the distance to the right you can barely see the Noyes Library.
Connecticut Avenue was a dirt road when the first Warner Memorial Presbyterian Church was built in 1894. The home to its right still stands on Washington Street at Connecticut, and the new church still houses the Warner Memorial Presbyterians.
As you look up Washington Street compare it to this view before automobiles.
North Kensington
This home was originally built as the St. Paul’s Methodist Church. The Methodist gathering had previously been organized by William H. Wheatley and Dr. R.B. Detrick, and had been meeting in Wheatley’s barn. (1885).
An early Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A & P) and the train tower have been replaced by a parking lot. Across the railroad tracks one can see the Montgomery Press Building (now the Prevention of Blindness Thrift shop).
This is a view of Howard Avenue from the north side of the railroad at St. Paul Street.
10417 Howard Avenue. The Kensington B & O Train Station was built in 1891. Originally this stop was called Knowles Station since the tracks crossed the Knowles property.
Central Kensington
The recreation building has a Josiah Henson dedication plaque by the door.
Learn about Josiah Henson and also the Mills of Rock Creek at this marker along the Rock Creek Trail.
This road from Garrett Park still sweeps down to cross Rock Creek as the road changes from Strathmore to Knowles Avenue.
This branch of the Rock Creek Trail begins at the western end of St. Paul Street.
This is a 1953 view of Connecticut Avenue and the Safeway, looking south from the railroad bridge.
Looking north, this 1955 view shows Connecticut Avenue and the Safeway from Knowles, at that time, still a corner with trees and homes.